Do you love fries? Do you crave that perfectly crispy and delicious texture that you can only seem to find at your favorite fast-food restaurant? Well, don’t worry because we’re here to help! We’ve gathered the best tips for making crispy homemade fries that will rival any restaurant’s version. So why not give them a try today?
How to Achieve Perfect Cooking for Homemade Fries?
Fries are loved all over the world for their amazing taste, despite the warnings about their high calorie and fat content. It’s hard to resist indulging in a portion every now and then! But when you’re making them at home, you want to make sure they turn out just right. So here’s a trick that will amaze you.
The golden rule for perfect fries is to cook them twice. In the first phase, fry them at a low temperature until they are half-cooked. Then, remove them from the oil and let them rest on paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Once they have cooled down, you can proceed to the second cooking phase. Dip the fries back into very hot oil to make them crispy on the outside while remaining tender on the inside.
Here’s the general preparation method:
- Start by cleaning and washing the potatoes.
- Next, it’s essential to cut them carefully. If you have a mandoline or a slicer, that’s the best option. But if not, a sharp knife will do the job. Cut the potatoes into medium-sized slices, no thicker than one centimeter. Then, cut each slice into sticks.
- Place the fries in a bowl of cold water and leave them for 20 minutes. This will help remove excess starch. After that, take them out and pat them dry with a clean towel.
- Heat up a generous layer of oil in a pan and add the potato sticks.
- Fry them for about 5 minutes until they turn golden brown. If you want to add some extra flavor, you can also throw in a few cloves of garlic.
- Take the fries out of the pan and let them cool down on kitchen paper before putting them back into the hot oil. A few minutes are enough. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t get too dark. Once they are done, remove them from the oil and place them again on paper towels to remove any excess oil. And voila! Your fries will be perfect – tender inside and crispy outside.
Which Oil is Best for Crispy Fries?
If you want to achieve that amazing crispy crust you sometimes miss in homemade fries, we recommend using peanut oil or any other light vegetable oil. These types of oil will give you the perfect texture you’re looking for. Peanut oil, in particular, is preferred over olive oil due to its high smoke point.
Why Add Vinegar to Fries?
Are you wondering how to get that plate of crispy fries without using a deep fryer? Well, it’s all about choosing the right ingredients. The best potato varieties for frying are those that ripen later, similar to apples. These potatoes have less water, starch, and sugar, which means they won’t brown quickly or caramelize too much. However, they can sometimes become too soft if they contain a lot of starch. But worry not, because we have a secret ingredient that can help – vinegar!
Vinegar’s acidity helps delay the breakdown of pectin, a soluble fiber found in potatoes. By preserving pectin during cooking, you’ll get fries that not only have a smoother texture but also provide various health benefits. Pectin helps keep you full, regulates fat absorption during digestion, and maintains good intestinal passage.
Here are the steps to prepare your fries with vinegar:
- Peel the potatoes and wash them in very cold water.
- Cut the potatoes into sticks, making sure to give them a wavy shape. A knife or mandoline will work for this.
- Place the sticks in a bowl with cold water and three tablespoons of white vinegar.
- Dry them and place them in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute. This step helps remove excess starch and gives the potatoes a smoother texture.
- Take them out of the boiling water, rinse them under cold running water, and then place them in a bowl of ice water. Before moving on to the next step, make sure to dry the potatoes with paper towels.
- Heat up the oil in a frying pan over high heat and gradually add the potatoes, following the cooking method described above. For a crispier result, it’s best to use peanut oil or sunflower oil.
Now you have all the tips and tricks to make incredibly crispy, mouth-watering fries at home. So why not give these methods a try and enjoy a delicious batch of homemade fries today?
