Yikes! I Might Try Making My Own Homemade French Fries...

Any advice for a first-time french frie frier?

Is it fairly easy? Modest? Difficult?

Any good (or bad) experiences/recipes/ideas for anyone making homemade french fries for the first time?

Any essential oils/potatoes/seasonings/equipment that might turn my first batch of homemade french fries into world class? Or is it mostly just a case of "make them however you want, you cant go wrong"? (which in my case, I highly doubt...)

Should I expect the kitchen (or myself) to go up in flames while doing this or should I be reasonably safe?

Perhaps I should google around and find some interesting "homemade french fries" ideas as well but I figured it couldn't hurt to check in here and see if anyone has attempted these all-american classics at home before...

P.S. Yes, I still plan to use Heinz 57 ketchup with these (sparingly), unless I'm turned on to a frie seasoning so seductive that I won't be able to envision dipping them in the classic red pleasure. It might take one heck of a seasoning!

Thanks for the help!

Jeff

Are you going to fry them twice?

I've never tried this at home, so I'll be curious to hear how they come out. Please report back!

[Jenise]

Jeff, the best French fries I've ever had were in Holland and Belgium at the places where that's literally all they make and sell. The method is always the same and they have special professional frier contraptions about the size of small Buicks made for purpose: they fry each batch three times in varying temperatures. At home, as Mike hints, twice will suffice but if you want to make a truly world class french fry that's what you'll want to aspire to and you'll start with fresh potatoes.

The best way is to twice fry them. I made such french fries for a bbq several years ago and a little kid told me, "These are better than McDonald's!" High praise, indeed.

Essentially you fry twice, once at a lower temp and then at a higher temp:

From Gourmet:

Heat 1 1/2 inches oil to 325°F in a 5-quart heavy pot over medium heat. While oil is heating, cut potatoes with slicer into 1/4-inch sticks.

Fry potatoes in 5 batches for 1 1/2 minutes per batch (potatoes will not be golden) and transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. (Return oil to 325°F between batches.)

Heat oil to 350°F. Refry potatoes in 5 batches until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes per batch, and transfer to clean paper towels to drain. (Return oil to 350°F between batches.)

Season fries with salt.

We like ours roasted in the oven. Cut one good size Russet in half and then cut each half into two or three fries. Toss with a little EVOO, salt and pepper, put onto a non stick sheet pan and roast at 425° until done and crisp on the outside. At the finish you can sprinkle a little Parmesan over them if that interests you.

I'll go along comfortably with twice fried but I prefer always to deep fry, the freshly cut potatoes first soaked in water for about 15 minutes, dried on paper toweling, immersed in a basket in oil heated to 325 Fahrenheit, removed, drained of oil but not on toweling and then immersed in a second deep fryer at 375-400 Fahrenheit just until browned to the color that I most like.

As to what to put on French fries - lawsy, lawsy, we've been that go-round already but my own favorites remain (in this order): (a) nothing but salt; (b) salt and dipped by finger into either smooth Dijon mustard or American deli mustard; (c) mayonnaise or spiced mayonnaise; (d) ketchup; and (e) harissa sauce. My daughter's method ain't bad either....with the fingers first into mustard, then in mayonnaise, then in ketchup. What can I say - she's an eclectic human being.

And yes, when God made French fries, she meant for us to eat them with the fingers! (The 14th of the various commandments, I believe)

Best
Rogov

I'll go along comfortably with twice fried but I prefer always to deep fry, the freshly cut potatoes first soaked in water for about 15 minutes, dried on paper toweling, immersed in a basket in oil heated to 325 Fahrenheit, removed, drained of oil but not on toweling and then immersed in a second deep fryer at 375-400 Fahrenheit just until browned to the color that I most like.

You've been paying attention. Not that that surprises me.

[Jenise]

We like ours roasted in the oven. Cut one good size Russet in half and then cut each half into two or three fries. Toss with a little EVOO, salt and pepper, put onto a non stick sheet pan and roast at 425° until done and crisp on the outside. At the finish you can sprinkle a little Parmesan over them if that interests you.

Karen, since I'm averse to deep frying at home I am an oven roaster too. Two tips for a crisper end product (if you like crisp): soak the prepared, cut up potatoes in a bowl of hot water for an hour before they go in the oven, and withhold the salt until after they're done.

Jenise, next time you're road tripping, stop in downtown Portland. There's a really, really good Belgian Fried Potato Cart operating (see Cart Food post, and also see article in Bon Appetit on this).

Mike, c'mon up and we'll hit the cart, dude! Got some good homemade mayo to dip them in too!

I'll go along comfortably with twice fried but I prefer always to deep fry, the freshly cut potatoes first soaked in water for about 15 minutes, dried on paper toweling, immersed in a basket in oil heated to 325 Fahrenheit, removed, drained of oil but not on toweling and then immersed in a second deep fryer at 375-400 Fahrenheit just until browned to the color that I most like.

Best
Rogov

Some variations include not just soaking the potatoes, but boiling them for a short while. My motto: whatever works for you.

(a) nothing but salt;

Truffle salt!

Wow....I forgot all about truffled salt. Learned in Geneva how to make it - simply by immersing a whole truffle (washed and scrubbed but not peeled) in a 450 grams (about 1 lb) of coarse salt (ideally Brittany sea-salt), letting it stand in the frig for about 3 weeks. Afterwards can remove and use the truffle as desired and have a marvellously delicious salt for dipping warm bread, first into fine olive oil and then into the salt. Ye gods.......sooooo good!!!


Best
Rogov

Another vote for frying twice at different temps after having soaked in cold water and dried. I use Russets. And I do have a deep fryer at home, heaven help me!

(a) nothing but salt;

Truffle salt!

I keep forgetting about my truffle salt...darn! I need to get that out and keep it along side my salt cellar.

Karen, since I'm averse to deep frying at home I am an oven roaster too. Two tips for a crisper end product (if you like crisp): soak the prepared, cut up potatoes in a bowl of hot water for an hour before they go in the oven, and withhold the salt until after they're done.

Sometimes when I want to get a head start on making the fries, I cut them up and put them into water so they don't turn color. I never thought it was crisping them a little more! Great tip! I really love those fat fries, roasted. Of course, I love them all! Trader Joe's has a Chipotle fry that we really like. They are addictive. Have you tried those?

The best way is to twice fry them. I made such french fries for a bbq several years ago and a little kid told me, "These are better than McDonald's!" High praise, indeed.

Essentially you fry twice, once at a lower temp and then at a higher temp:

From Gourmet:

Heat 1 1/2 inches oil to 325°F in a 5-quart heavy pot over medium heat. While oil is heating, cut potatoes with slicer into 1/4-inch sticks.

Fry potatoes in 5 batches for 1 1/2 minutes per batch (potatoes will not be golden) and transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. (Return oil to 325°F between batches.)

Heat oil to 350°F. Refry potatoes in 5 batches until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes per batch, and transfer to clean paper towels to drain. (Return oil to 350°F between batches.)

Season fries with salt.

One question Larry, how many potatoes, and what size potatoes? Or is that two questions?

A chef acquaintance also suggested fennel pollen (which was tasty, if a bit odd).

The best way is to twice fry them. I made such french fries for a bbq several years ago and a little kid told me, "These are better than McDonald's!" High praise, indeed.

Essentially you fry twice, once at a lower temp and then at a higher temp:

From Gourmet:

Heat 1 1/2 inches oil to 325°F in a 5-quart heavy pot over medium heat. While oil is heating, cut potatoes with slicer into 1/4-inch sticks.

Fry potatoes in 5 batches for 1 1/2 minutes per batch (potatoes will not be golden) and transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. (Return oil to 325°F between batches.)

Heat oil to 350°F. Refry potatoes in 5 batches until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes per batch, and transfer to clean paper towels to drain. (Return oil to 350°F between batches.)

Season fries with salt.

One question Larry, how many potatoes, and what size potatoes? Or is that two questions?

When I make them this way, I automatically place them in cold water to keep them from turning dark, which is what everyone else seems to be talking about. The number and size of potatoes is up to you, but don't do too many at one time or the temperature of the oil will drop too much. Wait between batches for the oil to come back up to temp. And keep them warm in an oven. Use larger crystals of salt for the ultimate taste.

I make homemade fried potatoes fairly often. I vary the cut, but especially like thin chips. I do pre-soak in water, fry at two temperatures in peanut oil, and use larger crystals of salt than table salt as has already been suggested. Most often, I use Yukon Golds, but I also do sweet potatoes fairly often.

...I also do sweet potatoes fairly often.

They don't come out the same, do they? (I am always encountering mushy ones at restaurants.)

Yeah, make sure the oil doesn't boil over which happened to us the first time we tried it and did it ever make a helluva mess.

Thanks for the tips everyone! We'll see what happens...

Jeff

...I also do sweet potatoes fairly often.

They don't come out the same, do they? (I am always encountering mushy ones at restaurants.)

At least in my hands, they don't come out crispy like white potato fries. They are different, but can still be quite good. To me, they develop a nice flavor when fried.

Cooks magazine has a fantastic oven-fry method from a few years back that produces fast-food style fries that are crisp on the outside but creamy on the inside. Don't have the details handy, but you cut the potato into medium size fries (say 1cm x 1cm on the cross section), soak them in cold water for 1/2, toss with vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven covered (to get them creamy), then uncover to get them crisp. Probably like a ~400 F operation.