Fried Potatoes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it necessary to boil potatoes before frying? ›

Do I need to boil my potatoes first? Trust us: You seriously don't need to boil these spuds (or pre-cook them at all) before pan-frying. Slicing them thin allows them to cook through in the same amount of time that they need to get brown and crispy on the outside.

This sure sounds a lot like potatoes that have been stored too long, in too cold of an environment before cooking. When potatoes are held below 41°F for too long a period, the starches convert to sugar and it changes the cooking chemistry.

A: The main reasons to cut the potatoes and pre-soak in water are: To allow the excess starches and sugars to be removed from the outer surface of the fry strips AND to keep the potatoes from browning prematurely from exposure to air. Covering in water helps the potato from turning a dark color.

First, get the starch off! Rinsing or soaking the potatoes for an hour (or, even better, overnight) will remove some of the starch from the surface and prevent the sugars from browning before the potatoes are cooked.

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

As to the question, how long immersion is necessary? Only as long as you need to hold the potatoes until needed for the fry stage(s). This could be as little as a few minutes – to overnight storage in your walk-in cooler.

Fried foods may contain harmful acrylamide

Starchy foods such as fried potato products and baked goods typically have higher concentrations of acrylamide ( 22 ). An older animal study suggests that it poses a risk for several types of cancer ( 23 ).

Long accepted as a standard deep frying oil because of its neutrality, high smoke point, and ready availability (on the bottom oil shelf of most grocery stores), peanut oil is the choice of home fryers as well as chains such as Five Guys Burgers and Fries.

Salting before frying will prematurely breakdown the oil. Oil is the most expensive part of the formula for costing out making fries from scratch. Anything that shortens the time the oil can be used and can't be filtered out is not a good thing.

The soaking, Mr. Nasr said, is the secret to the crisp texture of the fries. It draws out the starch, making them more rigid and less likely to stick together. The cooks fry them twice, first blanching them until slightly limp in peanut oil heated to 325 degrees, and again in 375-degree oil to crisp and brown them.

Should you put salt in water when soaking potatoes? ›

When it comes to flavoring your soaking water, feel free to use any herbs, spices, or acids that you wish. Salt will draw out water from the spuds, so you might avoid it.

Drain well and pat dry - make sure they are VERY dry! Heat ¼ cup peanut oil in a large skillet on medium high heat until it's shimmering and almost smoking. Add potatoes and let fry for about 2 minutes or until they start to get golden on the bottom. Cover the pan and reduce heat to medium.

Make sure the oil is hot enough before adding the potatoes. 2. Avoid overcrowding the pan or fryer, as this can lower the oil temperature and increase the chances of sticking.

And even if recipes don't call for it, sometimes the recipe is quick and tastier if you boil the potatoes first, anyway. Start with cold water and salt (so the potato gains flavor as it cooks). And whatever size or type of potato you're boiling, you'll want everything to be of a similar size so they cook evenly.

Additionally, the starch it removes from the potato can positively impact the quality of your oil. All that is to say: blanching will add taste and texture benefits to your French fries. A blanch in a hot oil bath will lend extra crispness and golden color to your final product.

Fresh fries are best blanched. Get a crispier finished fry by blanching potatoes in hot oil to precook before peak periods and then finish in a final fry before serving. Fries are completely cooked during the blanching stage at a lower temperature to allow the potato to cook slowly without becoming golden brown.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.