French Fry Science.

[worth1]

After testing and observation of several fast food fries from other people's meals I've discovered that mine beat all theirs hands down.
Not perfect but a heck of a lot better than the flabby greasy stuff they are serving.
I think the change to peanut oil made a huge difference.

[karstopography]

I recently have read about microwaving the French fries for 2-3 minutes before frying them leads to having them be done inside as the outside crisps up and browns. I’ve yet to try this.

[worth1]

I recently have read about microwaving the French fries for 2-3 minutes before frying them leads to having them be done inside as the outside crisps up and browns. I’ve yet to try this.

I don't have a microwave but it would be the same as twice frying them.
I normally fry mine till almost done without browning.
Then I let them cool in a bowl while I'm doing other stuff.
Once ready I fry them again at a hotter temperature.
I almost exclusively use a small cast iron sauce pan, about 2 quarts, that is reserved for nothing but frying.
It has a cast iron lid to keep the oil covered when not in use.
A heck of a lot easier to deal with than a separate dedicated electric fryer.
It also has the advantage of keeping the oil hot with less energy or fluctuation in temperature.

[Tormato]

In almost every town or city that I visit, if I have the time, I will go into the mom and pop places just to try their french fries. To me, most have been cut too thin, with the inside of the fry being either somewhat dried out or soggy/greasy, and the outside not being very crunchy.

I finally had really good french fries (after searching and sampling for about 20 years) last year at my state fair. The fries were from a food truck parked out back of one of the buildings (the poorest location for great all day foot traffic). Many times these food trucks, out back, are there for but one year, never to return. I hope not.

The fries themselves were how I like them, fluffy on the inside (not greasy/soggy, nor dried out), and heavily blistered/crunchy (skin on ) on the outside. A little bit thicker, and they likely would have been perfect. The odd thing is that this vendor had all kinds of seasoning options for them, none of the options being just plain salt (which I special requested). They were from Maine, so I assumed they mostly ran the food truck somewhere along the coast during the summer vacation season. I suppose with all of the different seasonings, they were trying to please people who were visiting from all over.

[karstopography]

Frozen French fries have already been cooked twice, blanched and then fried at the factory.

Those thick fries, we called them steak fries growing up for whatever reason, are very good when really crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. There was a country club when I was growing up that made them perfectly and their hamburgers were excellent also. The club is long gone, but a local restaurant, called the Local, has tried to recreate them.

Hard to go wrong salt only as a seasoning for fries. My dad used to put a little lawry’s seasoning on fries which I like once in a while, but some of these seasonings people use detracts from the experience.

One reason I want to grow German Butterball potatoes is to make fries from them. I adore Kennebec fries.

[karstopography]

I wonder if there is a premium brand of frozen fries? Maybe that might use the best potatoes, the best process, and right oils and amount of oil?

Nothing wrong with cutting your own fries, doing everything it takes to prepare those and all that, but is there a brand and/or cut of frozen fries that is head and shoulders above the rest?

I’ve gone to the market and am pretty bewildered by all the choices on frozen fries.

[sleepy man]

This is an old thread but i would consider dusting or adding a small amount of baking soda to the fries before frying. This can help speed up the Maillard reaction. More browning and belter exterior texture.

[worth1]

This is an old thread but i would consider dusting or adding a small amount of baking soda to the fries before frying. This can help speed up the Maillard reaction. More browning and belter exterior texture.

Old but ongoing thread.
I'll give the baking soda a try.
Depending on age of potato if it's older it will brown faster because the starch is starting to turn to sugar.
I've had to adjust my frying technique depending on the age of the potato.

[worth1]

Just by eyesight I try to make my potatoes around 3/8 inch thick.
I don't get to technical about it.

IMG_20240307_163858676.jpg

[worth1]

I absolutely hate spicy French fries.
I can't stand the way they smell or taste.
In my opinion it's the worst possible thing you could ever do to a potato.
Oh but try our spicy fries you'll like them.
No I won't, get those nasty things away from me.
My God man don't you have any dignity.
It reminds me of that self proclaimed chef idiot from Utah that ruined untold hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of filet mignon by butterflying them dumping some sort of spicy seasoning on them and cooking them well done on a gas grill with the cover on.
The only one this fool didn't ruin was the one I rescued.
Let me have that one before you cut it
What?
Yes let me have that one I'll cook it myself.
What you don't like the way I cook these steaks?
No I don't.
You don't know how to cook steaks you're ruining them.
I was going to be polite but he forced me into it.
If you don't like steak any other way than well done don't waste your money on filet mignon.
Popeyes French fries are frigging horrible soggy greasy nasty things that a 4 year old could make better.