The First Time I Screwed This Up…
I made my first chip butty while hungover in college, using oven fries, stale wheat bread, and cold ketchup. It was trash. I thought I was being “British” but really, I was just layering carbs with no clue. Fast-forward to now—after dozens of trials and watching Ramsay lose his mind over soggy chips—I finally get it. This isn’t just a sandwich. It’s engineered indulgence. It’s textural warfare in a bap.
Gordon’s method brings structure to the madness. It’s not refined—it’s controlled chaos. And that’s the point.
Why This Works (And Where Most Go Wrong)
The Secret Behind This Technique
The chip butty should be filthy—but only if you do it right.
Here’s where people blow it:
- Skipping the parboil. You’re locking in raw starch and setting yourself up for bland, limp fries. You need that steamy fluff for crispy edges.
- Using fancy bread. No one wants sourdough tearing your mouth apart mid-bite. You want soft, yielding white bread that hugs the chips like a carb blanket.
- Under-seasoning. Table salt. While it’s hot. That’s your flavor trigger.
Gordon doesn’t finesse this thing—he dominates it. That’s the energy you need here.
Ingredients That Actually Matter
- Baking potatoes (e.g., Russets): High starch = crispy shell, fluffy center. Waxy won’t cut it.
- Vegetable oil: Neutral, high smoke point. Don’t mess with olive oil.
- White sandwich bread: Soft, cheap, no crust bravado. This isn’t about impressing anyone.
- Butter (salted): Slather it. Room temp, spreadable. You want it to melt on contact.
- Ketchup or brown sauce: Ramsay prefers brown, but ketchup hits the comfort spot.
- Malt vinegar (optional): If you like your chaos with a side of tang.
- Table salt: Not flaky. Not pink. Just salty.
How To Make Gordon Ramsay Chip Butty
Peel two baking potatoes. Slice into thick chips—think finger-width or a bit chunkier. Don’t worry about uniformity. Ramsay wouldn’t.
Drop them into salted boiling water. 5 to 8 minutes. You want the edges soft but intact. Drain and let them steam dry for 10–15 minutes. Crucial. Moisture = sogginess.
While they steam, shake them in a colander to rough the edges. That’s your crisp potential.
Preheat your oven to 205°C (400°F) with a tray of oil inside. You want that oil HOT. This mimics a fryer—chips should sizzle as they hit the pan.
Bake for 35–45 minutes, flipping halfway. You’re after golden, blistered edges and soft interiors.
Butter your bread like you mean it. Pile chips on hot. Douse with sauce. Optional vinegar splash. Press the top slice down like it owes you money.
What Gordon Ramsay Says About This Dish
“The secret to great chips? Parboil them, rough them up, and hit them with heat.”
—Straight from his pub grub ethos. He’s obsessed with texture. And so should you be.
“White bread, butter, chips. You don’t f*** with that.”
—From a TV segment on British classics. Don’t get cute with multigrain.
“Brown sauce is proper. Ketchup is for kids.”
—I used both. Fight me.
“Hot oil changes everything.”
—Learned this the hard way after starting with cold oil once. Soggy disaster.
What I Got Wrong (And How I Fixed It)
- Used sweet potato once. Regretted it immediately. Not enough starch.
- Tried olive oil. Chips got soft and weirdly greasy.
- Forgot to salt straight out of the oven. Tasted like air.
- Used crusty artisan bread. Tore up the whole bite and overpowered the chips.
Lesson: don’t upgrade what isn’t broken.
Variations That Actually Hold Up
- Air fryer chips: Workable if you’re lazy. Still parboil.
- Seasoned chips: Toss with paprika or garlic powder post-bake—but keep it light.
- Hot sauce drizzle: Adds a kick without ruining the vibe.
What doesn’t work? Sweet potato chips. Rye bread. Truffle oil. Leave the pretense at the door.
Pro Tips That Change the Game
- Shake those chips in the colander. Don’t skip this. It’s where the crunch begins.
- Heat the tray with the oil. That preheat shock is essential.
- Go big on butter—but spread it to the edges. Dry corners are a betrayal.
- Stack chips high. You want overkill.
Storage + Leftover Moves
- Storage: Chips go limp fast. If you must store, cool completely and refrigerate in a single layer.
- Reheat: Oven or air fryer only. Microwaving will kill the crunch.
- Leftover move: Toss reheated chips with scrambled eggs. Carb heaven.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Can I use frozen fries?
Yes, but they won’t have that pillowy interior. Worth it for speed, though.
Q: Can I air fry them?
Yes, just parboil first. Still needs a shake and spray of oil.
Q: What kind of bread is best?
Soft white sandwich bread. Supermarket tier. Embrace it.
Q: Do I really need to parboil?
Yes. It’s the foundation. Without it, your chips will suck.
Q: Brown sauce vs ketchup?
Emotionally unstable? Use both. Otherwise, brown is deeper, ketchup is nostalgic.
Try More Recipes:
Gordon Ramsay Chip Butty
Course: Appetizers and SidesCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy2
servings10
minutes45
minutes644
kcalCrispy Homemade Chips Stuffed Into Buttered White Bread With Sauce—Pure British Comfort, No Frills. Perfect For When You Need Carbs, Crunch, And Chaos In One Bite.
Ingredients
2 large baking potatoes
80ml vegetable oil
2 tsp salt
4 slices soft white bread
Butter, as needed
Ketchup or brown sauce
Malt vinegar (optional)
Directions
- Peel and cut potatoes into thick chips.
- Boil in salted water 5–8 mins until edges soften. Drain.
- Steam dry 10–15 mins. Shake in colander to rough up.
- Preheat oven to 205°C / 400°F. Heat tray with oil inside.
- Add chips to hot tray. Bake 35–45 mins, flipping halfway.
- Butter bread generously. Pile on chips.
- Add sauce. Optional splash of vinegar.
- Press top slice on. Eat like it’s saving your life.
Notes
- Shake those chips in the colander. Don’t skip this. It’s where the crunch begins.
- Heat the tray with the oil. That preheat shock is essential.
- Go big on butter—but spread it to the edges. Dry corners are a betrayal.
- Stack chips high. You want overkill.