Learn how to make the best homemade french fries with the perfect balance of golden and crispy exteriors and soft and fluffy interiors.
When was the last time you made french fries from scratch? If you are like me, it’s probably been awhile. Although they are delicious, fries are a pain to prepare. After all, frying is already kind of scary; I get it. You’re working with a cauldron of hot, bubbling oil, which has the potential to splatter everywhere. And then, after all of that, french fries are finicky and sometimes come out limp and lifeless or overdone. Too much uncertainty and too much mess for me!
That is until now. Saturday, I spent part of the day frying batches of potatoes in search of the perfect recipe. I focused on Yukon Gold and Russet Potatoes. I also soaked some in water first and tried the double fry method too. At the end of the day, after a blind taste test, my master taste tester declared the homemade fries made with this recipe the best! And, it was the easiest too! I can’t wait for you to try it.
What kind of potatoes makes the best homemade fries?
In general, it seems the experts recommend Idaho or Russet potatoes, which have a high starch content, for fries. However, in my taste tests, both my husband and I much preferred Yukon Gold, which is considered a medium starch all-purpose potato.
Do you have to soak potatoes before frying?
According to an online article in Food and Wine magazine; “Soaking peeled, washed and cut fries in cold water for several hours to overnight removes excess starch, which prevents fries from sticking together and helps achieve maximum crispness.”
I did rinse and soak several batches of my fries, and what I found was high-starch Idaho, or Russet potatoes benefited the most from soaking. I honestly couldn’t tell any difference with the Yukon Golds.
Why double-fry homemade french fries?
The idea of having to double-fry fries more than anything else discouraged me from making homemade french fries. I mean really, you want me to fry them once at a low temperature, remove them, turn up the heat and fry them again? That sounded like double-trouble to me!
The reasoning behind the double-fry method was the first fry cooks through, the second fry crisps. Sorry, no thanks.
And then I heard about America’s Test Kitchen’s recommended method of simply adding the fries to cold oil. The gradual increase in temperature allows the fries to cook all the way through first, then crisp as the temperature of the oil increases. It worked perfectly in my tests and may I just say, “Hallelujah!”.
Best oil for frying french fries?
In my book, peanut oil is the only oil to use for frying. It has a high smoke point and neutral flavor. No other discussion, it’s all I use and what I recommend.
Have I convinced you frying isn’t as hard as you thought? If so, you might want to also try these easy recipes:
- Best Southern Fried Chicken
- Best Southern Crispy Fried Oysters
- Easy Southern Fried Green Tomatoes, and
- Easy Crispy Pan-Fried Shrimp
How to make Homemade Fries
Wash and dry the potatoes.
Cut the potatoes lengthwise into slabs approximately ¼ inch thick. Then, cut the slabs into ¼ inch strips. Make sure the fries are the same size so they will cook in the same amount of time.
Pour 3 cups of peanut oil into a heavy duty cast iron pan or Dutch oven. The oil should be ½ inch deep. If it is not, add additional oil.
Add the potatoes to the cold oil and turn the heat to medium-high.
Cook the fries for 15 minutes without stirring.
Stir the fries. Cook them an additional 5 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the fries and place on a wire rack to drain. Season with salt to taste and serve immediately.
Sharon’s Expert Tips:
- I don’t usually peel my potatoes, especially when I am cooking with Yukon Golds because of their thin skin. But if you prefer, please feel free to peel your potatoes before cutting them up.
- A wire rack works better and keeps your fries crispier after frying. They tend to get soggy if placed on paper towels to drain.
- These homemade fries are delicious dunked in my homemade sweet and spicy tomato jam, catsup or fry sauce.
- While a cast iron skillet works great for frying, I always use my cast iron Dutch oven. The sides are much higher and keep any oil splatter to a minimum.
- If you do decide to soak your potatoes in water before frying, be sure to dry them thoroughly with paper towels. Water and oil don’t mix, and you will end up with a mess.
Homemade French Fries - Easy No Fuss Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs potatoes recommend Yukon Gold
- 3 cups peanut oil
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash and dry the potatoes.
- Cut the potatoes lengthwise into slabs approximately ¼ inch thick. Then, cut the slabs into ¼ inch strips. Make sure the fries are the same size so they will cook in the same amount of time.
- Pour 3 cups of peanut oil into a heavy-duty cast-iron pan or Dutch oven. The oil should be ½ inch deep. If it is not, add additional oil.
- Add the potatoes to the cold oil and turn the heat to medium-high.
- Cook the fries for 15 minutes without stirring.
- Stir the fries. Cook them an additional 5 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the fries and place on a wire rack to drain. Season with salt to taste and serve immediately.
Notes
- I don't usually peel my potatoes, especially when I am cooking with Yukon Golds because of their thin skin. But if you prefer, please feel free to peel your potatoes before cutting them up.
- A wire rack works better and keeps your fries crispier after frying. They tend to get soggy if placed on paper towels to drain.
- These homemade french fries are delicious dunked in my homemade sweet and spicy tomato jam, catsup or fry sauce.
- While a cast iron skillet works great for frying, I always use my cast iron Dutch oven. The sides are much higher and keep any oil splatter to a minimum.
- If you do decide to soak your potatoes in water before frying, be sure to dry them thoroughly with paper towels. Water and oil don't mix, and you will end up with a mess.
This idea blows my mind, I’ve gotta try it. Very eager to see if it works!