Tips to make crispy french fries like a pro

Photo: Serious Eats

What makes potato fries super-crisp? We have the ultimate hack, which does not involve using cornflour or any additional ingredient.

Potato is a versatile vegetable, and it can be used to make a number of dishes in multiple ways. French fries, or potato crisps, is one such recipe which is loved across age groups. Thinly sliced potatoes which are deep fried and seasoned generously make for a great appetiser or an any-time snack.

But a common problem that most people face while making French fries is that they come out soggy or limp. Their texture differs largely from what we are served in restaurants wherein the fries are crisp and a delight to taste. So what makes potato fries super crisp and how can you make them crisp when cooking at home?

We have the ultimate hack, which does not involve using cornflour or any additional ingredient. A simple process right before you get frying could make all the difference to your potato fries. Homemade fries can be made crispy simply by using icy cold water. This chilled water is the key to making fries super delicious and taste like never before.

What you have to do is chop the potatoes into thin slices or the shape of your preference. Before frying, simply immerse the fries in the chilled water for at least eight to ten minutes. Then proceed to the frying stage and you'll be pleasantly surprised with how good your fries come out! Try this secret hack and tell us how your fries came out.

Choose the right fry

All takeout fries are not created equal in their ability to maintain temperature and texture between the operator’s kitchen and the consumer’s table. With preparation of carryout and delivery fries, operations need to take into account how long the product will be in transit.

Because 49% of consumers wait until they reach their destination to consume carryout orders, and the average time spent to reach the destination is 15 minutes, according to Technomic’s Takeout & Off-Premise report, operators should use a superior product as a first level of defense. Beyond that, they should also plan for the least amount of time possible between the end of cooking and pickup by the consumer or delivery person, to ensure that the food’s quality doesn’t start to decline before ever starting its journey.

To help fries retain heat longer, choose a product that is coated or battered rather than a traditional uncoated fry. Clear-coated fries, such as Simplot Infinity fries, maintain their crispness longer than a traditional fry and can be refrigerated saving valuable freezer space! Thick-battered fries provide top heat retention and crispy crunch in different flavors that can offer added customer appeal.

Thicker-cut fries with more solids and a lower moisture content also allow for fast turnaround and hold onto their heat longer during travel time.

Photo: Belqui's Twist

Pick paper packaging

Moisture and heat loss are the enemies of crispy french fries. Styrofoam and plastic takeout packaging have a long history of success for many foods, but these totally enclosed containers will encourage steaming and condensation, which leads to wilted fries.

Instead, use paper or cardboard packaging with ventilation, so the container can breathe, and steam can get out. Make sure that vent holes in the container are large enough to allow adequate airflow but are not so large that the fries get cold.

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