Crispy French Fries
Ingredients
It is not possible in the home kitchen to replicate the high, constant temperature of a professional deep-fat fryer – but our double frying technique can give good results even in a simple counter top deep fryer, and that is exactly how we cooked the fries for this photo – and they tasted great!
In the Chuck wagon we always use a special creamy, opaque vegetable shortening for our deep frying – but you can get great results at home with just about any good quality vegetable based cooking oil. If you do a lot of deep frying – please change your oil frequently – at home we change the oil after 2 or 3 uses – you may get another couple of uses out of it if you drain and filter or drain and allow the residue to settle before putting it back in the fryer. Use it too many times, or with a build-up of and bits and pieces of crispy residue and the flavor of your food will be tainted by the burnt left-overs of previous fries.
Method
One advantage of Yukon Gold potatoes is their thin, clean skin – no need to peel, so just rinse in cold water, pat them dry, then slice them and cut into strips – about ¼ inch or slightly more is ok. Now the first important bit – soak them in cold water for at least an hour – preferably more – and make sure the fries are below the surface of the water or they will turn black. This soaking stage is essential to remove surface starch which if left on the fries will interfere with crispness and will spoil the oil more quickly.
Just before frying, remove them from the water and pat them dry – let them stand while you prepare the fryer.
Remove the basket and fill your fryer to the ‘max’ line with vegetable oil, switch on. If you can set temperature, set it to 325 degrees – or ‘medium’. If not – no worries, you will just have to watch them more carefully.
When ready, put a couple of handfuls of the potato strips into the basket, then lower slowly into the hot oil – the hot oil will tend to bubble and rise in the pot at first – this is caused by water in the potatoes boiling off – hence the importance of drying them first and not overloading the basket. If the oil gets too close to the rim of the pot for comfort – lift the basket for a few seconds then lower again. Once the oil has settled into a gentle ‘boil’ you can lower the lid (if your fryer has one) and relax for a few minutes.
After 4 or 5 minutes, gently lift the basket and check cooking progress – we are looking for the fries to be just starting to turn color – no more than that – and they will be just starting to soften. If they are not quite there – lower into the oil again for another half minute or so.
When satisfied – lift the basket and leave it hooked onto the lip of the pot so the fries drain into the oil. Now, if you can, turn your fryer temperature up to 375 degrees F, or High – and let your fries ‘rest’ for the 5 minutes or so it will take the oil to get to the new temperature. This ‘resting’ period is important – it allows the fries to go on cooking slightly so they will eventually be light and fluffy in the center.
After the resting period and with the oil now up to temperature – again gently lower the basket into the oil. We are going to let them fry for just another minute or so – you will know they are ready when they are a nice golden brown. And just be sure - lift the basket and quickly squeeze one of the fries with some tongs – if they are ready they will squash easily and the soft inside will pop out through the crispy skin.
Serve, sprinkled with salt to taste – and ketchup, mayo, malt vinegar or whatever else you like!!
- 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes
- Creamy vegetable shortening for frying
It is not possible in the home kitchen to replicate the high, constant temperature of a professional deep-fat fryer – but our double frying technique can give good results even in a simple counter top deep fryer, and that is exactly how we cooked the fries for this photo – and they tasted great!
In the Chuck wagon we always use a special creamy, opaque vegetable shortening for our deep frying – but you can get great results at home with just about any good quality vegetable based cooking oil. If you do a lot of deep frying – please change your oil frequently – at home we change the oil after 2 or 3 uses – you may get another couple of uses out of it if you drain and filter or drain and allow the residue to settle before putting it back in the fryer. Use it too many times, or with a build-up of and bits and pieces of crispy residue and the flavor of your food will be tainted by the burnt left-overs of previous fries.
Method
One advantage of Yukon Gold potatoes is their thin, clean skin – no need to peel, so just rinse in cold water, pat them dry, then slice them and cut into strips – about ¼ inch or slightly more is ok. Now the first important bit – soak them in cold water for at least an hour – preferably more – and make sure the fries are below the surface of the water or they will turn black. This soaking stage is essential to remove surface starch which if left on the fries will interfere with crispness and will spoil the oil more quickly.
Just before frying, remove them from the water and pat them dry – let them stand while you prepare the fryer.
Remove the basket and fill your fryer to the ‘max’ line with vegetable oil, switch on. If you can set temperature, set it to 325 degrees – or ‘medium’. If not – no worries, you will just have to watch them more carefully.
When ready, put a couple of handfuls of the potato strips into the basket, then lower slowly into the hot oil – the hot oil will tend to bubble and rise in the pot at first – this is caused by water in the potatoes boiling off – hence the importance of drying them first and not overloading the basket. If the oil gets too close to the rim of the pot for comfort – lift the basket for a few seconds then lower again. Once the oil has settled into a gentle ‘boil’ you can lower the lid (if your fryer has one) and relax for a few minutes.
After 4 or 5 minutes, gently lift the basket and check cooking progress – we are looking for the fries to be just starting to turn color – no more than that – and they will be just starting to soften. If they are not quite there – lower into the oil again for another half minute or so.
When satisfied – lift the basket and leave it hooked onto the lip of the pot so the fries drain into the oil. Now, if you can, turn your fryer temperature up to 375 degrees F, or High – and let your fries ‘rest’ for the 5 minutes or so it will take the oil to get to the new temperature. This ‘resting’ period is important – it allows the fries to go on cooking slightly so they will eventually be light and fluffy in the center.
After the resting period and with the oil now up to temperature – again gently lower the basket into the oil. We are going to let them fry for just another minute or so – you will know they are ready when they are a nice golden brown. And just be sure - lift the basket and quickly squeeze one of the fries with some tongs – if they are ready they will squash easily and the soft inside will pop out through the crispy skin.
Serve, sprinkled with salt to taste – and ketchup, mayo, malt vinegar or whatever else you like!!