extremely crispy fries tossed in vinegar

 

The ideal recipe for french fries has finally been found! Invented by the renowned Kenji López-Alt of The Food Lab, these hot chips maintain their crispiness even after cooling down. Not even the most upscale bistros often serve fries this excellent!

When you make homemade fries from scratch, there’s nothing more disheartening than seeing them lose their crunchiness right before you serve them. This is the result of the conventional method of preparing handmade fries, which involves soaking them in water and then frying them twice.

I finally found the recipe for the best handmade french fries with the aid of Chef JB and the incredibly detailed study on the subject found in Kenji López-Alt’s The Food Lab. It took me years, but it was worth it. Puffy on the inside and crunchier on the outside; the crunchiness lasts far longer than the time it takes to devour the fries and, example, a large juicy cheeseburger. This french fry is perfect!

You will need 1 kilogram or 2 pounds (or 3 to 4 pounds) of floury potatoes (Note 1: Sebago or dirt potatoes, also known as brushed potatoes in Australia, russet or Idaho potatoes in the United States, or Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes in the United Kingdom).

**Note** 2 tablespoons of white vinegar

3/4 teaspoon of cooking salt or kosher salt

Canola or vegetable oil, one quart or one liter

Seasoning (Option:) ▢Sea salt flakes or table salt

Seasoning for shaker fries, rosemary salt, and nori salt (coming soon)

Instructions

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Chop: Remove the potato skins. Use a serrated knife to cut the potatoes into 6 mm / 1/4 inch French fries. Notably 4,
While you cut the rest of the fries, keep the ones you cut in a dish of water so they don’t brown. Beyond this, there’s no real soaking required.

Put the potatoes in a colander and give them a quick rinsing under running water for around 15 to 20 seconds.

Put the fries in a big saucepan with 2 quarts or liters of cold tap water, vinegar, and salt; bring to a simmer. Raise the heat to high and boil, then quickly lower it to low so the surface ripples lightly (Note 5), but doesn’t produce large bubbles. After 10 minutes, transfer the fries to a colander using a slotted spoon; be cautious not to tip them into the colander, as this might cause them to shatter.

After five minutes, dry: Layer the fries onto two baking sheets that have been lined with tea towels. Wait 5 minutes and then steam dry.

Pot: In a pot that is at least 10cm/4″ tall, pour 3 cm / 1.2″ of oil. Make sure there is at least 7 cm / 3″ of space between the surface of the oil and the lip of the pot for safety reasons. Note 6: Divide the fries into three batches for cooking.

The first fry

The oil should be heated to 205°C (400°F) over medium-high heat.

*Note 7: 10-second pause* With a slotted spoon, drop one-third of the fries from Batch 1 into the oil. Do not add any more fries until after 10 seconds have passed; after that, add 1/3 of the fries from Batch 1.

Fry for 50 seconds, stirring once or twice, or until golden brown. Then, using a slotted spoon, transfer the mixture to two trays coated with paper towels and smooth it out evenly. Floppy white fries are still in store.

Bring the oil temperature back up to 205°C/400°F before frying the second and third batches in Fry #1.

The second fry step is to let the fries cool for half an hour.

Prepare a big basin for draining and mixing by lining it with paper towels.

Second Fry: Bring oil to a temperature of 205°C, or 400°F. Cook half of the French fries for 4 minutes, stirring twice, or until they are crispy and golden brown. After that, finish cooking the rest of the fries in the lined basin.

MAKE AND EAT!

Add salt, spice, or both to the fries. (Caution 8) Serve after tossing!

Crispiness of fries will not diminish as they cool. For an advice on cooking in bulk, see the note.