You probably spotted the Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers mural outside the Classic Fryer chippy in Quinton recently. To the untrained eye, England’s superstars are tucking into a British staple of chips. But as anyone from the West Midlands knows, our local lads are actually enjoying a delicacy known as ‘orange chips’.
Soft and crunchy, tangy and sweet, orange chips put every other chip-shop chips to shame. But, like Jude and Morgan (born in Stourbridge and Halesowen, respectively), they are technically Black Country creations. But that hasn’t stopped them from becoming Brummie favourites and the West Midlands’ best-kept secret.
What are orange chips?
In the simplest terms, this Black Country delicacy is just chunky chips deep-fried in a thick orange-coloured batter. Sounds simple enough, but what goes into this batter is where the mystery lies. Various ingredients are thought to go into the fluorescent batter—from paprika to turmeric to food dye—to give it its unique shade. But your guess is as good as mine.
No one can agree on the exact recipe, or if there even is one single version of it. In all likelihood, the secret ingredient of orange chips differs from chippy to chippy. All that’s important is that when you pull them from the fryer, you’re serving up chips that are fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and bursting with flavour. And of course, have that iconic orange tint, with a batter-like texture.
Where do they come from?
Like many of Britain’s great local delicacies, orange chips can be traced back to World War II and rationing time. When out-of-the-box thinking was needed to make boring potatoes somewhat more palatable during those bleak times. Although evidence for this isn’t exactly rock-solid, more hearsay.
Foods of England, however, say orange chips can only be traced back as far as 1999. But most West Midlanders have known about them for far longer than this. In fact, many have claimed to be the inventors of battered chips, yet none have so far proved it, and the exact origins of the Black Country’s orange chips remain a mystery.
Where are the best chippies to try them?
As we’ve said, this is largely a Black Country delicacy, and even then, the best is often in the far-flung corners of the area. Major’s in Bilston, near Wolverhampton, is a name you’ll hear a lot when discussing battered chips, as is Beck’s in Darlaston and Hooked on Fish in Cradley Heath.
Looking a little closer to Birmingham? You might want to look at Syd’s in Sutton Coldfield (which controversially calls itself “the home of battered chips”), Lincoln Fish Bar in Acocks Green, The Island House in Edgbaston, and, of course, Classic Fryer in Quinton.
Of course, you could always try making your own. Brum’s very own Poppy O’Toole aka Poppy Cooks (the Michelin-trained chef and self-titled Potato Queen) has a great recipe. She decides on using turmeric to colour her chips, which some may take umbrage with. But trust us, she knows her stuff and these taste legit.
