Christie C. Nothing beats homemade French fries. Fresh, hot, crispy, and salty, these homemade fries are as satisfying to fry as they are to munch on. They have a beautiful golden-brown skin, flakey exterior, and pleasantly salty flavor. Best of all, they can be mixed with different herbs, spices, or seasonings to enhance the taste. These French fries are bomb with Old Bay seasoning and Cajun seasoning.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Easy to make
- 4 ingredients
- Tastes better than store-bought
- Crunchy and flaky texture
- Economical ingredients
- Versatile seasoning
- Vegan friendly
Use russet potatoes since they have a nice, sturdy structure. These fries are super chunky since they’re hand cut. This is done by peeling the skins off of the potatoes, quartering them lengthwise, and then quartering the smaller pieces lengthwise again until you have 16 strips per potato. To save a little time, peeling the potatoes are optional, but I find it necessary to remove any rotting skins or pieces off of the potato. If you have a French fry cutter, use that to save loads of time.
We typically make our fries using a combination of sunflower oil and peanut oil, inspired by the way Five Guys makes their fries. It’s an economical alternative to beef tallow, which is preferred, but does cost a pretty penny. Beef tallow is just beef fat, much like how lard is pork fat. You can save money by purchasing it in bulk, but it depends on how often you may want to cook with it. Avoid the beef tallow to keep the fries vegan and vegetarian friendly.
You can make these fries in roughly 2 to 4 hours, but I find it easier to complete the prep work the day before, this way I have a batch of French fries that I can cook as needed instead of cooking them all at once. This also ensures freshness.
There are two secrets to getting homemade French fries super crispy. The first secret is to soak the fries in water for at least thirty minutes (preferably overnight) to help release the starches in the potatoes. The extra starch is what can make the end result soppy and gummy. The second secret is to fry the French fries twice. Yes, but French fries are twice-fried to get that golden brown layer of goodness!
SAVE MONEY AND OIL AND DON’T TOSS IT WHEN FINISHED!
The amount of oil used to make homemade fries can be pricey. I recommend purchasing canola, sunflower, and/or peanut oil in bulk at an international supermarket or at a bulk supermarket.
After frying with the oil, allow it to cool completely. Strain the oil with a sieve to remove any large particles. Store the oil in a food safe container and store the oil in the freezer when not using it. This will help the oil last longer by preventing it from oxidizing—a process that makes the oil go rancid.
The oil can be reused 10 to 12 times, or until it begins to smell rancid. Be sure to strain the oil after each use.
HOW TO DISCARD OLD OIL
To discard frying oil, place it into a biodegradable non-recyclable container such as a cardboard container with a wax lining. To prevent leaks, bag up the container with a plastic bag, preferably a biodegradable bag.
Toss the sealed oil in the trash. DO NOT DISCARD OIL DOWN THE DRAIN! This can damage your pipes and clog vital systems within your local sewer. You don’t want to pay for that damage!
MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS
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TOOLS
Medium pan
Sieve
Metal spatula
Chef knife
Potato peeler
Optional: French fry cutter
Homemade French Fries
Ingredients
- 6 Russet Potatoes
- 3 cups (600ml) Sunflower Oil
- 1 cup (200ml) Peanut Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
Peel and cut the potatoes
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Peel the skins off the potatoes using a peeler or a paring knife. Place the fully peeled potatoes into a large food storage container filled with water. This will prevent the potatoes from turning brown as you peel the rest.
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Cut each potato lengthwise into four pieces.
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Cut each quarter lengthwise into four additional pieces. You should be able to get 16 fries out of each potato.
Soak the potatoes
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Soak the cut potatoes in a large food safe container filled with water for at least 30 minutes or overnight to remove any excess starches.
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Drain the potatoes using a colander or strainer. Remove any excess water by patting the potatoes dry with paper towels or a kitchen cloth.
First fry
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Heat a medium pot with the sunflower and peanut oil. The oil should be about 325°F (165°C), but you can test the heat without a thermometer by cooking a single fry and checking for doneness. The fry should not brown, but it should get soft.
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Fry the first batch for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the core of each fry is soft. Remove the fries from the oil with a sieve or spatula and spread them over paper towels on a large plate to drain and cool for 10 minutes.
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Note: If you want to freeze the fries to cook later, pack the cooled down fries into a large freezer bag and freeze them until ready to use.
Second fry
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Reheat the same sunflower and peanut oil. You may add another cup of sunflower oil if the previous oil has reduced significantly since the first fry. The oil should be about 375°F (190°C), but you can test the heat without a thermometer by testing how a single fry cooks. If the fry successfully browns, then the temperature is adequate.
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Fry the fries for 5 to 6 minutes or until they've developed a golden brown exterior.
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Note: If you are frying them frozen, cook for 7 to 10 minutes
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Remove the fries from the oil using a sieve or spatula and allow them to drain on paper towels. Season them with salt and pepper to taste.
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Oh yum! They look great! 😀
Thank you so much! They came out wonderfully!
Fantastic! I’m glad to hear it. Do you think you’ll make them again soon?
I make them a few times a year on special occasions (4th of July, Labor Day, etc).
Ah, good idea. 😀