OT: favorite way to make French Fries?

NDG

I am not experienced at Deep Fry . . and found lots of conflicting methods (start cold oil, twice or single fry, etc) so want your tips (temp, time, potato cut, etc.) on best way to make french fries.

Hoping to Fry Outside . . using nuwave induction burner, cast iron dutch oven, peanut oil.
Maybe toss at end with herbs to make greek fries ?? hmm . . 

fishlessman

been a while but cold soak in water, dry an hour on a rack, fry low 300's til they turn color, into paper bag, rest til soft in bag with top folded over, raise temp of oil to upper 300's and back in til crispy outside soft inside. i used to use a mix of crisco, lard and whatever veggie i had around, the lard seemed to be a key ingredient.

fishlessman

another way thats different is to boil the little new potatoes, air dry in fridge overnight, smash between hands just enough to crack open, milk dip, flour with spice, drop in 350 degree oil. these are great for camping with fish fries, you can have them boiled days ahead, great for breakfast as well.

NDG

thanks @fishlessman . . so you drop the smashed new potatoes in milk?

tarheelmatt

Cold oil fries.  

fishlessman

NDG said:

thanks @fishlessman . . so you drop the smashed new potatoes in milk?

i dry overnight laid out in fridge then bag them for up to a week,crack in the palm of my hands, drop in milk then spiced flour then fry.  splash with malt vinegar or whatever you like for a dip.  seen it years ago on food tv, i think they drizzled a lemon herb sauce on them.  smallest new/fingerlings you can find

northGAcock

fishlessman said:

another way thats different is to boil the little new potatoes, air dry in fridge overnight, smash between hands just enough to crack open, milk dip, flour with spice, drop in 350 degree oil. these are great for camping with fish fries, you can have them boiled days ahead, great for breakfast as well.

@fishlessman Fish those sound most excellent. 

@NDG I normally use fresh Idaho potatoes. I cut into about half inch strips (or less). I fry at about 350-360. It takes a while for both the inside to cook...and you will have a browned fry if you go to the crispy level.....which I do. You can't beat fresh fries through......I also think if you have a mandolin, frying your own chips seems to be a more reliable and quicker cook. Of course you have to have some malted vinegar and ketchup to accompany them. 

On a slightly different topic, i saw last night some onion rings being fried double dipped in egg wash and matzo. They looked killer...and something I want to try soon.

NDG

@tarheelmatt that is what cooksillustrated had . . seems easy as you do not fry twice . . but if other methods were superior I would do more work.  Thanks.

theyolksonyou

Soak for at least an hour. Dump water. Fry once low 300s fry again 375+

fishlessman

northGAcock said:

fishlessman said:

another way thats different is to boil the little new potatoes, air dry in fridge overnight, smash between hands just enough to crack open, milk dip, flour with spice, drop in 350 degree oil. these are great for camping with fish fries, you can have them boiled days ahead, great for breakfast as well.

@fishlessman Fish those sound most excellent. 

@NDG I normally use fresh Idaho potatoes. I cut into about half inch strips (or less). I fry at about 350-360. It takes a while for both the inside to cook...and you will have a browned fry if you go to the crispy level.....which I do. You can't beat fresh fries through......I also think if you have a mandolin, frying your own chips seems to be a more reliable and quicker cook. Of course you have to have some malted vinegar and ketchup to accompany them. 

On a slightly different topic, i saw last night some onion rings being fried double dipped in egg wash and matzo. They looked killer...and something I want to try soon.

something else there with the onion rings, alot soak in buttermilk, but if you cut yout rings and dry them in the frige a day or two, the moisture in the onion doesnt pop off the batter, i like a light batter and too much moisture does not help

tarheelmatt

NDG said:

@tarheelmatt that is what cooksillustrated had . . seems easy as you do not fry twice . . but if other methods were superior I would do more work.  Thanks.

Hmmm...Sounds like you're saying since cold oil is easier it's not superior.  Lol.. 

Try a few ways and see what works best. At my crib cold oil fries rule, but that doesn't mean a lot. 

Maxwell1331

I like to boil first until a little limp and then fry at or around 350 degrees. Drizzle with truffle oil and devour!

ColtsFan

My favorite is skillet fries. I'll cut steak fries, parboil for a couple minutes and then put them on a rack to cool. Heat duck fat on medium in a skillet and cook steak fries until crisp. Duck fat is the sh#t

nolaegghead

I didn't realize fries could be so complex.  I've been buying frozen bags of Rally's fries.  Throw some in the oven frozen in convection mode at 400F and you can't tell they weren't fried in fat.  Ok, maybe you could tell, but they're easy.

SWMBO bought in induction plate earlier this year and I created a gawd awful mess frying them.  I'm going to hold off for a commercial fryer in the outdoor kitchen.

DaveRichardson

*DROOLING*

All this talk on fries has this fat boy hungry again!

I hand cut whatever I can get my hands on into 1/8 inch slices then soak in cold water for about 10-15 min.  Pat dry, then into the vat of peanut oil (I am in Georgia!) at about 325 for a few minutes.  Pull and let rest for a few minutes while the oil cranks up to 375-ish then back in till brown.

I might have to try the longer soaks and longer drying times like was mentioned earlier.

Have a mandolin slicer, but I've had too many people come in the office from slicing the tips of fingers off, that I really don't want to join that crowd, too!

bgebrent

nolaegghead said:

I didn't realize fries could be so complex.  I've been buying frozen bags of Rally's fries.  Throw some in the oven frozen in convection mode at 400F and you can't tell they weren't fried in fat.  Ok, maybe you could tell, but they're easy.

SWMBO bought in induction plate earlier this year and I created a gawd awful mess frying them.  I'm going to hold off for a commercial fryer in the outdoor kitchen.

Hippie cheater . Those are umerican fries.

nolaegghead

bgebrent said:

nolaegghead said:

I didn't realize fries could be so complex.  I've been buying frozen bags of Rally's fries.  Throw some in the oven frozen in convection mode at 400F and you can't tell they weren't fried in fat.  Ok, maybe you could tell, but they're easy.

SWMBO bought in induction plate earlier this year and I created a gawd awful mess frying them.  I'm going to hold off for a commercial fryer in the outdoor kitchen.

Hippie cheater . Those are umerican fries.

"French fries" actually came from Belgium.  They are named after the French.  Pretty much as un-American as it gets.

bgebrent

nolaegghead said:

bgebrent said:

nolaegghead said:

I didn't realize fries could be so complex.  I've been buying frozen bags of Rally's fries.  Throw some in the oven frozen in convection mode at 400F and you can't tell they weren't fried in fat.  Ok, maybe you could tell, but they're easy.

SWMBO bought in induction plate earlier this year and I created a gawd awful mess frying them.  I'm going to hold off for a commercial fryer in the outdoor kitchen.

Hippie cheater . Those are umerican fries.

"French fries" actually came from Belgium.  They are named after the French.  Pretty much as un-American as it gets.

Yep, the "French Fries " is a bastardization.  You missed Umerican!

nolaegghead

oh, so you were saying 'merican!

bgebrent

nolaegghead said:

oh, so you were saying 'merican!

Jackpot!  My personal favorite is Frites.

theyolksonyou

nolaegghead said:

bgebrent said:

nolaegghead said:

I didn't realize fries could be so complex.  I've been buying frozen bags of Rally's fries.  Throw some in the oven frozen in convection mode at 400F and you can't tell they weren't fried in fat.  Ok, maybe you could tell, but they're easy.

SWMBO bought in induction plate earlier this year and I created a gawd awful mess frying them.  I'm going to hold off for a commercial fryer in the outdoor kitchen.

Hippie cheater . Those are umerican fries.

"French fries" actually came from Belgium.  They are named after the French.  Pretty much as un-American as it gets.

I thought those were waffle fries. 

bgebrent

theyolksonyou said:

nolaegghead said:

bgebrent said:

nolaegghead said:

I didn't realize fries could be so complex.  I've been buying frozen bags of Rally's fries.  Throw some in the oven frozen in convection mode at 400F and you can't tell they weren't fried in fat.  Ok, maybe you could tell, but they're easy.

SWMBO bought in induction plate earlier this year and I created a gawd awful mess frying them.  I'm going to hold off for a commercial fryer in the outdoor kitchen.

Hippie cheater . Those are umerican fries.

"French fries" actually came from Belgium.  They are named after the French.  Pretty much as un-American as it gets.

I thought those were waffle fries. 

Warm up man!

theyolksonyou

bgebrent said:

theyolksonyou said:

nolaegghead said:

bgebrent said:

nolaegghead said:

I didn't realize fries could be so complex.  I've been buying frozen bags of Rally's fries.  Throw some in the oven frozen in convection mode at 400F and you can't tell they weren't fried in fat.  Ok, maybe you could tell, but they're easy.

SWMBO bought in induction plate earlier this year and I created a gawd awful mess frying them.  I'm going to hold off for a commercial fryer in the outdoor kitchen.

Hippie cheater . Those are umerican fries.

"French fries" actually came from Belgium.  They are named after the French.  Pretty much as un-American as it gets.

I thought those were waffle fries. 

Warm up man!

I really need to go to bed. Us working stiffs gotta rise and shine. 

I can rise, my shine needs some work. 

bgebrent

theyolksonyou said:

bgebrent said:

theyolksonyou said:

nolaegghead said:

bgebrent said:

nolaegghead said:

I didn't realize fries could be so complex.  I've been buying frozen bags of Rally's fries.  Throw some in the oven frozen in convection mode at 400F and you can't tell they weren't fried in fat.  Ok, maybe you could tell, but they're easy.

SWMBO bought in induction plate earlier this year and I created a gawd awful mess frying them.  I'm going to hold off for a commercial fryer in the outdoor kitchen.

Hippie cheater . Those are umerican fries.

"French fries" actually came from Belgium.  They are named after the French.  Pretty much as un-American as it gets.

I thought those were waffle fries. 

Warm up man!

I really need to go to bed. Us working stiffs gotta rise and shine. 

I can rise, my shine needs some work. 

I hear you man.  12:30 start time for me tomorrow.  About done.

theyolksonyou

@bgebrent I hate you. 

Edit: we all make our choices, yours has it's perks. 

bgebrent

theyolksonyou said:

@bgebrent I hate you. 

Edit: we all make our choices, yours has it's perks. 

Love you man.  The 12:30 am meet at Childrens last Friday morning may make you more content.  Only 4 hours out of my weekend.  Not bad.

NDG

thanks for tips . . ill add pics to this post soon.

SaintJohnsEgger

I order from McDonalds.

Lots of good things to try in this thread. Don't have a fryer but I figure oil in my CI Dutch Oven sitting on a hot egg should work.

FYI: 7% of all potatoes grown in this country end up as McDonalds fries.

http://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/2017/01/02/6-surprising-facts-about-french-fries.html

NDG

@SaintJohnsEgger that will work . . but pot of oil above open flame is risky!  Just stay sober, and think carefully about your 4 kids, 3 dogs, 1 bird 

hondabbq

We make fries at work all the time. To me in my experience is to use the right potato.

Table potatoes are too waxy and have too high of sugar. Idahoes are good for baking not fries. The best potato in my experience is the Kennebec.

We have a potato chipper that is cut into 7/16 fries. We blanch at about 340. they will not get dark at this temp, they will get a look like they are opaque. We tray them up and let cool over night. At service they fryer is at 375 and we drop them in. Cook as per normal.

These will have a slight crispiness to the outside and still be fluffy in the center. The perfect fry.

NDG

@hondabbq with a potato recomendation . . YES!!  I will buy KENNEBEC, and I just did a search to see what this tater looks like.  Found link that seconds your post . . fries done right