Tasty Tricks: How to Cook French Fries
Cooking French fries seems simple, but in fact there are subtleties. The following is an introduction to the specific process of cooking French fries. Master it well and you can make delicious French fries.
How to cook delicious French fries?
The best cooking method for French fries is to fry them twice. Fry them at 160 degrees until the surface turns slightly yellow for the first time, and then fry them at 180 degrees until they are golden and crispy. Finally, sprinkle an appropriate amount of salt for seasoning.
Before making, potatoes need to be cut into uniform strips (about 1 centimeter wide), soaked in clear water for 15 minutes to remove surface starch, and then drained and blotted dry with kitchen paper. After frying for 3 to 4 minutes for the first time, take them out and let them cool. This step is to cook the inside of the French fries. Fry them for 1 to 2 minutes for the second time to make the skin golden and crispy.
Choosing the potato variety is very crucial. It is best to choose potatoes with a relatively high starch content. French fries fried from such potatoes have the best taste with a crispy outside and a soft inside. Controlling the oil temperature is also very important. If the temperature is too high, the surface will be charred; if it is too low, the French fries will absorb too much oil and become greasy.
Should I boil fries before frying?
There is no need to boil the fries first. The perfect fries with a crispy outside and soft inside can be made directly using the double-frying method. After cutting the potatoes into uniform strips, soak them in cold water for 15 minutes to remove the surface starch, and then dry them completely with kitchen paper. For the first frying, use an oil temperature of 320°F (160°C) for 3-4 minutes to cook the inside of the potatoes thoroughly; after cooling, for the second frying, use an oil temperature of 356°F (180°C) for 1-2 minutes to make the surface golden and crispy.
If the potatoes are boiled and then fried, they will become too soft due to excessive water absorption. This will not only affect the final taste, but also cause the risk of oil splattering during frying. Moreover, boiled potatoes are not easy to fry into a crispy crust but will instead appear moist and soft.
How to make fries crispy again?
Heating with an oven or air fryer is the best way to restore the crispiness of fries. Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C), place the fries neatly and heat them for 3-5 minutes; for the air fryer, set it to 320°F (160°C) and heat for 2-3 minutes for better results.
Heating in a microwave oven will make the fries softer and soggier, and it is not recommended. If there is only a microwave oven at home, you can place the fries on kitchen paper and heat them on medium heat for 30 seconds, which can slightly improve the texture.
When storing fries, it is advisable to avoid using food storage containers or food storage bags. It is better to use paper bags or open containers, as this can prevent water vapor condensation and softening of the fries. If they need to be stored for a longer time, they can be placed in the refrigerator and heated as described above before consumption.
How do you know when French fries are done?
The appearance being golden and uniform is the primary criterion for judging whether French fries are cooked. Gently pick up the French fries with chopsticks or tongs, and you can feel the crispness on the surface. Moreover, the French fries remain straight and not soft and sagging.
Sound is also an important reference indicator. When the bubbling sound in the oil pan is significantly reduced and the surface of the French fries no longer bubbles vigorously, it means that the moisture has been fried off. You can take out one and try it. If the skin is crispy and the inside is snow-white and glutinous after biting, it is the best state.
What happens if you don't soak potatoes before frying?
Fries that are fried directly without soaking the potatoes will turn black, stick together and not be crispy enough. When frying, the starch on the surface of the fries will quickly turn black at high temperatures, and multiple fries will stick together due to the stickiness of the starch, resulting in uneven heating. Eventually, the fried product will have a black appearance on the outside and may not be fully cooked on the inside.
The correct way is to rinse the cut potato strips with clean water 2-3 times, and then soak them in cold water for more than 30 minutes. This process can fully dissolve the starch on the surface of the potatoes, allowing each fry to be heated evenly, and after frying, they will have a golden and crispy appearance with a soft and delicious interior.
The soaked fries need to drain the water before being put into the pot; otherwise, it will be dangerous to spatter when encountering hot oil. It is recommended to blot the surface moisture with kitchen paper or let them stand for a few minutes after draining to ensure safety and also make the fries fry more crispily.
What oil to use for French fries?
Peanut oil or corn oil are the most suitable for frying fries. The smoke points of these two oils are high (about 392°F (200°C)), which can withstand the high temperatures required for frying and will not produce an unpleasant burnt smell. The fried fries will present a beautiful golden color.
Although vegetable oil and blended oil are cheap, their smoke points are low, they are prone to produce a burnt and pasty smell, and repeated use will accelerate the deterioration of the oil. Olive oil is healthy but expensive, and it is not suitable for high-temperature frying as it will destroy its nutrients and produce a bitter taste.
The oil temperature for use should be controlled between 320-356°F (160-180°C). You can insert chopsticks into the oil. If you can see fine bubbles rising evenly, it indicates that the temperature is appropriate. At the same time, it is recommended to fry in two times: fry at 320°F (160°C) until the surface turns slightly yellow for the first time, and fry at 356°F (180°C) until golden and crispy for the second time.
