Classic French Fries
By America's Test KitchenPublished on September 14, 2011
Time
1 hour, plus 30 minutes chilling
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
For those who like it, flavoring the oil with a few tablespoons of bacon grease adds a subtle, meaty flavor to the fries. Their texture, however, is not affected if the bacon grease is omitted. Once you’ve peeled the potatoes, you can use a mandoline rather than cut them by hand. To prepare steak fries, cut the potatoes one-third-inch to one-half-inch thick, and increase the cooking time to ten to twelve minutes during the initial frying and just a few seconds longer in the final fry. Idaho potatoes are also named "russet" or "Burbank".
Instructions
- Rinse cut fries in large bowl under cold running water until water turns from milky colored to clear. Cover with at least 1 inch of water, then cover with ice. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days ahead.)
- In 5-quart pot or Dutch oven fitted with clip-on-the-pot candy thermometer, or in larger electric fryer, heat oil over medium-low heat to 325 degrees. As oil heats, add bacon grease. Oil will bubble up when you add fries, so be sure you have at least 3 inches of room at top of cooking pot.
- Pour off ice and water, quickly wrap potatoes in a clean tea towel, and thoroughly pat dry. Increase heat to medium-high and add fries, a handful at a time, to hot oil. Fry, stirring with Chinese skimmer or large-hole slotted spoon, until potatoes are limp and soft and start to turn from white to blond, 6 to 8 minutes. (Oil temperature will drop 50 to 60 degrees during this frying.) Use skimmer or slotted spoon to transfer fries to brown paper bag to drain; let rest at least 10 minutes (can stand at room temperature up to 2 hours or be wrapped in paper towels, sealed in zipper-lock bag, and frozen up to 1 month).
- When ready to serve fries, reheat oil to 350 degrees. Using paper bag as a funnel, pour potatoes into hot oil. Discard bag and set up second paper bag. Fry potatoes, stirring fairly constantly, until golden brown and puffed, about 1 minute. Transfer to paper bag and drain again. Season to taste with salt and pepper, or other seasoned salt. Serve immediately.
Time
1 hour, plus 30 minutes chillingYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
The Russet Burbank baking potato, often called the "Idaho," turned out to be the best choice for our french fries recipe, frying up with all the qualities we required. Because these are starchy potatoes, it is important to rinse the starch off the surface after cutting the potatoes into fries. Then refrigerate the potatoes in a bowl of ice water for at least 30 minutes. When the potatoes first enter the hot oil, they are nearly frozen, which allows a slow, thorough cooking of the inner potato pulp.
Before You Begin
For those who like it, flavoring the oil with a few tablespoons of bacon grease adds a subtle, meaty flavor to the fries. Their texture, however, is not affected if the bacon grease is omitted. Once you’ve peeled the potatoes, you can use a mandoline rather than cut them by hand. To prepare steak fries, cut the potatoes one-third-inch to one-half-inch thick, and increase the cooking time to ten to twelve minutes during the initial frying and just a few seconds longer in the final fry. Idaho potatoes are also named "russet" or "Burbank".
Instructions
- Rinse cut fries in large bowl under cold running water until water turns from milky colored to clear. Cover with at least 1 inch of water, then cover with ice. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days ahead.)
- In 5-quart pot or Dutch oven fitted with clip-on-the-pot candy thermometer, or in larger electric fryer, heat oil over medium-low heat to 325 degrees. As oil heats, add bacon grease. Oil will bubble up when you add fries, so be sure you have at least 3 inches of room at top of cooking pot.
- Pour off ice and water, quickly wrap potatoes in a clean tea towel, and thoroughly pat dry. Increase heat to medium-high and add fries, a handful at a time, to hot oil. Fry, stirring with Chinese skimmer or large-hole slotted spoon, until potatoes are limp and soft and start to turn from white to blond, 6 to 8 minutes. (Oil temperature will drop 50 to 60 degrees during this frying.) Use skimmer or slotted spoon to transfer fries to brown paper bag to drain; let rest at least 10 minutes (can stand at room temperature up to 2 hours or be wrapped in paper towels, sealed in zipper-lock bag, and frozen up to 1 month).
- When ready to serve fries, reheat oil to 350 degrees. Using paper bag as a funnel, pour potatoes into hot oil. Discard bag and set up second paper bag. Fry potatoes, stirring fairly constantly, until golden brown and puffed, about 1 minute. Transfer to paper bag and drain again. Season to taste with salt and pepper, or other seasoned salt. Serve immediately.
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