Burger King's fries hit frozen section in grocery stores

Does this make anyone happy? I've never understood the lure of frozen fries in grocery stores. I don't even recall ever buying them when the kids were at home. Not even tater tots. When We want fries, I grab a russet out of the pantry, scrub it, cut into wedges, toss with evoo and into a hot oven it goes. I love them that way. They come out crispy on the outside and like butter inside and I get a nice hefty wedge of potato. I have the option of using various spices, herbs, flavored oils and a myriad of versions. It takes hardly any time at all and IMHO are so much better. As a curious note, our three grandchildren in Sacramento don't eat potatoes in any form....no fries, baked, tater tots, nothing! The ones in Ohio eat everything!

[Robin Garr]

... toss with evoo and into a hot oven it goes. ...

Karen, you probably already know this, but the identical process - perhaps preceded by a quick pan-sear - is also an excellent way to make "fried" chicken.

When We want fries, I grab a russet out of the pantry, scrub it, cut into wedges, toss with evoo and into a hot oven it goes. I love them that way.

As simple as that is, you and I both know you're in the minority. Burger King makes obscene money for a reason, and it has nothing to do with the quality of its product or the ease of making home versions.

Burger King's gonna tie these things into movie promos, Saturday morning cartoons and video games. You could come up with a recipe to make better tasting french fries out of nothing but air, in under 4 seconds, and those frozen BK fries will snowball over you right to the bank. Thousands of crying kids pulling on mom's skirts in the frozen food aisle will see to that.

As the spouse of a Burger King fan, I must admit to liking, in very small quantities, their fries. The thing that makes them different is some sort of coating on the exterior. The fries are small, definitely not a "hefty wedge of potato". It is about the coating, which is likely very unhealthy, and not the potato. All of that said, it is unlikely that I will purchase the product. I get all that I want on road trips when Michael wants to stop at BK.

Tater Tots, if done right, are something like little latkes. They contain shredded onion and seasoning. So, I'm still on-board with my kiddie taste decision there.

As to limp, skinny, chemical-laced commercial fries... bleh.

[Jenise]

Tater Tots, if done right, are something like little latkes. They contain shredded onion and seasoning. So, I'm still on-board with my kiddie taste decision there.

As to limp, skinny, chemical-laced commercial fries... bleh.

Ditto.

And if "frozen fast food fries" have to even be entertained, I would far prefer McDonalds! Perhaps they take years off your life and perhaps they aren't even made of "real" atoms, but when great they are far and away the king of fast food fries, in my calorie-busting opinion!

Then again, I also know better than to think they would be anything like the "real deal" if I tried to go to a store to get them. I just never find that the "moving a brand name to store shelves" works (as far as the product tasting like it does at the real place). Taco Bell has tried that as well with the marketing of their seasonings and logos on store bought tortillla packages etc.

Granted, the stuff may be bad and calorie-loaded to begin with, but trying to re-create that bad/calorie indulgent taste at home just never works. I'd rather just drive up to the true source, talk to the speaker and at least know I'm getting the "authentic" taste as I watch my arteries explode...

Jeff

Tater Tots, if done right, are something like little latkes. They contain shredded onion and seasoning. So, I'm still on-board with my kiddie taste decision there.

As to limp, skinny, chemical-laced commercial fries... bleh.

Ditto.

I did use tater tots once at the request of a daughter-in-law. She wanted me to make a dish using leftover Thanksgiving sides using the tots and layers of turkey, cranberry sauce, dressing, mashed spuds. and gravy. It was a hit. I even liked it.

As the spouse of a Burger King fan, I must admit to liking, in very small quantities, their fries. The thing that makes them different is some sort of coating on the exterior. The fries are small, definitely not a "hefty wedge of potato". It is about the coating, which is likely very unhealthy, and not the potato. All of that said, it is unlikely that I will purchase the product. I get all that I want on road trips when Michael wants to stop at BK.

That ghastly coating they started putting on their fries some 10+ years ago was what stopped me going to Burger King in favor of Wendy's--on those rare occasions I partake of fast food hamburgers. I used to really like Burger King fries, back when they were real fried, unadulterated potatoes. I liked the Burger King hamburgers better than McDonald's, so I used to go to Burger King. Then one day I got my meal, and the fries were covered with some sort of solidified glop. It reminded me of the dreaded Frisbos (moistened dried mashed potatoes, extruded through something like a Play-Doh Fun Factory into french fry shapes, then deep-fried) of my college years. I asked them what they had done, and they said there was some sort of coating they were putting on the fries to make them more crispy.

I immediately stopped going to Burger King and now I patronize Wendy's, whose burgers are IMO better than McDonald's, and who still serve real fries without a coating.

-Paul W.

[David M. Bueker]

Wendy's fries are floppy, greasy things. I do like their fish sandwich, but it's only available during lent.

I admit I love McD's fries. I never eat the burgers anymore.

I admit I love McD's fries. I never eat the burgers anymore.

McD's fries are, and always have been, yummy. Julia Child liked them, too.

-Paul W.

Wendy's fries are floppy, greasy things. I do like their fish sandwich, but it's only available during lent.

I admit I love McD's fries. I never eat the burgers anymore.

Not even home made burgers at home...not even turkey, tuna or salmon burgers????

I admit I love McD's fries. I never eat the burgers anymore.

McD's fries are, and always have been, yummy. Julia Child liked them, too.

-Paul W.

When the first McDonald's opened around here and through the late '60's, there were 50 lb. bags of potatoes in the back room. These were dumped into a cement-mixer type machine that had graters on the inside to remove most of the skins. The potatoes were then run through a slicer that cut them into the right size. They were then put in frying baskets until needed for cooking. I'm not sure, but I also believe they saved the grease left from cooking burgers, cleaned it and used it in cooking the fries. They were much tastier than the ones they serve today and are probably what Julia liked. Today, I actually prefer the curly fries at Arby's.

I admit I love McD's fries. I never eat the burgers anymore.

McD's fries are, and always have been, yummy. Julia Child liked them, too.

-Paul W.

When the first McDonald's opened around here and through the late '60's, there were 50 lb. bags of potatoes in the back room. These were dumped into a cement-mixer type machine that had graters on the inside to remove most of the skins. The potatoes were then run through a slicer that cut them into the right size. They were then put in frying baskets until needed for cooking. I'm not sure, but I also believe they saved the grease left from cooking burgers, cleaned it and used it in cooking the fries. They were much tastier than the ones they serve today and are probably what Julia liked. Today, I actually prefer the curly fries at Arby's.

I'm still, in some sense, a "young guy" but I even remember McDonalds fries tasting a bit better/different when I was little. If I remember right, they switched to more "healthy" (vegetable) oils sometime recently and, naturally, that may have slightly altered the deliciousness (fat). I don't know...

I notice a subtle difference but not so much that they aren't still the best, when fresh. Perhaps its now like a team that had a 20 game division lead but now maybe its down to 16 or 17...

But I do notice a light difference myself relative to when I was little (unless it's all just in my head). It also seems like they used to be more golden (blonde), firmer yet no less indulgent back then. But fast food is SO fickle and fresh-dependant to begin with. You can have the greatest McD frie of your life, then have one nothing like it all at the same restaurant! I've had orgasmic fries from Wendys, McDs, Arbys etc then polar opposite ones from the very same places so you just never know with fast food. Which likely goes without saying. But I suppose if I tried to count, McDs fries would have the highest success/consistent/delicious percentage for me. Or, in other words, when their fries are "off", they're not AS unappealing as other fries that are off...

I enjoy those Arbys curly fries too although I find they're sometimes a bit more rugged and rich on my system compared to McDs. As ridiculous as that may sound...

Jeff

When the first McDonald's opened around here and through the late '60's, there were 50 lb. bags of potatoes in the back room. These were dumped into a cement-mixer type machine that had graters on the inside to remove most of the skins. The potatoes were then run through a slicer that cut them into the right size. They were then put in frying baskets until needed for cooking. I'm not sure, but I also believe they saved the grease left from cooking burgers, cleaned it and used it in cooking the fries. They were much tastier than the ones they serve today and are probably what Julia liked. Today, I actually prefer the curly fries at Arby's.

McDonald's originally used beef fat to fry their French Fries. It most likely was, as you say, purified from the grease left over from cooking the hamburgers. I remember seeing them cut the potatoes on the spot, into a fry basket, and then pop the freshly-cut fries into the fat.

When the hoo-hah about saturated fat started, McD's switched to vegetable oil, with a little beef extract sprayed over the fries. They can't hold a candle to the potatoes fried in real beef tallow, but they're still light years better than the poor excuse for fries at Burger King.

The best fries I've had in the past several years were pommes frites at Bouchon, in Yountville. Pure heaven, those were!

-Paul W.

Frankly, I still rather like some of these products especially the Big Mac, quarter pounder with cheese, McChicken and yes, even their fish sandwich. I used to like the Whopper from Burger King but I think the quality has gone downhill a bit over the years.

I am wondering not so much about whether you like the products but rather is there any thing that we can learn or take away from the process that the companies have spent zillions of dollars on in research and development... even some very small things.

Jenise asked the question in one of her posts which was also a statement that... do we not learn something from every time we cook something. I think this is very true and that a lot of cooking skills are built on some very small things that we pick up along the way.

Here are some very small things that I have feel that I have gained from the fast food operations.

First the question of how much lettuce to put on a hamburger or chicken sandwich. I used to put a ton of lettuce on and
still have a tendency to do so. But, I think that McDonalds has it about right. They put a very small discreet amount of
shredded iceberg lettuce on their chicken sandwich.

Or how about wrapping the sandwich in wax paper and putting it in a warm oven for about five minutes to soften and meld together. I do that a lot unless I am using the grill.

There are few if any Burger King stores in my area now and when I do have a hamburger I will generally use the grill in
the summer time. I almost never make a hamburger inside during the cold winter months. But even here I like and use the same ingredients that the Whopper uses. I even use the same stacking order as I think they had that part of it about right.

And I agree fully with the amount of ketchup and mustard they put on their hamburgers as well as the number of pickles. Ok, so I generally add some mayo but I just can't get enough of that product.

I am sure I am leaving out a number of things but these are the ones that come to mind.

As to french fries or potatoes, my favorite method is to boil the potato for a bit then cut into chunks, douse with olive oil, salt and pepper and then roast in the oven for awhile till crunchy on the outside. However, for convenience I keep frozen fries and tater tots in the freezer. Because I don't like the splattering that happens when you throw frozen fries into hot oil I will toss the fries in a hot oven for a bit to reduce the liquid before I fry them in shallow oil.

Tim

Our go to fast food is Wendy's fried chicken sandwich and fries.

First the question of how much lettuce to put on a hamburger or chicken sandwich. I used to put a ton of lettuce on and
still have a tendency to do so. But, I think that McDonalds has it about right. They put a very small discreet amount of
shredded iceberg lettuce on their chicken sandwich.

Or how about wrapping the sandwich in wax paper and putting it in a warm oven for about five minutes to soften and meld together. I do that a lot unless I am using the grill.



And I agree fully with the amount of ketchup and mustard they put on their hamburgers as well as the number of pickles. Ok, so I generally add some mayo but I just can't get enough of that product.

I am sure I am leaving out a number of things but these are the ones that come to mind.

Tim

As another "guilty" part time lover of certain fast foods, I find the difficulty to be the consistency of the products and the proportions of condiments and packaging used.

Part of that may just be the nature of what it is. The cynic might say, "that's why its called fast food. What were you expecting?"

Yet, I do prefer even fast food to always remain consistent if possible. Like anything, when you taste a wine, food, drink that is distinctive and enjoyable, you like to find it again in exactly the same way. At least I do, by and large.

I think the customization era of fast food where the eater can virtually make/request his burger any way, has maybe led to a slightly negative side effect where "care" and standardization of the product (in the good sense) is less stable, resulting in getting a perfectly fresh and "correct" product one day, but then getting an inconsistent example next time.

Sometimes you find that those proportions of ketchup, pickles, mayo etc is standard on one visit but then missing on the next.

I find coffees/espressos to be highly sensitive to the consistency factor too. A lot of times I'll frequently buy the espressos that are merely decent but always reliable rather than take chances on places that might give you an all-time espresso but are inconsistent.

It's why I love Chicago (or most any big city). You almost CANT get bad/inconsistent food even if you tried! All the competition and consistency of food, in general, is just so much more worry-free.

Jeff

[David M. Bueker]

Wendy's fries are floppy, greasy things. I do like their fish sandwich, but it's only available during lent.

I admit I love McD's fries. I never eat the burgers anymore.

Not even home made burgers at home...not even turkey, tuna or salmon burgers????

I don't eat fast food burgers. I make burgers at home way more often than I should.

[Jenise]

Our go to fast food is Wendy's fried chicken sandwich and fries.

Jack in the Box tacos.

Our go to fast food is Wendy's fried chicken sandwich and fries.

Jack in the Box tacos.

How many people has Jack in the Box killed? I forget.

[Jenise]

How many people has Jack in the Box killed? I forget.

Probably dozens. I'm probably carrying around smidges of every JITB taco I've ever eaten. Not sure what's in them, but they're oily and evil. I still love them, though.

All this talk of fast food makes me happy I have not set foot in a burger doodle in at least 5 or 6 years.

I don't eat fast food burgers. I make burgers at home way more often than I should.

This is my way, too.