Some of you may remember an earlier blog post where I gave my recipe for cheeseburger sliders and fresh cut french fries. Since this Sunday is the Superbowl and french fries go with just about everything, I thought I'd share with you again how to make homemade fries. Believe me, they are so much better than store bought. The key to the perfect french fry is frying it once to just about cook the potato all the way through. Then after after it cools slightly, give it one last final fry to crisp up the outside and make them golden brown and delicious.Serves between 5-6 people
6 large Russet or Idaho potatoes
Peanut or Vegetable oil
Salt and Pepper
Peel the potatoes and use either a french fry cutter or a knife to cut the potatoes. A french fry cutter is the ideal tool here but a knife will work just fine, just be mindful that when you're cutting your fries they are all fairly similar in size and shape so they cook evenly. Fill a large bowl with very cold tap water and wash the cut fries thoroughly to wash off the starch. Drain the starchy water off the potatoes and rinse once more. When the water in the bowl is no longer cloudy, drain the fries and allow them to rest on a towel for a few minutes and pat the fries dry with another towel to get off any excess moisture.
Next step is to heat your oil either in a deep fryer or a large pot. Add enough oil as your deep fryer recommends or fill a pot about 4 or 5 inches full of oil. Heat the oil to around 325 degrees. Use the gauge on your deep fryer or a candy thermometer to determine the oils exact temperature. Another tip to determine if your oil is hot enough is to stick the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil, if your oil is ready for frying it should bubble up around the wooden handle. Drop the fries in the oil in small batches and fry for about 5 minutes and carefully remove from the oil using tongs, a metal spider, or a slotted spoon. Drain the fries on paper towels and continue frying the fresh of the potatoes. You can keep the par cooked fries warm in a 250 degree oven while you cook the rest of them. Once all the fries have been given their first bath in the oil, drop the fries back in for the final fry. This should take about 2 to 3 minutes or just until you see the fries turn golden brown. Remove the fries from the oil, pat off any excess grease, and season with salt and pepper.
What did you use a french fry cutter or knife?
ReplyDeleteCan you recommend a french fry cutter?
I have a french fry cutter that was my great grandmother's and has now been passed over to my family's kitchen. Still works like a charm.
DeleteAny french fry cutter will work fine.
What do you do with the used oil when you are done?
ReplyDeleteHow do you dispose of it?
You can reuse the oil several times. Once it's cooled strain it and store it in a container with a tight lid. Once I think the life of my cooking oil is done I add it to my compost pile.
DeleteAny thoughts on frying in canola oil?
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty much the same as using vegetable oil. I personally deep fry with peanut oil, I like the flavor it gives.
DeleteWho are you cheering for this Sunday? What are you serving with your fries?
ReplyDeleteNeither of my teams made it this year but I'm be cheering for the Baltimore Ravens. I'll probably be having some chicken wings or maybe a cheese burger.
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