Homemade Classic French Fries

Fries are similar to pizza in that even the terrible ones are edible. Nothing beats steaming hot fries that are freshly salted, crispy on the exterior and fluffy on the inside.

With the introduction of easy-to-make, cost-effective frozen variants, everyone has moved away from creating their own fries, but we’re here to alter that. You’ll have a hard time baking the chemically-laden mass-produced counterparts with our original french fry recipe.

You can get fresh, handmade traditional french fries anytime you want with a little forethought. Let’s get started with the recipe.

Why are they called French fries?

Contrary to common perception, french fries originated in Belgium, not France. Blake Lingle, author of Fries, puts it lightly:

That sliced potatoes were being cooked with fish in the Meuse Valley in the late 1600s, three quarters to a century before the French allegation.

So, why do we call them French fries if they are genuinely Belgian in origin? Let us return to Lingle for a potential explanation:

During World War I, we stupid Americans gave french fries their widespread name by mixing French-speaking Belgian troops clutching delectable fried esculents with French-speaking French soldiers.

Unfortunately for the Belgians, claim and popularity do not always imply provenance, since the earliest modern recipe for sliced and then fried potatoes may be found in a 1755 cookbook named Les soupers de la cour.

Call them anything you like, but I prefer to use the French phrase to cut them into long thin strips.

Best potatoes for french fries

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular potato varieties for preparing french fries.

Russet potatoes

For good reason, most potato fries in the United States are made from the russet Burbank type. Russets are an excellent choice for frying since they have a low sugar and moisture content, as well as more starch and a richer potato taste than other types.

When russets are properly prepared into fries, they are light and fluffy on the inside and crispy on the exterior. McDonald’s is a fantastic illustration of this since its fries are made from russet potatoes.

White potatoes

White potato types come next. They have less starch and whiter skin than a russet. They cook quicker because they are creamier on the inside than russets. Kennebec white potatoes are a kind of white potato used by In-N-Out Burger for its fries.

Yukon Gold potatoes

Yukon Gold potatoes are a very young addition to the family tree. They’ve been around for a few decades thanks to breeding procedures, while whites and russets have been around for over a century.

Yukon Gold fries are tasty. They have the rich taste of a russet and the smooth texture of a white. They stay exceptionally crispy on the surface while remaining soft and buttery on the inside. Choose a Yukon Gold potato if you’re having trouble deciding which potato to cook first.

Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are another popular alternative. Although these root vegetables are starchy in the same way as potatoes are, their higher sugar content makes them harder to crisp up on the exterior.

Mass manufacturers avoid this problem by adding a batter or coating on the outside. Otherwise, sweet potato fries would turn mushy nearly immediately after being removed from the frying. A brief sprinkling of flour, sugar, or cornstarch on the exterior will function as a barrier and crisp-aid.

Other vegetables

Any vegetable can be frenched and fried, but starchier alternatives will hold up better on the exterior and not collapse into mushy messes in the oil.

Tubers and root vegetables withstand high heat well without turning soggy. Yuccas and turnips may be cooked in the same manner as potato fries.

Less starchy veggies need some assistance in the shape of coatings or batter. Onion rings and broccoli tempura are two examples of this. The coatings maintain the surface crispy while allowing the center meat to cook completely.

What is the best oil for french fries?

The kind of fat you use will have an impact on the flavor and texture of your fries. You’ll need an oil or fat with a high smoke point, generally over 360 degrees Fahrenheit.

A low smoke point oil or fat may render your meal acrid as it breaks down, increasing the danger of grease fires.

Consider the following common frying fats:

These fats are deep-fry friendly and strong enough to withstand the high heat of frying. Vegetable oils have more unsaturated fats but less taste, while animal fats have more saturated fats and flavor.

For improved taste and cripsiness, I prefer deep frying in animal fats over veggie oils whenever feasible. Leftover brisket trimmings or rendered fats from pulled pork are excellent sources of your own animal fats.

Coating options

Coatings may improve the crispiness and taste of potato fries, but they can also steal the show. The major players in the coatings game are flour, cornstarch, and sugar, which give their potato vehicles golden-brown exteriors.

Seasonings may also be blended into coatings, however the more seasonings you add to the outside batter, the less the potato shows through. The extensive ingredient list of mass-produced french fries begs the question: are you eating more potato or more batter?

If I’m going to coat my flames, all I need is a little cornstarch for crispiness.

Sauces, seasonings, and toppings

A fry is best measured in its natural condition, with only kosher salt sprinkled on top, yet fries have evolved into an entrée.

When it comes to fried accessories, there is no lack of options, so this is entirely up to personal choice. Ketchup, fry sauce, and mayonnaise are all frequent condiments served with bare fries. Ranch dressing and malt vinegar are also included.

A simple throw of dry spice into the oil yields some deliciously seasoned fries. Try one of our dry rub recipes for a quick taste boost.

Feel free to experiment with sauces as well, including our own BBQ sauce recipes and Blue Cheese Sauce for the more daring among us.

The same holds true for entrees: loaded fries, french fry nachos, and poutine are just a few examples of appetizer-turned-entree possibilities.

The recipe: Classic Potato French Fries

Making your own french fries is both healthier and more delicious than purchasing them at the shop. This dish requires precooking and double-frying, so it requires some forethought. Let’s get started.

1. Prepare your potatoes

This recipe makes one serving per potato, so adjust accordingly.

Cut a medium Yukon Gold potato, skin on, into quarter-inch strips (or a russet or white potato if Yukon Gold is unavailable).

There are a few different methods to chop the potatoes. If you have a mandolin slicer, there is a cross-cutting tooth attachment that provides absolutely uniform fries for frying. Waffle fry cuts and shoestring fry cuts are also available as accessories for mandolin slicers.

If you just have a knife, cut the potato in half lengthwise, then put the cut side down and slice into quarter-inch slices. Stack the pieces and cut them again to make fries.

Soak the potato strips in a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar. Soaking the potatoes pulls starch to the potato’s surface. This keeps the fries from sticking together and helps them crisp up.

Vinegar prevents potatoes from browning and speeds up starch extraction.

Allow the potatoes to soak for at least an hour, ideally overnight.

2. First fry: blanching

Home frying may be time-consuming, but the correct instruments make it simple.

With its high sidewalls and temperature-regulating thickness, a thick-bottomed or cast iron dutch oven is an ideal fryer.

A thermometer is an absolute need. In a pinch, instant read thermometers can do, but a dedicated deep fry thermometer that attaches onto the edge of the pan will enable you to monitor the oil temperature throughout cooking.

When it comes to oil, I prefer beef tallow for its taste and crispiness.

3. Cool the potatoes

The blanching method includes cooling the potatoes after the initial fry.

Blanching the potatoes prevents them from browning after being chopped, but it also decreases moisture content, allowing them to crisp up more readily during the final fry.

Cooling or freezing the potatoes will add flavor and texture to your french fries, allowing for more crispiness and a golden exterior.

4. Second fry: final cook

It’s all about attaining that crispy, golden brown exterior and soft, pillowy interior during the final cook. Blanching the potatoes eliminates both moisture and starch, so this last fry is all about flavor and texture and only takes 1 2 minutes.

5. Season and serve

Drain and dry your fries immediately after removing them from the oil, which is simple to accomplish on a wire rack over a prepared baking sheet.

Season and serve the fries while hot.

Fry-yay

That’s all there is to it! Our simple fry recipe. Like BBQ, if you plan ahead, you’ll have wonderful fries without the chemicals or artificial tastes that come with mass-produced varieties.

Of course, French fries are good on their own with a bit of salt, but here are some fantastic variations.

Use these hot out of the fryer french fries as a basis and pile them up. You may top it with your favorite protein, vegetables, and cheeses, just like nachos. Some of my favorite ways to load fries are as follows:

• Brisket and jalapeno loaded fries
• Chili cheese and bacon fries
• Korean bulgogi steak and kimchi fries

These fries also go well with our grilled brisket breakfast burrito.

Toss the fries in a thin coating of garlic butter and top with fresh pecorino romano for a simpler but no less delectable approach. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

Try these other potato dishes

• Garlic and Rosemary Smoked Potatoes
• Herby Roasted Potato Salad
• Ultra Crispy Triple Cooked Potato Wedges