Crispy Double-Fried Homemade French Fries

There’s nothing quite like a good batch of homemade fries, also known as french fries, frites, or, if you were around in the early 2000s, “freedom fries” hehehe, and no matter what you call them, everyone agrees they’re absolutely delicious. Crispy on the outside, fluffy and creamy on the inside, these thick-cut beauties are the kind of snack that fits any occasion, whether that’s a backyard cookout, a movie night, or honestly just a Tuesday when you’re feeling like some fries. They’re especially great for those of us who don’t eat much fried food the rest of the year and want to do it right when we do.

The real secret behind perfect fries is all in the prep, and that’s actually why frozen fries from the store fry up so nicely, the manufacturer already did all the hard work for you. It comes down to choosing the right potatoes (not all potatoes are created equal for frying), peeling and rinsing them well to remove excess starch so they come out crispier and don’t stick together, and then doing a first low-temperature fry to cook the inside through and dry them out a little before the big hot second fry at a higher temperature.

Since we’re making these at home, we’re going to do every one of those steps ourselves, and instead of freezing them like the factory does, we’re going straight to the second fry. It might sound like a lot of work, but honestly it’s just a few extra little steps and some patience, and the payoff is a plate of fries that’s way better than anything you’ll get from any drive-through window. Let’s check the recipe!

Crispy Double-Fried Homemade French Fries

Servings: 4
Time: 1hr
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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Well making some fantastic fries is just a little bit more than just heating up some oil and cutting some potatoes, but just a little bit of work can make you some marvelous fries worthy of any steakhouse! ;D

Ingredients

Potatoes – 8 (Large)
Sunflower Oil – Enough for Frying
Salt – A Pinch

Directions

Ideally, the day before frying the potatoes, start by peeling them, washing them well, and then slicing them with a mandoline using a potato chip blade (so they are all the same size) or carefully with a knife, trying to make them all the same thickness so they fry evenly.
Wash the potatoes well and put them in a large bowl covered with water and leave them in the refrigerator overnight. This step is only to remove all the starch from the outside of the potatoes; if you wash them well, you don’t need to refrigerate them.
Then, when it’s almost time to fry the potatoes, remove them from the refrigerator, drain the water, and dry the potatoes well in a colander or with a cloth. You want them very dry before frying.
Prepare a deep fryer or frying pan over medium-low heat. If you have a kitchen thermometer, set the oil temperature to around 150ºC (300ºF). The potatoes should bubble when added, but not excessively. Cook for about 4 minutes, until they start to brown slightly and become yellowish and soft.
Then remove them to a wire rack to drain or use kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining potatoes.
After frying all the potatoes at a low temperature, increase the oil temperature to about 200ºC (480ºF). Use a thermometer, or you can use a piece of bread or a wooden spoon, if both bubble, the oil is at the right temperature.

Fry the potatoes again (don’t overcrowd the fryer/pan) for about 4 to 5 minutes, until golden brown. Stir occasionally to brown evenly.
Then remove again the potatoes to a wire rack to drain or use more kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining potatoes.
Finally, sprinkle with a little fine salt, stir a bit to distribute the salt, and that’s it, enjoy!

Notes & Tips: The recipe is written for classic thick-cut fries because that’s what i did, but you can totally cut them thinner or chunkier depending on what you’re in the mood for. Just adjust the first fry time accordingly: the bigger the fry, the longer it needs in the low-temperature bath. The only exception is shoestring fries, which are so thin they barely need that first fry at all.

A lot of people salt their fries the second they come out of the oil while they’re still dripping, and that’s actually a mistake. Salting them wet makes the oil cling harder to the fry and the salt kind of sticks in clumps rather than coating evenly. The move is to let them drain on the rack first, and then salt them. Even after draining, there’s still a thin layer of oil on the surface that’ll hold the salt just fine, and the seasoning ends up way more even and balanced.

Speaking of seasoning, plain salt is the classic, but don’t be afraid to get creative. Curry powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, or even a dusting of grated parmesan all work beautifully on a hot batch of fries. You can also go the dipping sauce route, whether that’s a homemade aioli, a smoky ketchup, or a sharp mustard mayo, and suddenly you’ve got a whole thing going on.

If you’re cooking for a crowd, you can do the first fry well ahead of time and leave the fries on a rack at room temperature for a couple of hours before the second fry. That resting time helps dry them out even more and actually makes for a crunchier final result.

This recipe for Crispy Double-Fried Homemade French Fries was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Batatas Fritas em Palito Caseiras foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.