Description
This recipe delivers the perfect crispy French fries with fluffy interiors and a golden, crunchy exterior. Adapted from Kenji López-Alt's method in The Food Lab, the fries stay crispy for at least 15 minutes even after cooling. The process includes blanching the fries with vinegar and salt, double frying at precise temperatures, and seasoning to taste for an unbeatable homemade fry experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 kg potatoes (floury, e.g., Russet/Idaho/Maris Piper)
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp cooking salt or kosher salt
- 1 litre canola or vegetable oil
Seasoning Options
- Salt (table salt or sea salt flakes)
- Shaker fries seasoning
- Rosemary salt
- Nori salt
Instructions
- Cut: Peel the potatoes and slice them into 6 mm (1/4 inch) thick fries using a serrated knife if possible. Keep the cut fries submerged in a bowl of water to prevent browning while you finish cutting.
- Rinse: Transfer the fries to a colander and rinse under cold tap water for 15 to 20 seconds to remove excess starch.
- Simmer: Place fries in a large pot with 2 litres of cold water, the white vinegar, and salt. Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce to low heat so the water ripples gently without bubbling vigorously. Cook for 10 minutes, then carefully remove fries using a slotted spoon to avoid breaking them. Do not tip the whole pot into the colander.
- Dry: Spread fries out on two tea towel lined trays and let them steam dry for 5 minutes.
- Heat Oil and Prepare Batches: Pour 3 cm (1.2 inches) of oil into a deep pot with at least 10 cm (4 inches) height ensuring 7 cm headroom from oil surface to pot rim for safety. Separate fries into three batches for frying.
- First Fry (Fry #1): Heat oil to 205°C (400°F). Lower one-third of the first batch fries into the oil with a slotted spoon. Pause 10 seconds before adding the next third, then pause another 10 seconds before adding the final third. Fry for 50 seconds, gently moving fries once or twice. Remove fries and drain on paper towel lined trays in a single layer. Repeat for batches two and three after the oil returns to 205°C.
- Cool: Allow all fries to cool for 30 minutes.
- Second Fry (Fry #2): Heat oil to 205°C (400°F) again. Fry half the fries for 4 minutes, moving them twice, until golden and crispy. Drain in a paper towel-lined bowl. Repeat with remaining fries.
- Season & Serve: Immediately sprinkle fries with your choice of salt or seasoning and toss well. Serve hot and enjoy fries that stay crispy even when cooled.
Notes
- Use starchy/floury potatoes like Russet, Sebago, Maris Piper or King Edward for the crispiest fries and fluffy interiors.
- White distilled vinegar is key during simmering to prevent fries from turning mushy by reducing starch content.
- If only table salt is available, use 2 teaspoons instead of 1 tablespoon cooking salt.
- A serrated knife helps create a rough surface on fries that enhances crispiness, but a regular knife also works.
- Simmering fries with gentle rippling water avoids breaking fries and removes excess sugar, preventing premature browning before crisping.
- Ensure pot size allows for adequate headspace above oil to safely accommodate bubbling oil during frying.
- The 10 second pause between addition of fries in the first fry minimizes violent oil bubbling and splashing.
- Season fries after frying, and taste before adding more salt as fries are pre-seasoned during blanching.
- When cooking large batches, reheat earlier batches swiftly by flash frying them for around 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- To freeze fries, cool after first fry, freeze spread on trays, then store frozen. Cook from frozen at 205°C for approximately 4 minutes 30 seconds.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 250 g)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3.5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
