Try this Red Potato French Fries recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (0g)
- Sodium 0 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Peel potatoes
- Cut into fries. (We use a potato slicer found [here|http://www.amazon.com/Potato-Chipper-iCooker-Slicer-Cutter/dp/B00PRD4ANI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1431536932&sr=8-3&keywords=french+fry+cutter].)
- Boil for approximately 10 minutes till inside is slightly soft.
- Drain.
- Cover frying pan generously with fat.
- Sprinkle salt onto a pan.
- Heat pan slightly.
- Place fries in the pan in a single layer.
- Heat carefully. Cover if needed.
- Flip when browned.
- Watch them closely and remove onto a paper towel.
- Serve and enjoy!
Parboiling cut potatoes before frying is chemically necessary to gelatinize interior starches, yet skipping the subsequent drying phase introduces excess surface moisture that immediately splatters hot fat across the stovetop. Red potatoes contain less starch and more moisture than Russets, making them prone to burning on the outside before the interior cooks through unless you manage the heat carefully. While fresh batches demand strict attention, yesterday's chilled spuds behave entirely differently in a skillet.
Reviving Chilled Batches
Leftover cooked potatoes store safely in an airtight container for up to three days at 38 degrees Fahrenheit, but their internal texture rapidly becomes dense and waterlogged. Transforming these chilled leftovers into crisp strips requires a hotter pan and less fat than raw potatoes, because the starches have already retrograded during refrigeration. Slice the cold potatoes into uniform half-inch thicknesses to ensure even heat penetration without scorching the exterior surfaces.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Novice cooks frequently overcrowd the frying pan, trapping steam and dropping the oil temperature below 350 degrees Fahrenheit, which yields soggy, grease-soaked results instead of a crisp crust. Selecting fats with high smoke points like refined coconut oil or rendered lard prevents acrid flavors from developing during prolonged shallow frying. Maintaining a single layer in a heavy cast-iron skillet allows steam to escape rapidly, ensuring the edges brown properly before the centers overcook.
