# French Fry Question



## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 19, 2021)

Okay so I'm a fair hand at making my own fries in varying thicknesses but I want to start tossing some in the freezer for a quick, weeknight deploy.

Basically, I'm a Russet guy and I double fry.

Should I do an initial fry, pull them out and finish fry the night of consumption. Or, just cook them up all the way and quick fry them just before eating? I'm inclined to go with the former but thought I'd ask my foodie brethren.


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## M1k3 (Oct 19, 2021)

Freeze after the first fry. Give a light dusting of corn starch after frying and cooling down, before laying them in a single layer to freeze.

Edit: Fry > cool > corn starch > single layer > freeze > later date fry from frozen or defrosted, depending on fryer strength.


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## Kippington (Oct 19, 2021)

How good is your fryer? Ideally you'd want to do the initial fry before freezing, but sometimes frozen chips cool the oil down too fast for a good final fry. It depends on your equipment and the batch size.


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## M1k3 (Oct 19, 2021)

Kippington said:


> How good is your fryer? Ideally you'd want to do the initial fry before freezing, but sometimes frozen chips cool the oil down too fast for a good final fry. It depends on your equipment and the batch size.


Forgot about this. Used to commercial fryers.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 19, 2021)

Yeah man, my fryer is a pan full of oil on the stove.


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## M1k3 (Oct 19, 2021)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Yeah man, my fryer is a pan full of oil on the stove.


Crank the heat if you want to live dangerously.

Otherwise defrost the fries for a bit first.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 19, 2021)

M1k3 said:


> Crank the heat if you want to live dangerously.
> 
> Otherwise defrost the fries for a bit first.



My oil heat to danger ratio often depends on my hop intake.

I have the scars to prove it.


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## coxhaus (Oct 20, 2021)

To me French Fries are too much trouble at home and never taste as good as commercial fries. We do tater tots in a convection oven instead. It is much simpler.


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## btbyrd (Oct 20, 2021)

I've almost stopped eating fries out because the ones you can make at home are much better (if you take your time and know what you're doing [and you live in the USA and not, say, Belgium]).

Anyway, freezing after the first fry is the best approach. I usually cook them before the first fry, but that's an extra step and people are lazy so YMMV. In any event, you want the first fry to be at a much lower temperature -- just enough to turn them blonde and form a bit of a crust (and to cook the interior if you're going from raw). Then get your oil up to a nice high temp (like 375), add your frozen fries, and crank the burner to compensate for the coming drop in heat. From that point, just cook them until they look done.


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## coxhaus (Oct 20, 2021)

The problem to me is you don't have a big enough vat of oil at home which means you will end up with greasy fries or burnt fries. I don't like either. But to tell the truth I eat very few fries as I am real picky.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 20, 2021)

I make some damn fine fries and potato chips. I've just never tried making them in advance and freezing them, hence the question.


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## MarcelNL (Oct 20, 2021)

I like fries when they are fresh, and refridgerated or frozen potato do not work for me...triple cooked, takes some time but well worth it IMO.

If you use frozen take care to find out how much your fryer can take, (the ratio usually is 1:10) I'm using a 3000W fryer that has a 5 Liter fat/oil volume (using mostly kidney fat and some oil) and it'll take about 300g frozen stuff and like 400g regular fries easily.


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## MarcelNL (Oct 20, 2021)

my fave is this (the short version of the recipe): Heston’s Triple Cooked Chips - The Fat Duck Group


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## btbyrd (Oct 20, 2021)

Depending on the texture you want and the full technique you're using, freezing can improve the texture. The ChefSteps french fry recipes, for example, call for freezing after the first fry. They ran the tests and found that the freeze step yielded a crispier exterior, possibly because ice crystal formation can fracture frozen cells and create a more delicate surface that becomes shatteringly brittle in the final fry. Dave Arnold also likes freezing the fries at this point, and for the same reason.

I'm big on all variations of the modernist triple cooked chips and have tried enzyme soaks and chamber vacuum cooling -- no ultrasonic baths yet, but if I ever get access to a clean one, I'm sure fries will be in the works. My go-to method involves a pre-soak in Pectinex SPL, a blanch in highly seasoned water, a low temperature long fry, freeze, and a high temp final fry. Basically ChefSteps's version but with the pre-soak.



MarcelNL said:


> my fave is this (the short version of the recipe): Heston’s Triple Cooked Chips - The Fat Duck Group



This recipe also calls for freezing the fries. Twice.


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## MarcelNL (Oct 20, 2021)

btbyrd said:


> This recipe also calls for freezing the fries. Twice.


yeah well, more of a serious cool down to remove moisture in my case..my problem is not having a freezer near by (2 floors up), sounds really interesting what you are doing! I find that the variety of taters matters a LOT! some work great and get fluffy outsides that texture nicely and some explode into a million of crumbs...


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## coxhaus (Oct 20, 2021)

I wonder if this would be any good.
Winado 6.3 qt. Stainless Steel Electric Deep Fryer-448658122383 - The Home Depot

PS
I am not sure how it does 2500 watts when it has a 20 amp 110v plug. I would think it would need a 30 amp plug or 220v.


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## M1k3 (Oct 20, 2021)

By rounding up from 2200w?


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## rmrf (Oct 20, 2021)

A good engineer is always a wee bit conservative, at least on paper.


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## boomchakabowwow (Oct 20, 2021)

mad props to the one that makes fries at home!! wow.


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## boomchakabowwow (Oct 20, 2021)

having said that..ATK did a version where the raw fries went into room temp oil and the entire thing was heated up all together. no need for double fry.

i still farm out the Fries tho. i'm super proud of the fact that i will save leftover GOOD fries and heat them up in an oven! that's the end of my fry cooking. haha.


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## coxhaus (Oct 20, 2021)

This might be a better brand. Not as much oil but it has 2 baskets so you could alternate baskets so as not to cool down the oil too much.
Presto 12-Cup Immersion Element ProFry Deep Fryer-05466 - The Home Depot

It lists 1800 watts which would fit a standard 110v plug. You would need a 20 amp breaker and nothing else running on the circuit to maintain good temp control.


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## MarcelNL (Oct 20, 2021)

1800 Watts....naah unless you want to fry 100-150g at a time or cannot draw more power in any way. 

Fritel is the goto Brand for non pro fryers around here (Belgian), look for at leat 4 Liter Oil/Fat and 3000 or so Watt, unless you only need to make fries for one or two.


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## coxhaus (Oct 20, 2021)

MarcelNL said:


> 1800 Watts....naah unless you want to fry 100-150g at a time or cannot draw more power in any way.
> 
> Fritel is the goto Brand for non pro fryers around here (Belgian), look for at leat 4 Liter Oil/Fat and 3000 or so Watt, unless you only need to make fries for one or two.



I guess you have 220v appliances. In the US most appliances are 110v and 20 amps. Some older homes have 15-amp breakers. I would think 220v would work much better.


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## Jovidah (Oct 21, 2021)

HumbleHomeCook said:


> Yeah man, my fryer is a pan full of oil on the stove.


Don't you have cheap deep fryer appliances in the US? Here they are almost as common as toasters... Can buy them as cheap as 20-30 bucks, and those actually work quite fine. The oil that goes into them is almost more expensive. 
Messing around on a stove works for me when going for 'low and slow' shallow frying, especially in smaller amounts of oil, but actually putting a full multiliter pan of oil on there feels like an accident waiting to happen.



btbyrd said:


> I've almost stopped eating fries out because the ones you can make at home are much better (if you take your time and know what you're doing [and you live in the USA and not, say, Belgium]).
> 
> Anyway, freezing after the first fry is the best approach. I usually cook them before the first fry, but that's an extra step and people are lazy so YMMV.


Agreed on most commercial fries being junk. Part of that is also that most of them are made from cheap really bland potatoes that just taste like cardboard. 
IMO the main advantage of a pre-cook in water is that it allows you to season them properly; salt it like pastawater and you'll get a pretty homogenous seasoning that's superior to just dunking salt on at the end. The main downside to me is that I find the flavor better when more water is evaporated (so it gets more concentrated), so I prefer cooking either in fat or with dry heat. 



MarcelNL said:


> my fave is this (the short version of the recipe): Heston’s Triple Cooked Chips - The Fat Duck Group


I was actually somewhat underwhelmed by it. The _texture_ is good, but the flavor is IMO not that special. Maybe I'm just spoiled, but I usually do a low and slow pre-cook that takes way longer. Almost like a confit in fat (flavorful fat that is; usually duck fat + flavored olive oil). Alternatively I go in the oven. Either gives superior flavor IMO since it evaporates more water which leads to a more intensely flavored end product. Crispyness can be almost the same if you end on high heat.



MarcelNL said:


> yeah well, more of a serious cool down to remove moisture in my case..my problem is not having a freezer near by (2 floors up), sounds really interesting what you are doing! I find that the variety of taters matters a LOT! some work great and get fluffy outsides that texture nicely and some explode into a million of crumbs...


Agreed on the tater variety. Can also really screw up nailing down your process if you keep switching potato varieties, since the results will be different every time. What i described (low and slow) only really works with waxy potatoes. What's more important IMO is that there's not just a texture difference but also a huge flavor difference. IMO a lot of the discussion on 'how to make good potatoes' is misguided, since it tends to only focus on texture. This might stem from the fact that most potatoes you buy in supermarkets are flavorless, but that doesn't mean flavorful potatoes don't exist. Most supermarket potatoes taste like nothing, just like most frozen convenience potato products. It's definitly worth experimenting to look around and settle on a potato you like. 
My favorites in recent times are Charlotte and Gourmandine (basically indistinguishable because Gourmandine is a derivative of Charlotte).



boomchakabowwow said:


> having said that..ATK did a version where the raw fries went into room temp oil and the entire thing was heated up all together. no need for double fry.
> 
> i still farm out the Fries tho. i'm super proud of the fact that i will save leftover GOOD fries and heat them up in an oven! that's the end of my fry cooking. haha.


Starting low and slow works, but with some caveats. It will make the end product a lot fatter and the taste of the fat will be more prevalent in the end product. So it's only worth doing it like that if you actually fry in flavorful fat; not in bland junk. It's also not trivial to get a crispy result that way; often easier to just do a lower temp 'pre-cook', then take them out, give it some time to heat up and then finish on high temp.


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## HumbleHomeCook (Oct 21, 2021)

Jovidah said:


> Don't you have cheap deep fryer appliances in the US? Here they are almost as common as toasters... Can buy them as cheap as 20-30 bucks, and those actually work quite fine. The oil that goes into them is almost more expensive.
> Messing around on a stove works for me when going for 'low and slow' shallow frying, especially in smaller amounts of oil, but actually putting a full multiliter pan of oil on there feels like an accident waiting to happen.
> 
> 
> ...



Yes we have those in the US but I have no need for one. My kitchen is small and a dedicated deep fryer is something that would get used rarely so I'm not taking up storage space for one. And like I said, I make good fries so I don't need another method.


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## deskjockey (Oct 21, 2021)

coxhaus said:


> I guess you have 220v appliances. In the US most appliances are 110v and 20 amps. Some older homes have 15-amp breakers. I would think 220v would work much better.



Exactly, it's physics and general engineering. 110~120V vs ~230V makes a world of difference when talking about electric motors and all sorts of heating elements.

Why do you think domestic household kitchen ovens are 230V while your microwave is only 120V in the USA?


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## deskjockey (Oct 21, 2021)

Jovidah said:


> Don't you have cheap deep fryer appliances in the US? Here they are almost as common as toasters... Can buy them as cheap as 20-30 bucks, and those actually work quite fine. The oil that goes into them is almost more expensive.
> Messing around on a stove works for me when going for 'low and slow' shallow frying, especially in smaller amounts of oil, but actually putting a full multiliter pan of oil on there feels like an accident waiting to happen.



The common one when I was young was the "Fry Daddy" from Presto but, common food culture in the USA has gone downhill in a huge way. Food deserts, people don't know how to cook, convenience foods, etc. are only scratching the surface IMHO.

Frying, in general, is scorned in general in the USA by the "Food Police" on Social Media and in various government departments! These poorly informed fools bring us all sorts of poorly studied and thought out food trends like butter is bad and Palm oil is good and corn syrup should be a core food group (a bit of truth and a bit of sarcasm). 



Jovidah said:


> Agreed on most commercial fries being junk. Part of that is also that most of them are made from cheap really bland potatoes that just taste like cardboard.
> IMO the main advantage of a pre-cook in water is that it allows you to season them properly; salt it like pastawater and you'll get a pretty homogenous seasoning that's superior to just dunking salt on at the end. The main downside to me is that I find the flavor better when more water is evaporated (so it gets more concentrated), so I prefer cooking either in fat or with dry heat.



Yes, most commercial fries taste bland because they are made from the cheapest ingredients in the cheapest way possible to provide huge caloric loads at the cheapest price possible.

Bland fries "yuck" and "our fries taste better" campaigns at various fast food chains were pretty common pre-COVID. Now it is just be thankful you can get fries from the drive-thru window. 



Jovidah said:


> Agreed on the tater variety. Can also really screw up nailing down your process if you keep switching potato varieties, since the results will be different every time. What i described (low and slow) only really works with waxy potatoes. What's more important IMO is that there's not just a texture difference but also a huge flavor difference. IMO a lot of the discussion on 'how to make good potatoes' is misguided, since it tends to only focus on texture. This might stem from the fact that most potatoes you buy in supermarkets are flavorless, but that doesn't mean flavorful potatoes don't exist. Most supermarket potatoes taste like nothing, just like most frozen convenience potato products. It's definitly worth experimenting to look around and settle on a potato you like.
> My favorites in recent times are Charlotte and Gourmandine (basically indistinguishable because Gourmandine is a derivative of Charlotte).



The Potatoes used in mass-market fries in the USA remind me of what I remember of my grade school years with various pastes and glues.

These days, it is hard to even find a good potato to bake that has reasonable flavor and texture.

Huge respect for the culinary options and tradition in the Netherlands and Europe in general though, most of my experience is in the Enschede area of the Netherlands though, Germany wins for bread! Beyond the awesome variety of restaurants, the care in cooking individual ingredients and the attention paid in their preparation puts the USA to shame in most broad spectrum food and dietary options.

I still dream about the Herring runs when I would hit the open-air Saturday market by the Church with raw Herring that still had seawater on them while I gobbled them up with a bit of white onion! Sometimes the simple things are best.

And yes, I wish I could get fresh "Green Herring" in Texas that was safe to eat raw. Right now, there is a big Salmonella outbreak locally with red onions from Mexico.


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## Jovidah (Oct 21, 2021)

deskjockey said:


> Huge respect for the culinary options and tradition in the Netherlands and Europe in general though, most of my experience is in the Enschede area of the Netherlands though, Germany wins for bread! Beyond the awesome variety of restaurants, the care in cooking individual ingredients and the attention paid in their preparation puts the USA to shame in most broad spectrum food and dietary options.


The bar must be incredibly low in the US if you think it's better in the Netherlands; to be honest I consider the Netherlands somewhat of a culinary low point within Western Europe. As a food critic once described it: "The Dutch don't have a cuisine, they have food". 
When it comes to potatoes most of the commercial stuff sold here in supermarkets, fast food joints, etc isn't much to write home about either.


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## MarcelNL (Oct 21, 2021)

find the care in cooking individual ingredients ;-) in our national 'dish' stamppot...

recipe, peel and cook potatoes, add veg to your liking and cook to death and to be sure all is dead mash the heck out of it...My granny used to start cooking the red cabbage at 4PM, Dinner was usually served at 6PM....


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## sansho (Oct 21, 2021)

i know this thread is about french fries, but i tried this parboiled oven potato recipe recently, loved it, and wanted to share.

full write up: The Best Roast Potatoes | The Food Lab
recipe: The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes Ever Recipe






all that crispy stuff comes from parboiling them (in baking soda water, which breaks them down a little) and stirring them in a bowl to get a layer of mashed potatoes on the outside of each chunk:


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## deskjockey (Oct 21, 2021)

Jovidah said:


> The bar must be incredibly low in the US if you think it's better in the Netherlands; to be honest I consider the Netherlands somewhat of a culinary low point within Western Europe. As a food critic once described it: "The Dutch don't have a cuisine, they have food".
> When it comes to potatoes most of the commercial stuff sold here in supermarkets, fast food joints, etc isn't much to write home about either.



If you want to talk about "local cuisine", I'd give a nod to that. What I found was a huge variety of excellently prepared options.

Personally, I'd prefer a meal on the first floor of just about any neighborhood apartment complex in Germany or the Netherlands where I have the most experience. German "bar food" was also generally excellent in my personal experience.

Sure, not every restaurant or food stall is an awesome one but, compared to the average "low-quality crap" that is served in the areas of the USA where I have lived was pretty bad until you got to a price beyond what most working-class people could afford on a regular basis.

In the USA, in my experience, your best bet for a good "normal" meal at a standard entre price will be an independent family-run place.

If I want a microwaved or boiled-in-the-bag option from Sysco from most restaurants, I would just go to Walmart and buy some frozen or canned crap and microwave it at home! If you love pasta made in saltless pasta water that is mushy, come to Texas! Want totally tasteless mashed potatoes that remind you of kindergarten classroom paste, Texas is a great place to visit! I could go on.

Texas has some awesome places to eat as well but, you have to search for them. True BBQ in Lockhart, Texas is legendary for example. Kolaches in the Hill Country from local "Mom and Pop" places are awesome as well.

The Netherlands may not be the best but, if I am in a new town with no prior experience for a meal, I would prefer to be in the Netherlands versus someplace like Dallas, Texas!

Friday, I'm driving about 350 miles each way for BBQ in Lockhart for my first real meal out post-COVID! Smoked "Plate Ribs" and brisket!


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## deskjockey (Oct 21, 2021)

sansho said:


> i know this thread is about french fries, but i tried this parboiled oven potato recipe recently, loved it, and wanted to share.
> 
> full write up: The Best Roast Potatoes | The Food Lab
> recipe: The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes Ever Recipe
> ...



Potatoes like that don't really fit my thoughts of French Fries or similar potatoes. However, they are super yummy when done well!


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## MarcelNL (Oct 21, 2021)

that is no fair play, manufacturers of fries do the same thing...they add stuff to coat the outside so it apppears more crispy.

I'll give parboiling is water with some baking soda a go, but I'll stick to using decent taters (Maris Piper, Charlotte) and kidney fat for frying or duck fat for pan frying.


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## MarcelNL (Oct 21, 2021)

The German 'Gut bürgerliche Küche" usually is a great choice!


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## deskjockey (Oct 21, 2021)

MarcelNL said:


> ...
> I'll give parboiling is water with some baking soda a go, but I'll stick to using decent taters (Maris Piper, Charlotte) and kidney fat for frying or duck fat for pan frying.



What is this "Kidney fat" you referenced? I'm guessing it is a translation thing for me like "fat back" from a hog in the past (current hogs in the USA are superlean and pretty bland for the most part IMHO).


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## MarcelNL (Oct 21, 2021)

fat found around the kidneys of (usually) cows, IMO the perfect frying fat.


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## coxhaus (Oct 21, 2021)

sansho said:


> i know this thread is about french fries, but i tried this parboiled oven potato recipe recently, loved it, and wanted to share.
> 
> full write up: The Best Roast Potatoes | The Food Lab
> recipe: The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes Ever Recipe
> ...



They look great. I may try those. I like using an oven as it seems easier than cooking oils.

I was up in Idaho a couple of years ago at a high-end steak house and the baked potato was one of the best tasting potatoes I have ever eaten. They used bacon fat and salt on the outside of the potato. I try to do the same thing here in Texas as I save bacon fat but they are not as good. I think the potato does not taste as good.


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## deskjockey (Oct 21, 2021)

MarcelNL said:


> fat found around the kidneys of (usually) cows, IMO the perfect frying fat



I wonder if my local independent butcher can get me some of that. He is the only local butcher within the 50 mile radius I generally travel so, my options for butcher shops are really restricted. Heck, I even have trouble buying a whole brisket (at least one less than $250 or more) and I live in TEXAS, land of the smoked brisket!


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## deskjockey (Oct 21, 2021)

coxhaus said:


> They look great. I may try those. I like using an oven as it seems easier than cooking oils.
> 
> I was up in Idaho a couple of years ago at a high-end steak house and the baked potato was one of the best tasting potatoes I have ever eaten. They used bacon fat and salt on the outside of the potato. I try to do the same thing here in Texas as I save bacon fat but they are not as good.
> 
> View attachment 147963



I bet the difference is in the quality of the bacon.

I'm in East Texas and bacon quality IMHO is terrible. When I lived in Alabama I got wonderful bacon for about the same cost as the generic stuff in the plastic vacuum-sealed bag. The water, salts, and nitrate salts generally used kills what little flavor there is in a modern mass-market hog.

Like pasture-raised cattle that taste so much better, the same is true for hogs. Hogs raised in pens fed corn and food industry scraps are not where you go for good bacon, hams, pork chops, etc.

Look for independent producers, Google them to spot the frauds, and pay the ~25% premium for something exceptional IMHO. I'd rather eat a smaller pasture and grass-fed steak, than a larger cheaper one with yellow fat from a high-pressure feedlot. YMMV


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## deskjockey (Oct 21, 2021)

coxhaus said:


> ...
> I was up in Idaho a couple of years ago at a high-end steak house and the baked potato was one of the best tasting potatoes I have ever eaten. They used bacon fat and salt on the outside of the potato. I try to do the same thing here in Texas as I save bacon fat but they are not as good. I think the potato does not taste as good.
> 
> View attachment 147963



See if you can source some duck fat from a specialty store. It will be expensive so don't be shocked! 

Next, I know Russets are the classic potato but, a waxy potato will taste much better. Coat them in a light Duck fat and Kosher salt and roast them. Mmmm ...


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## Chips (Oct 21, 2021)

deskjockey said:


> I bet the difference is in the quality of the bacon.
> 
> I'm in East Texas and bacon quality IMHO is terrible. When I lived in Alabama I got wonderful bacon for about the same cost as the generic stuff in the plastic vacuum-sealed bag. The water, salts, and nitrate salts generally used kills what little flavor there is in a modern mass-market hog.
> 
> ...




Any recommendations? 

I threw out nearly an entire porchetta that I made last year because the pork belly had an awful strong taint of fishy flavors to it. I guessed maybe the feed was fish guts and scrap? Anyway, it was a major disappointment. I like to make my own bacon once in a while. That usually turns out pretty good.


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## deskjockey (Oct 21, 2021)

Chips said:


> Any recommendations?



What part of the world do you live in? I'm in East Texas and a big-time smoker, as in BBQ offset stick burner. I run a Shirley and an Evie Mae offset but, I'm also a Weber Smokey Mountain fanatic as well. Add a Kettle, Hibachi, Kamodo, ... in there as well but, I can only eat so much so some of those don't see much action.

Heritage Breeds are a good start but, it really depends on what is available locally or if you are going to ship it in. I am fortunate to have local sources for pasture-raised chickens, rabbits, lambs, hogs, and cattle.

A brief step onto the "soapbox", don't fall for marketing blather about open-range and similar terms. Opening the door to a chicken house with 50,000 or more chickens that won't ever cross the door threshold IS NOT FREE RANGE IMHO!


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## coxhaus (Oct 21, 2021)

My wife had a picture of one of the potatoes we had up in Idaho Falls at a steak house in 2017. Here it is. The flavor was great. This is hers as I don't use sour cream. 
I will look for waxy potatoes, not what that is though. I googled so I know now what a waxy potato is.


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## deskjockey (Oct 21, 2021)

coxhaus said:


> My wife had a picture of one of the potatoes we had up in Idaho Falls at a steak house in 2017. Here it is. The flavor was great. This is hers as I don't use sour cream.
> I will look for waxy potatoes, not what that is though. I googled so I know now what a waxy potato is.
> View attachment 147977



I don't know if the Aldi chain is local to you but, they have some 3# bags of waxy potatoes that are generally about 3" around for a 'good' price. They work really well in stews and roasted.

For big steakhouses, I think some of them do a light preboil in heavily salted water before they are oiled and salted and finished off in the oven.

For potatoes like that, the worst are the Russets that are "dry" and tasteless in the center or, the ones that are really soft and 'wet' in the middle.

I have done a few that I used a neutral oil (Canola I think) and then patted down with Kosher salt and baked off unwrapped with good results. Don't forget to take a fork and poke them a few times to avoid a steam explosion with potato all over your oven. Hitting the sweet spot between dry and wet (or slightly underdone) is a bit trial and error until you get it dialed in. They worked really well stuffed with various meats (brisket and bacon are really good) along with real BUTTER and sour cream with a good cheddar and some Jalapenos or Poblanos or similar peppers.

That being said, I generally only use Russets when I want a one to two-pound potato to make an impressive presentation on the plate. A 1+ pound baked Russet with a 1+ pound Porterhouse steak is pretty impressive for most people.

I must admit though, I did the 3# steak option and its huge potato and salad when I was in Amarillo at the Big Texan!


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## deskjockey (Oct 21, 2021)

Is a one-pound baked Russet really just a large French Fry? 

I seem to have drifted away from the OP's "French Fry Question" topic.


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## Heckel7302 (Oct 22, 2021)

sansho said:


> i know this thread is about french fries, but i tried this parboiled oven potato recipe recently, loved it, and wanted to share.
> 
> full write up: The Best Roast Potatoes | The Food Lab
> recipe: The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes Ever Recipe
> ...


These are awesome. I make them all the time. Better than French fries IMO.


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## Jovidah (Oct 22, 2021)

MarcelNL said:


> that is no fair play, manufacturers of fries do the same thing...they add stuff to coat the outside so it apppears more crispy.
> 
> I'll give parboiling is water with some baking soda a go, but I'll stick to using decent taters (Maris Piper, Charlotte) and kidney fat for frying or duck fat for pan frying.


Where are you getting the kidney fat? I've been trying to find it but unsuccesfully so far. All I found was the industrial yellow cardboard packages of Ossenwit but honestly when I tried them I found them rather dissapointing.

While I agree that coating the outside is kind of cheating, it does work wonders on sweet potatoes, that are otherwise quite a challenge to get properly crispy. 
In general though I think too much potato recipes and discussions focus too much on texture alone, while ignoring flavor. One of the reasons I similarly favor Charlotte isn't because of the textures (not that it's lacking in that regard) but because of its flavor.


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## Jovidah (Oct 22, 2021)

Heckel7302 said:


> These are awesome. I make them all the time. Better than French fries IMO.


I'm inclined to agree; I think any preparations involving either a low and slow confit, or longer dry heat, that lead to significant evaporation, lead to a more flavorful end product that's far more interesting. Texture doesn't have to be any worse either with an oven product.
Whenever I'm (deep)-frying I've always favored cubes over fries as well. More practical and more surface area.


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## MarcelNL (Oct 22, 2021)

online or any decent butcher should be able to supply kidney vet, agree that ossenwit is a meagre extract of such.




__





Niervet-Rundervet-Ossewit | Internetslagerij.nl


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Ossewit, natuurzuiver kwaliteit niervet om in te bakken


Ossewit is natuurlijk niervet van onze grasgevoerde runderen dat op ambachtelijke wijze wordt gemaakt door het eerst te smelten en te zeven.




zorgnatuur.nl





I tend to go for organic where I can and for fats and greases I go the extra mile as much chemical stuff is highly fat soluble


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## MarcelNL (Oct 22, 2021)

Jovidah said:


> I'm inclined to agree; I think any preparations involving either a low and slow confit, or longer dry heat, that lead to significant evaporation, lead to a more flavorful end product that's far more interesting. Texture doesn't have to be any worse either with an oven product.
> Whenever I'm (deep)-frying I've always favored cubes over fries as well. More practical and more surface area.



cooking the taters in their skin helps to minimize water ingress too, or better; steaming them (I miss my steam oven...)


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## MarcelNL (Oct 22, 2021)

I just ordered organic kidney fat here, as I remembered the fryer content needs to be changed.




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Kaas en Worst bij Kaasenworst.nl


Bestel hier de lekkerste (boeren) kaas. Diverse smaken droge worst, biologische worst en kaas, rauwe honing, Omega 3 Arctische wilde visolie, Omega 3 wilde zalmolie, Chocolat Stella, Biologische Ossewit en biologische Bonebroth. Ook voor andere ambachteli



www.kaasenworst.nl


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## Jovidah (Oct 22, 2021)

MarcelNL said:


> cooking the taters in their skin helps to minimize water ingress too, or better; steaming them (I miss my steam oven...)


These days i rarely peel potatoes anyway. Waste of both flavor and time. If i ever preboiled peeled potatoes in the past i'd at least throw the skins in the water.


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## justjessi (Nov 9, 2021)

I've recently tried frying it with an air fryer and it's not bad at all. Although I think it's more like toasting than frying.


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