French Fry Help


 
A

A.D.Letson

TVWBB Fan
One of my favorite things on Earth is a really good french fry. And I can't seem to make one on my own!

I've read pretty extensively on the topic, including Alton Brown, Cooks Illustrated, and many a food blog, but I still can't seem to get a crispy golden fry with a creamy interior.

I've tried soaking them in cold water, then frying in 325 degree oil until almost done, and then finishing in 375 degree oil and, while they may be crispy, they take on a browned exterior that is stronger than what I am looking for.

I've tried dredging them in flour and frying once and while it's a good fry, perfection it is not.

Can anyone help?
 
Sure.

First, 375 is often too high. Depends on how you prepped.

Two options, but first cut and soak your fries. Cover with water, swish around a bit, then drain; repeat. Cover with water again then fridge for a few hours.

Before preliminary cooking drain and dry them.

Then:

Blanch in 300?-325? oil till they lose their raw look and take on a little bit of color, about 7 or 8 minutes. Drain well, then allow to cool.

For service: Up the fryer temp to 350? and finish the fries, about 4-5 minutes. Drain, salt and serve.

Or--

After draining the fries steam in a steamer over strong-simmering water for 9 minutes. Remove, gently dry, then blanch at 300? for 8 minutes. Drain and allow to cool. For service, fry at 350? for 4-5 minutes. Drain, salt, serve.
 
then frying in 325 degree oil until almost done,
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Don't. They should fry the first time till they lose their raw look -- they will go from raw/white to kind of blond. They should be limp, soft, after the first frying stage, not at all looking near done. Make sure to drain well and allow to cool. You can leave on the counter for later or you can fridge (we used to prep fries in the morning this far, for service that night, and fridged them).
 
Just right now (while reading this thread) on Guys Big Bite chili episode Guy basically gives the same cooking advice.

So Kevin just gave Guy some cred.
 
After draining the fries steam in a steamer over strong-simmering water for 9 minutes. Remove, gently dry, then blanch at 300? for 8 minutes. Drain and allow to cool. For service, fry at 350? for 4-5 minutes. Drain, salt, serve.
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That's about how I was shown to make them years ago, though IIRC it was a pressure cooker/steamer of some sort.

Anyway, thought I'd mention when steaming to do a layer maybe two at a time, but no more ... don't try to do too many at once ... they will clump together and become a pita to work with. A few at a time will make them easier to deal with and give you better results IMO.

edit: clarified
 
If you're using a deep fryer with a basket, drop the basket first then add the fries, don't fill the basket before dropping it). That will help keep them separate.

For the first fry you can do a lot. For the finishing fry it's best not to load up lest you cause too much of an oil temp drop.
 
I love a good fry myself, and have tried every way know to man, at least that's what I thought. Some ways worked better than others but the method was usually determined by the circumstances (size of the batch, timing, etc), so more often than not I did the best I could, and usually end up with decent fries. That was all until I discovered a new way to make fries. This recipe produces as close to a perfect fry as I've ever achieved, with, by far, the easier method.

I urge everyone to try it. About the only draw back I've found is that you end up with a large cut, but the flaky inside and crispy brown exterior more than make up for it. And the fact that it works with about an inch of oil, makes clean up easy and keeps cost down. And the secret of how this magic works??? well you'll have to read for yourself:

best french fry recipe
 
Originally posted by K Kruger:
Sure.

First, 375 is often too high. Depends on how you prepped.
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Yep, agreed. I too hate browned fries. As Kevin said cook them lower, and after the first fry you'll be saying these look all nasty, soft, and gooey, you'll have then right if that's how they are after the first fry. 350º for the second fry for me as well. Good luck and let us know how they come out for you. Remember you might have to do a tweak or 2 depending on the fryer you are using. And as Kevin said, don't crowd them on the second fry.
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Yep, agreed. I too hate browned fries.
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can't say that I agree. I love that browned potato flavor.

in fact, one of my mantras is "brown=better," IMO everything taste better with a little browning.
 
I like them golden.

I've tried the microwave fries. Can't say I'm a fan. Not light enough, imo, and too large a cut is required.
 
Can't say I'm a fan. Not light enough, imo, and too large a cut is required
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Like I stated previously, its the drawback to the recipe. However its the protocol I'm rolling with until I find one that produces better fries as effortlessly.

YEP! Golden and crispy, with Hellmann's
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crispy is the key, no point in arguing over shades of color.

My wife makes a nice cheater aioli thats great with fries. I think its just mayo, garlic and lemon but oh so good!
 
Originally posted by j biesinger:
My wife makes a nice cheater aioli thats great with fries. I think its just mayo, garlic and lemon but oh so good!
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j, sounds great too me. Try and post that if she's willing to give it up. B doesn't do ketchup at all, ever, on anything.
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I find the standard method pretty effortless. I cuth them at night and soak till the next morning, drain and dry why the coffee is dripping and the fryer oil heats. They blanch during breakfast, then drain and cool, and I fridge them at some point. Mid- to late-afternoon is fry time. Ketchup, homemade ketchup, malt vin, aioli, good Dijon, chipotle mayo, smoked salmon spread -- I like them all. (If I have time in the morning I blanch a lot and freeze a bunch. Do the soaking/blanching steps early on and you can have fries ready to cook out of the fridge or freezer in a heartbeat.)
 
j, sounds great too me. Try and post that if she's willing to give it up. B doesn't do ketchup at all, ever, on anything. Eeker
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can you keep this on the down low?
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she gets a bit dodgy when I mention this little bbq clubhouse of ours. Rather than waking her up, I checked one of her favorite books and immediately I hit pay dirt. Looks like I forgot the key ingredient in aioli...the olive oil!
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Mock Aioli

1 cup hellman's
2 tbs lemon juice
4 large garlic cloves, finely minced
3 tbs fruity olive oil
coarse sea salt

hmm, switch the garlic and the evoo and you have a nice mnemonic (1 cup, 2 tbs, 3 tbs, 4 cloves) maybe that's why she never refers to the book.

I find the standard method pretty effortless. I cuth them at night and soak till the next morning, drain and dry why the coffee is dripping and the fryer oil heats. They blanch during breakfast, then drain and cool, and I fridge them at some point. Mid- to late-afternoon is fry time.
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I may be a teacher, but I still only get to have this schedule for approximately 12 weeks out of the year. the micro fries are good for the other 40 weeks of the year.

I thought about the soak, blanch, freeze option. I'd like to know more. Specifically: how you freeze them, and whether they need to be thawed.
 
I prepped seven lbs of fries yesterday and am going to try them tonight. I would like to freeze what we dont use but havent seen an answer suggesting how to do that. Any help?
 
Freeze after the first frying phase, after cooling. Wrap in paper towels then bag and freeze. No need to thaw first but fry fewer at a time lest the oil get too cool.
 
I made a bunch of fries last night. I was planning on the microwave method but I discover that someone had peeled the potatoes. I decided to cut them into 1/4" square sticks and blanch them in boiling water. I tried 6 and 8 minutes. the 6 min weren't as tender after frying to a golden brown as the 8 min, but the 8 min were very fragile to work with. I made sure to put them on cooling racks so that they dried and I minimized carry-over cooking. seems like a viable method and only required a small amount of very hot oil to crisp them up.
 
Well, I cooked the fries tonight. Thoughts.

1. The best fry I have cooked thus far, not that that is saying much. They were tender and crunchy. However, I cut them a tad large. What seems to be small on the cutting board turns out to be rather large on the plate.

2. The second cook should have gone longer I think. While they were crisp, I think I could have gotten even better. I was really afraid of brown fries so I cut them short. The previous instructions said let them go approx. 5 minutes, I did maybe 2 1/2.

3. I love french fries and will continue to pursue this passion all the way to angioplasty.
 
I like them too. About the only time I eat them is when I make them (I cannot remember the last time I has fries in a restaurant -- and its been over 30 years since I had fast food fries).

Play with your timing but be careful on shortening too much.

Get a lever model cutter with a suction base. Fast, consistent, easy to clean.
 
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