The Surefire Way To Make Certain Your Takeout Fish And Chips Stay Crispy

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We love us some fish and chips, whether we're ordering carryout from a beloved local spot or checking out the chains with the best fried fish. No matter if you choose to scarf your fish and chips with tartar sauce, malt vinegar, or just a twist of lemon, very little beats the crunchy, salty combination of deep-fried whitefish and golden fries. There are those who swear the key to crispy fish is the addition of some specialty flour in the batter, but tricks for the best fried fish abound. Here's a stumper, though: what happens when you place an order for fish and chips from a restaurant a few minutes away from home and receive your food in a covered box? Inevitably, by the time you're ready to tuck into your dinner, the coating on the fish has gone limp.

Social media site Reddit claims to have the answer to the conundrum: open that box ASAP. "Let that steam out. Reheat in an oven, convection oven if possible," one sage commenter recommended. It may seem counterintuitive to open up the takeout box for your fish, because you're likely thinking that you will release the heat of your meal. Along with that heat, however, you are also venting steam that could potentially make your fish go soggy. Better to have your fish chilly, but crisp, because it's a lot easier to heat up your dinner than to try and resurrect the coating once a closed box has softened it.

We previously covered the best way to reheat leftover fish, but fish and chips isn't quite the same as fork-tender salmon or other broiled fish. Dry heat is what you want for warming your fried fish while maintaining crispiness, especially if that dry heat is circulating. This is pretty much exactly why the air fryer was invented, as air fryers are smaller convection ovens. We love the reviews on Ninja's 4-in-one countertop model, but any air fryer will probably get the job done. If you don't have an air fryer, you can still achieve really good results with a foil-lined sheet pan in the oven cranked up to around 350 degrees. A few pieces of fish and some fries should take fewer than 20 minutes to heat up. Mind you keep a close eye on them to prevent burning, and be sure to flip your fish and chips over halfway through the cook time for even crisping.

In a pinch, you can also re-fry your fish in a skillet with some oil. Of course, you run the risk of your fish absorbing too much fat and getting greasy. That's why dry heat is an unmatched option. No matter what, however, keep your fish and chips away from the microwave. Nuking fried fish will only make it rubbery and gross, negating the whole point of opening your container to make sure it stayed crisp in the first place. Rethink your routine when picking up takeout fish and chips, and you could revolutionize your home eating experience.