Name: Sweet Potato Chips
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil; 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 large), peeled and cut into 1/16-inch-thick slices using a mandoline; Salt and ground black pepper

Yield

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil

3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 large), peeled and cut into 1/16-inch-thick slices using a mandoline

Salt and ground black pepper

Ingredients

2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil

3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 large), peeled and cut into 1/16-inch-thick slices using a mandoline

Salt and ground black pepper

Ingredients

2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil

3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 large), peeled and cut into 1/16-inch-thick slices using a mandoline

Salt and ground black pepper

Why This Recipe Works

We wanted a sweet potato chips recipe that produced grease-free chips with rich flavor. The best tool for cutting the potatoes for our sweet potato chips recipe proved to be a mandoline, which quickly cut the potatoes into perfect 1/16-inch-thick slices. An instant-read thermometer helped us keep the oil at the optimum frying temperature. We favored peanut oil because of its high smoke point and mild but toasty flavor, with vegetable oil coming in a close second.

Before You Begin

The oil will bubble up when you add the chips, so be sure you have at least 3 inches of room at the top of the pot. In lieu of a mandoline, you can use a vegetable peeler to make sweet potato strips.

Instructions

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until it reaches 375 degrees. (Use an instant-read thermometer that registers high temperatures or clip a candy/deep-fat thermometer onto the side of the pan.)

Carefully add just a handful (about a sixth) of the sweet potatoes and fry until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain the cooking temperature.

Using a slotted spoon or spider, transfer the chips to a baking sheet lined with several layers of paper towels and sprinkle them lightly with salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining potato slices, allowing the oil to come back to 375 degrees after cooking each batch. The chips can be stored for up to 2 days in a resealable plastic bag.