Not much is better than the classic French fry; fluffy on the inside, crisp on the outside, and just the right amount of salt. Sure, you can go to McDonalds for a very good fry, but nothing will beat homemade if it is done properly, and it doesn’t take long at all.
Keys to the perfect fry:
- The cooking vessel – a deep fryer or deep pot, preferably cast iron to retain the heat.
- Frying medium – peanut oil or lard, or a blend of the two.
- The spud – Idaho. Lots of starch, low moisture, and just enough natural sugars to get golden brown.
- Proper blanching
- Correct size batches
- Salt – kosher. No substitutions
The secrets – see the last sentence
If you do not have deep fryer use a heavy pot. A heavy cast iron pot will distribute the heat evenly and help to maintain the temperature when cold potatoes are added.
Use peanut oil for its high smoking point. For better flavor use lard (remember when McDonalds used lard?) To compromise between cholesterol and flavor you can blend the two in equal proportions. Do not overfill the pot as doing so will cause splattering, burns, a possible fire, and a huge mess. Usually no more than half full is good.
When cutting the potatoes leave the skin on. It adds flavor and texture. You should wash and scrub the potatoes to get the dirt off, but make sure to dry them thoroughly.Cut the fires all uniformly (same width and thickness). Doing so will ensure that they cook evenly.
Work in small batches. Adding too many fries into the basket will cause a rapid drop in the oil’s temperature which will lead to oil absorption and a soggy fry.
Start with your fry oil at 325 degrees. At this temperature we only want to cook the potato, to soften it. When a batch of fries is flexible (not falling apart) remove them from the oil, shake off the excess grease, and spread them out on a layer or two of paper towels on a sheet pan. When all batches have been properly blanched and cooled to room temperature, turn up the heat on the fryer to reach 375 degrees.
Again, working in small batches, cook the blanched fries until they are golden brown. Cooking the fries a second time at a higher temperature will cause the inside of the potato to get fluffy on the inside while crisping the outside quickly. Remember sugar will caramelize at 320 degrees; using a higher temperature will get the desired color results quickly. When the batch is done drain it and put on an unlined (no paper towel) sheet pan and sprinkle with kosher salt. Keep in a warm oven while working the other batches.
When finished they will be the best fries ever. To take it to a new level consider doing one of the following:
Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese
A light sprinkle of granulated garlic
a light drizzle of clarified duck fat (my favorite)