 | |
| Alternative names | Chip barm, chip bap, chip bun |
|---|---|
| Type | Sandwich |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Main ingredients | Bread,butter,chips |
Achip butty,chip barm,chip bap orchip bun is asandwich filled withchips. It originated infish and chip shops in theBritish Isles in the 19th century, though the exact origin is disputed. The chip butty is associated withBritish working-class culture.
The chip butty is asandwich filled withchips, often served with malt vinegar, curry sauce, gravy or ketchup.[1][2] The British food writerTim Hayward recommended using "undistinguished" softwhite bread, as "this is not the place for artisanal sourdough".[3] InThe Guardian, Tony Naylor recommended using buttered soft white bread and lightly fried chips seasoned with salt and vinegar, and serving the sandwich with acup of tea.[2] Naylor wrote that the chip butty was a comforting meal and a means to "transport ourselves to a happier, more innocent place".[2]
TheMichelin-starred chefPaul Ainsworth created a version withsourdough,triple-cooked chips, mayonnaise and parmesan.[4] In 2020, the fast food franchiseBurger King began selling chip butties in New Zealand.[5]
The chip butty originated inworking-class communities in the 19th century, though its exact origins are unknown.[4] According to theNational Federation of Fish Fryers, it was created in 1863 inOldham, Lancashire, at Mr Lees, the second-everfish and chip shop in Britain. The term "chip barm" began appearing in print in the 20th century, likely the result of the surge in popularity offish and chips in the 1900s.[4] Yorkshire, Liverpool, and Ireland have also been suggested as origins; the word "butty" originated in Yorkshire as slang for butter.[4] In thenorth of England, the easier access to fuel and the closer proximity to the potato supply of Ireland meant chips could be produced cheaply in large quantities.[4]
The chip butty is associated with British working-class culture.[2] The anthropologistKate Fox wrote in her bookWatching the English: "Even if you call it a chip sandwich rather than a butty, it is about as working-class as food can get."[6] "The Greasy Chip Butty Song", afootball chant that glorifiesSouth Yorkshire, includes the chip butty as a Yorkshire invention.[4]
In 2010, writers for the American media organisationNPR made a chip butty, having learnt of it from theNational Geographic, and concluded that it "was less gross than they expected".[1] In 2018, the American websiteFood Insider attracted mockery from British social media users when it appeared to discover the chip butty.[4]
