My oldest son, Dylan, is constantly testing my culinary knowledge. He’s five so he’s really the only one of my children who understands that I went to school to learn how to cook. He is often asking what I can and cannot cook and seems to enjoy stumping me when I begrudgingly admit that no, I did not learn how to make fruit snacks or gum in culinary school.
However, the other day he asked me if I knew how to make French fries. “Of course, I do!” I responded. And so here we are. A recipe for homemade fries that is so simple and delicious that you’ll wonder why you ever bought a frozen bag from your local supermarket or hit the drive-thru on the way home. The best part about these fries is that they are fried in two steps to ensure a light and airy inside, with a perfectly golden and crunchy outside. The two step frying process also allows you to freeze them after the first fry. They can then be fried or baked on a different day. My kids loved them and I survived another one of Dylan’s culinary challenges.
This is how they should look after the first fry. Softened but not browned.
Golden brown and salted right out of the hot oil. Time to dig in!
Not a staged photo…Dylan’s hand photo bombing.
Homemade French Fries
Ingredients:
- 5 pounds russet potatoes
- Vegetable or peanut oil, for frying
- Sea or kosher salt
Directions:
- Peel the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into ½ inch pieces and then slice into ½ inch sticks.
- Place the potatoes into a bowl and cover with water. Soak for at least 30 minutes, up to 24 hours. If soaking for longer than a few hours, place the bowl into the refrigerator.
- Heat several inches of oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- While the oil heats, remove the potatoes from the water and blot dry with paper towel.
- When the oil reaches 300 degrees, add a handful of potatoes, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oil and let them drain on a rack or paper towels. Continue working in batches until all of the potatoes are fried.
- ***At this point, the potatoes can be frozen in a single layer on a sheet pan. Once frozen, they can be transferred to a freezer bag and fried at a later time. Keep fries frozen and follow instructions below or bake on a rack on a sheet at 400 degrees for 15 – 17 minutes until hot and golden brown.***
- If frying right away, heat oil to 375 degrees.
- Working again in batches, add the potatoes and fry for 5 – 7 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oil and salt immediately while letting drain on a rack. Continue until all the potatoes have been fried.
Leave a Reply