Twice-Fried Plantains (Tostones)
By America's Test KitchenPublished on June 23, 2009
Yield
Makes about 32 pieces
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Green plantains are plantains that are not yet ripe. This recipe will not work with ripe plantains—they are much softer and less starchy than green plantains, and will become mushy in the hot oil. The oil will bubble up when you add the plantains, so be sure that you have at least 3 inches of room at the top of the pot. Serve with Mojo Sauce (see related recipe).
Instructions
- Heat the oil to 325 degrees in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add half of the plantains, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring often, until the plantains are light golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a wire mesh spider or slotted spoon, transfer the plantains to a thick paper bag or triple thickness of paper towels to drain. Return the oil to 325 degrees, and repeat with the remaining plantains; transfer to the bag.
- While the plantains are still warm, flatten them to a 1/4-inch thickness using the flat side of a sturdy spatula or meat pounder. (The flattened plantains can stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours or be wrapped in paper towels, sealed in a zipper-lock bag, and frozen up to 1 month.)
- When ready to serve the tostones, reheat the oil to 350 degrees. Add half of the flattened plantains to the hot oil and fry, stirring often, until golden brown and crispy, 2 to 5 minutes. Transfer the plantains to a fresh paper bag or paper towels to drain and season with salt to taste; repeat with the remaining plantains. Serve immediately.
Yield
Makes about 32 piecesIngredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
For our fried plantains recipe, we preferred green plantains—their firm, starchy texture softened and crisped nicely in hot fat, whereas ripe plantains turned too soft and soggy. We found that just about any frying medium—lard, shortening, and oil—works well in a fried plantain recipe, but since vegetable oil is ubiquitous, we made it our frying fat of choice. Plantains must be peeled and sliced and the slices smashed or flattened for frying, which helps the fruit to cook through and creates more surface area for crisping. Slicing the plantains to a thickness of 3/4 inch was ideal; once smashed, they were about 1/4 inch thick. Double-frying the plantains was also key to achieving the right interior texture and exterior color and crispness.
Before You Begin
Green plantains are plantains that are not yet ripe. This recipe will not work with ripe plantains—they are much softer and less starchy than green plantains, and will become mushy in the hot oil. The oil will bubble up when you add the plantains, so be sure that you have at least 3 inches of room at the top of the pot. Serve with Mojo Sauce (see related recipe).
Instructions
- Heat the oil to 325 degrees in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add half of the plantains, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring often, until the plantains are light golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a wire mesh spider or slotted spoon, transfer the plantains to a thick paper bag or triple thickness of paper towels to drain. Return the oil to 325 degrees, and repeat with the remaining plantains; transfer to the bag.
- While the plantains are still warm, flatten them to a 1/4-inch thickness using the flat side of a sturdy spatula or meat pounder. (The flattened plantains can stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours or be wrapped in paper towels, sealed in a zipper-lock bag, and frozen up to 1 month.)
- When ready to serve the tostones, reheat the oil to 350 degrees. Add half of the flattened plantains to the hot oil and fry, stirring often, until golden brown and crispy, 2 to 5 minutes. Transfer the plantains to a fresh paper bag or paper towels to drain and season with salt to taste; repeat with the remaining plantains. Serve immediately.
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