# Perfect fries?



## PierreRodrigue (Feb 18, 2012)

I'm wondering if anyone might have a technique to making home made fries. Fully cooked through, crispy outside, not greasy or soggy. I would say recipe, but unless the potatoes are coated, it has to be technique, right?


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## Lucretia (Feb 18, 2012)

Do you fry yours twice? I haven't done it, but my understanding is the trick is to fry them once at a lower temperature to cook the potato through, then again at a higher temp to crisp and brown them.


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## Pensacola Tiger (Feb 18, 2012)

Lucretia said:


> Do you fry yours twice? I haven't done it, but my understanding is the trick is to fry them once at a lower temperature to cook the potato through, then again at a higher temp to crisp and brown them.



+1

Pour oil in a deep fryer or heavy saucepan to reach halfway up the sides of the pan. Heat to 325 degrees F. Peel and cut the potatoes, putting the cut potatoes in a bowl of ice water to release some of the starch and to keep them from turning brown.

Dry the potatoes thoroughly, to keep the oil from splattering. Fry the potatoes in batches so the pan isn't crowded and the oil temperature does not plummet. Cook for 3 minutes until they are soft but not browned. Remove the potatoes and drain on brown paper bags.

Bring oil temperature up to 375 degrees F. Return the partly fried potatoes to the oil in batches and cook a second time for 4 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on fresh brown paper bags. Salt and serve immediately.


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## Chef Niloc (Feb 18, 2012)

Biggest trick is to cook them 2x

I'll assume our using a home deep fryer or pot with a thermometer.

Picking the right potato is also helps, I think the russets potato works best IMHO

Sold state cooking oil, IE oils that are sold at room temp. Use crisco or lard.

Don't let them soak in water, but you can rinse them if you want

Ok so oil at 350 add only enough fries as to not cool the oil off more the 25* when the oil hits 350 again or about 1/2 a minute take the potato out and let he rest on something that will let them drain ( wire rack or basket is best but paper towels work),your only blanching them at this point. Now once there all blanched fry them again in batches.


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## SpikeC (Feb 18, 2012)

Whilst I have not done this myself, I have seen this procedure outlined by reputable sources!


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## Candlejack (Feb 18, 2012)

First blanch quickly, this will get the starch to the outside of the fry. 
Then cool down in the freezer so it dries, fry once at lower temp.

Let it pour off, then chill down

And then higher temp until crispy.



You can watch Heston Blumenthals "The perfect fry" if you want an even more complicated and more perfect fry.


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## Chef Niloc (Feb 18, 2012)

Pensacola Tiger said:


> +1
> 
> Pour oil in a deep fryer or heavy saucepan to reach halfway up the sides of the pan. Heat to 325 degrees F. Peel and cut the potatoes, putting the cut potatoes in a bowl of ice water to release some of the starch and to keep them from turning brown.
> 
> ...



Beat me to it.
I don't like to let them sit in water as it washes some of the starch out, but if your cuting enough that they will turn color ice water is a good wy to go.


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## Pensacola Tiger (Feb 18, 2012)

Chef Niloc said:


> Beat me to it.
> I don't like to let them sit in water as it washes some of the starch out, but if your cuting enough that they will turn color ice water is a good wy to go.



I agree about russets being the best. The center of the fries are fluffier.


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## Johnny.B.Good (Feb 18, 2012)

I make fake "fries" all the time as a side dish with a sirloin steak or hamburger using the following recipe from my father.

_You might think that writing this first bit down, something so simple and obvious, isn&#8217;t worth the effort. But it&#8217;s as easy to do it wrong as right and they are not only very good but foolproof once you get it._

*Ingredients*

- as many russet potatoes as you need
- olive oil
- butter
- salt and pepper to taste

*Preparation*

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Using as many potatoes as you need (maybe 1 ½ mid-sized russets per person as a normal side dish), peel them and slice into &#8220;jumbo&#8221; fries, about ½ inch square and the length of the potatoes. Note: The large size makes them easier to handle in the cooking process (smaller and they tend to break up) and allows you to crisp the outside while leaving the inside soft. When cutting them out of the potato, just throw away any trimmings that are too small to cook properly.
3. Thoroughly rinse the fries in a colander. Now rinse them again. Now rinse them again and pour the damp potatoes onto a clean cotton towel to dry a bit. If they are not properly rinsed, they will stick to each other and to the cooking pan with a mess the result.
4. These fries must be cooked in a single layer in a pan or they will steam, not become crisp. In one or more Pyrex or other pans sufficient to hold the potatoes in one layer, enough oil (Canola is tasteless and fine) to just cover the bottom plus a couple of tablespoons of butter. Place the pan in the oven just long enough to melt the butter.
5. Now place the fries in the pan and gently stir them around to coat with the oil/butter mixture without breaking them up. Arrange in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
6. Roast for a total of about 45 minutes to an hour or until properly browned all to your liking. Shake the pan after the first few minutes of cooking to make sure they don&#8217;t stick to the bottom/sides or each other. About 2/3 of the way through the projected cooking time, remove from the oven and gently turn over each fry with tongs to crisp on the other side and avoid breaking them. Replace in the oven and cook until done. Serve immediately.

*Comment*

If you get screwed up on timing the meal, you can delay the potatoes by stopping after you turn them over then not putting them back in the oven until you have about fifteen minutes to go with the other elements (and fifteen minutes on the potatoes too). I&#8217;ve done it many times and it&#8217;s not a problem. They do have to be served immediately after coming out of the oven to be best.


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## Deckhand (Feb 18, 2012)

Good advice. The only other thing I do at home is I have some metal grates I put over a tray with paper towels. When I am done frying them in my pan I toss them on the grate to let the oil drip off. I use a Joseph and Joseph scoop colander to get them out of the oil, but a Spider strainer etc would do the same thing.


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## Andrew H (Feb 18, 2012)

From Modernist Cuisine: "The Perfect Fry"
Cut potatoes into batons and rinse them to get rid of surface starch. Vacuum-seals them in a plastic bag, in one even layer, with water. Heat the bag to 212 degrees for 15 minutes, steaming the batons. Then hit the bag with ultrasound to cavitate the water45 minutes on each side. Reheat the bag in an oven to 212 degrees for five minutes, and put the hot fries on a rack in a vacuum chamber, and then blanche them in 338-degree oil for three minutes. When theyre cool, deep fry the potatoes in oil at 375 degrees until theyre crisp, about three more minutes, and then drain them on paper towels. Total preparation time: two hours.

Or you could just blanch in 325 oil and finish in 375. Your choice :doublethumbsup:


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## Chef Niloc (Feb 18, 2012)

pressure fryer makes the best fries, but I have never tried a home model


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## UCChemE05 (Feb 18, 2012)

Johnny.B.Good said:


> I make fake "fries" all the time as a side dish with a sirloin steak or hamburger using the following recipe from my father.
> 
> _You might think that writing this first bit down, something so simple and obvious, isn&#8217;t worth the effort. But it&#8217;s as easy to do it wrong as right and they are not only very good but foolproof once you get it._
> 
> ...



My wife and I do pretty much this sans butter. We like this a lot.


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## mr drinky (Feb 18, 2012)

This advice is great, but I will just add that I saw a french fry recipe in cook's illustrated for crispy fries that only fry once.

Just an option if you want to try it out.

k.

Cut and paste job here....

Published July 1, 2009. From Cook's Illustrated.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
When we wanted a french fry recipe with half the oil and no double frying, we tried submerging the potatoes in cold oil before frying them over high heat until browned. With lower-starch potatoes like Yukon Golds, the result was a crisp exterior and a creamy interior.

SERVES 3 TO 4
Flavoring the oil with bacon fat (optional) gives the fries a mild meaty flavor. We prefer peanut oil for frying, but vegetable or canola oil can be substituted. This recipe will not work with sweet potatoes or russets. Serve with dipping sauces (see related recipes), if desired. See "Cutting Potatoes for French Fries," below, for help on cutting even batons.
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 6 medium), scrubbed, dried, sides squared off, and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch by 1/4-inch batons (see note)
6cups peanut oil
1/4cup bacon fat , strained (optional) (see note)
Kosher salt
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine potatoes, oil, and bacon fat (if using) in large Dutch oven. Cook over high heat until oil has reached rolling boil, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook, without stirring, until potatoes are limp but exteriors are beginning to firm, about 15 minutes.
2. Using tongs, stir potatoes, gently scraping up any that stick, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Using skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer fries to thick paper bag or paper towels. Season with salt and serve immediately.
RECIPE TESTING

GIVING FAT THE COLD SHOULDER


Our easier approach to cooking French fries does not preheat the oil and calls for one prolonged frying instead of the quicker double-dip in hot oil used in the classic method. But does the lengthy exposure to oil lead to a greasier fry?

EXPERIMENT
We prepared two batches of fries using Yukon Gold potatoes, our preferred spud for the cold-start method. We cooked one batch the conventional way, heating 3 quarts of peanut oil to 325 degrees and frying 2½ pounds of potatoes until just beginning to color, removing them, increasing the oil temperature to 350 degrees, then returning the potatoes to the pot to fry until golden brown. Total exposure to oil: less than 10 minutes. The second batch we cooked according to our working method, submerging 2½ pounds of spuds in 6 cups of cold oil and cooking over high heat for about 25 minutes, with the oil temperature never rising above 280 degrees. We then sent samples from each batch to an independent lab to analyze the fat content.

RESULTS
Our cold-start spuds contained about one third less fat than spuds deep-fried twice the conventional way: 13 versus 20 percent.

EXPLANATION
Fries absorb oil two ways. As the potatoes cook, they lose moisture near their surface, which is replaced by oil. Then, as they cool after being removed from the hot grease, oil from their exterior gets pulled in. Because our cold-start method cooks the fries more gently, less moisture is lost (but enough so the fries stay crisp) and less oil is absorbed during frying. Plus, this approach exposes the spuds to just one cool-down, versus the two cooling-off periods of the classic method, so less oil gets absorbed after cooking as well.


COLD OIL
13% FAT

DOUBLE FRY
20% FAT
RECIPE TESTING

KEYS TO EASIER CRISP FRENCH FRIES


The classic technique for French fries involves four steps: rinsing the cut potatoes, soaking them in ice water, and then deep-fryingtwicein quarts of hot oil. Our method calls for just one round of frying and a lot less oil.


1. LESS OIL Our fries cook in just 6 cups of oil instead of 2 or 3 quarts.

2. COLD START Beginning with room-temperature oil gives fries time to cook through before their exteriors crisp.

3. ONE FRY Potatoes are fried only once, for about 25 minutes, rather than twice.
TECHNIQUE

CUTTING POTATOES FOR FRENCH FRIES


1. Square off potato by cutting a 1/4-inch-thick slice from each of its 4 long sides.

2. Cut potato lengthwise into 1/4-inch planks.

3. Stack 3 to 4 planks and cut into 1/4-inch batons. Repeat with remaining planks.


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## Johnny.B.Good (Feb 18, 2012)

UCChemE05 said:


> My wife and I do pretty much this sans butter. We like this a lot.



I sprinkle them with paprika too for a bit more color. Simple, crispy, delicious. Throw them in the oven for 45 minutes, pull them out, and finish for 15 when you are getting close with whatever else you are eating. He has a recipe for the real McCoy too, but this is easy and good I never feel like experimenting.


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## Crothcipt (Feb 18, 2012)

:bigeek:lus1:wow I have only seen pics of Modernist Cuisine. I am glad to know there is someone that has at least read it, own it. Nothing like a over 500$ cookbook.


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## Deckhand (Feb 18, 2012)

Andrew H said:


> From Modernist Cuisine: "The Perfect Fry"
> Cut potatoes into batons and rinse them to get rid of surface starch. Vacuum-seals them in a plastic bag, in one even layer, with water. Heat the bag to 212 degrees for 15 minutes, steaming the batons. Then hit the bag with ultrasound to cavitate the water45 minutes on each side. Reheat the bag in an oven to 212 degrees for five minutes, and put the hot fries on a rack in a vacuum chamber, and then blanche them in 338-degree oil for three minutes. When theyre cool, deep fry the potatoes in oil at 375 degrees until theyre crisp, about three more minutes, and then drain them on paper towels. Total preparation time: two hours.
> 
> Or you could just blanch in 325 oil and finish in 375. Your choice :doublethumbsup:



That's an expensive book:biggrin:


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## rahimlee54 (Feb 18, 2012)

[video]http://blogs.kqed.org/essentialpepin/2011/09/10/episode-106-special-spuds/[/video] 

Saw these on public tv looks good.


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## PierreRodrigue (Feb 18, 2012)

For the double fry method, russets seem to be the way to go, how important is the oil/lard choice? Peanut oil, canola, crisco, lard... I imagine there are slight flavor differences, what the most popular?

Thanks for the great tips! Gonna try the oven method as well!


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## UCChemE05 (Feb 18, 2012)

Johnny.B.Good said:


> I sprinkle them with paprika too for a bit more color. Simple, crispy, delicious. Throw them in the oven for 45 minutes, pull them out, and finish for 15 when you are getting close with whatever else you are eating. He has a recipe for the real McCoy too, but this is easy and good I never feel like experimenting.



I'll have to try the paprika. I've tried it with garlic and dried garlic before but of course they both ended up being burnt with no garlic flavor left by the time the fries were done. Have thought about experimenting by giving the first a 2nd toss in garlic with oil ~10-15 min before they're done. ...or I guess I could always break out the Lawry's


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## Johnny.B.Good (Feb 18, 2012)

For the oven version, I don't bother making "sticks" either. I peel, cut the potato in half, then cut the halves into thirds. I like the look on the plate.


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## Deckhand (Feb 18, 2012)

On how I cut and oil as a home cook. I just use generic vegetable oil. Works fine for me. Other oils like you said probably vary flavor. I used to cut with a knife, then started using mandolins, now I use my Breville Sous Chef. I will probably go back to using a knife when I get my custom:biggrin:


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## Pensacola Tiger (Feb 18, 2012)

Johnny.B.Good said:


> For the oven version, I don't bother making "sticks" either. I peel, cut the potato in half, then cut the halves into thirds. I like the look on the plate.



Try adding some carrots cut to the same size, and a couple of onions, cut in half-inch rounds.


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## Andrew H (Feb 18, 2012)

Deckhand said:


> That's an expensive book:biggrin:



Haha, I found it online. For me there is no point in buying a cookbook that requires equipment I don't own for 95% of the recipes.


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## ajhuff (Feb 18, 2012)

Here is how I do mine, if I have the time: http://www.cookingissues.com/2010/04/27/the-quest-for-french-fry-supremacy-part-1/#more-4005

I get rave reviews and they are even good cold, and that's amazing.

Read Parts I and II. I don't do the pectin or anything like that. I do think the salt water blanch is critical. I dry in a combi oven on air only then move to the freezer for more drying. The oil blanch is also critical. Using this method makes awesome poutine! :doublethumbsup:

-AJ


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## PierreRodrigue (Feb 18, 2012)

You said the "P" word! When I can get my hands on some good fresh curds! Sweet Lord! Dig a hole and burry me now! I'll go happy!


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## Johnny.B.Good (Feb 18, 2012)

Thanks for the link AJ. I have to bookmark that blog.

The oven routine is _so_ easy, but I guess I will have to give this a shot.


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## Deckhand (Feb 18, 2012)

Andrew H said:


> Haha, I found it online. For me there is no point in buying a cookbook that requires equipment I don't own for 95% of the recipes.


Good to hear. My buddy synthesized tear gas in third quarter organic chemistry. I synthesized cocaine in third quarter organic chemistry got an A. I still think that cook book is too much for me.


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## ajhuff (Feb 18, 2012)

PierreRodrigue said:


> You said the "P" word! When I can get my hands on some good fresh curds! Sweet Lord! Dig a hole and burry me now! I'll go happy!



Imagine how I feel living in Georgia. I'm nuts about the stuff. Anytime I'm in Quebec I eat it almost every day, any version I can get. Even harder for me is that when I lived in Wisconsin I could get fresh curds just about anywhere, even a gas station. Now it's at least a 2.5 hour drive to get some kind of fresh curds so even making poutine at home is kind of not reasonable.

Sometimes I dream of opening a little diner in GA and call it K-Becks. I have to believe that poutine would be my biggest seller here. I'd just have to come up with something else to call it.

-AJ


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## PierreRodrigue (Feb 18, 2012)

I have an uncle in Quebec, that had 3 restaurants, and two larger mobile kitchen/trailers. All he did was poutine, burgers and pogos. There is a market, make it better than anyone else, or something no one else makes, and smile!


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## apicius9 (Feb 19, 2012)

I seem to remember Jeffrey Steingarten recommending frying them in horse fat for best results... Can't add anything constructive, I may be one of the few people in this country who could live a happy life without fried foods...

Stefan


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## MadMel (Feb 19, 2012)

Duck fat. Need I say more?


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## mano (Feb 19, 2012)

PierreRodrigue said:


> For the double fry method, russets seem to be the way to go, how important is the oil/lard choice? Peanut oil, canola, crisco, lard... I imagine there are slight flavor differences, what the most popular?
> 
> Thanks for the great tips! Gonna try the oven method as well!



Pierre, you're in Canada where there's lots of geese. So use goose fat. No kidding.

We have a LOT of duck fat and agree with MadMel. With either one you can strain it and use it at least twice unless it's burned.


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## slowtyper (Feb 19, 2012)

Where did you get modernist cuisine online?


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## mr drinky (Feb 19, 2012)

slowtyper said:


> Where did you get modernist cuisine online?



Doesn't Amazon have it? I remember following the blog and there was a lot of talk of pre-sales on Amazon.

k.


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## Crothcipt (Feb 19, 2012)

you can get the data down load for only 150 ish there. I was looking yesterday when that was posted. Not sure where online you can read it tho.


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## mr drinky (Feb 19, 2012)

Ahh, I see. Reading online is another issue. I missed that detail.

k.


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## ThEoRy (Feb 19, 2012)

275 then 350 works for me.


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## Seth (Feb 19, 2012)

Finally....something to use those practice potatoes for! Now, my practice onions; some recipes for onion rings?


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## PierreRodrigue (Feb 19, 2012)

Yes indeed, lets add onion rings, and while were at it, anyone got a killer fried chicken recipe?


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## Johnny.B.Good (Feb 20, 2012)

What do you guys do with the oil after you make a batch of fries? Pitch it? Just pour it down the drain?


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## sw2geeks (Feb 20, 2012)

Here is a link to how I do crispy oven roasted fries.

It involves using parchment paper to transfer the fries to a preheated baking sheet. That does the trick for me. With the baking sheet already hot the fries crisp up nicely absorbing less oil.


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## Johnny.B.Good (Feb 20, 2012)

sw2geeks said:


> Here is a link to how I do crispy oven roasted fries.



This looks _awfully_ good.


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## kalaeb (Feb 20, 2012)

Johnny.B.Good said:


> What do you guys do with the oil after you make a batch of fries? Pitch it? Just pour it down the drain?



At home I filter it using a coffee filter and re-use it. Don't pour it down the drain, it can eventually clog your pipes and causes havoc to the ecosystem, water oxygenation and public sanitation digesters. Just place it in a sealable container and put it in with your trash, landfills have an barrier between the fill and the water supply.


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## Johnny.B.Good (Feb 20, 2012)

kalaeb said:


> At home I filter it using a coffee filter and re-use it. Don't pour it down the drain, it can eventually clog your pipes and causes havoc to the ecosystem, water oxygenation and public sanitation digesters. Just place it in a sealable container and put it in with your trash, landfills have an barrier between the fill and the water supply.



I assumed pouring it down the drain would be a bad idea. Thanks for the info. Kaleb.


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## Tristan (Feb 20, 2012)

ajhuff said:


> Here is how I do mine, if I have the time: http://www.cookingissues.com/2010/04/27/the-quest-for-french-fry-supremacy-part-1/#more-4005
> 
> I get rave reviews and they are even good cold, and that's amazing.
> 
> ...



Thank you for this! I read through posts 1 and 2... and I think I died and wen to geeky foodie heaven! :happy1:

Fries for the weekend! Although I've actually left off fried foods, this is too good an experiment to pass up.


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## MadMel (Feb 20, 2012)

slowtyper said:


> Where did you get modernist cuisine online?



booksdepository.co.uk

Free shipping worldwide


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## JKerr (Feb 20, 2012)

Honestly, I haven't read through the entire thread cause I'm drinking and my attention span is low, but, at the moment we're using sebago (I think previously we were using burbank, then exton, depending on what we could get). Whack 'em through a chipper at roughly 1cm into a large saute pan (I think about 20lts, guessing on that one though) chuck in a decent amount of rosemary and 2 bulbs of garlic, split, fill to just cover chips and bring to the boil. Drain, cool for a few hours in cool room, then fry at 150oc for roughly 5mins; I tend to do this to touch/sight/smell as it changes a bit on the type and how long the the potatoes have been in the drystore for. Drain of oil, transfer into container and stick in coolroom. For service, cook at 180oc for about 2mins (or until crispy), drain, season w/ rosemary salt and send. 

I reckon it results in a pretty tasty product, but then I'm not really a connoisseur of fries so can't compare them to much apart from the cook from frozen stuff from a bag.

Ta,
Josh


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## SpikeC (Feb 20, 2012)

sw2geeks said:


> Here is a link to how I do crispy oven roasted fries.
> 
> It involves using parchment paper to transfer the fries to a preheated baking sheet. That does the trick for me. With the baking sheet already hot the fries crisp up nicely absorbing less oil.



I'm going to try this with sweet potatoes.


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## Ordo (Feb 21, 2012)

kalaeb said:


> At home I filter it using a coffee filter and re-use it. Don't pour it down the drain, it can eventually clog your pipes and causes havoc to the ecosystem, water oxygenation and public sanitation digesters. Just place it in a sealable container and put it in with your trash, landfills have an barrier between the fill and the water supply.



Does the re-using frequency depend on the oil quantity?


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## Andrew H (Feb 21, 2012)

Ordo said:


> Does the re-using frequency depend on the oil quantity?



Usually it depends more on how much food you are frying per unit of oil.


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## mhlee (Feb 21, 2012)

Andrew H said:


> Usually it depends more on how much food you are frying per unit of oil.



And type of food from my experience. You can fry a lot more potatoes per unit of oil than you can fry fish, for example. 

Also, after reading a number of articles discussing the subject, I've certainly found that food fries better and browns better when you use some used oil with your fresh oil. Also, on the Serious Eats website, there's a technique for blanching the fries in acidulated water to precook the fries and also give them structural integrity. I've tried this and it works very well.


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## Ordo (Feb 21, 2012)

mhlee said:


> And type of food from my experience. You can fry a lot more potatoes per unit of oil than you can fry fish, for example.



I assume you're not mixing oils, but why frying potatoes should be different in weight per liter than fish? Does fish deteriorates frying oil quicker?


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## Vertigo (Feb 21, 2012)

Ordo said:


> Does fish deteriorates frying oil quicker?


Oh most definitely. We change our oil after every fish fry. The oil is practically ruined. Stinky, smokey, gross.


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## MadMel (Feb 22, 2012)

Ordo said:


> I assume you're not mixing oils, but why frying potatoes should be different in weight per liter than fish? Does fish deteriorates frying oil quicker?



That's probably because of the water content. Water and salt will spoil your oil faster so I always salt after it comes out of the fryer.


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## Lucretia (Feb 22, 2012)

I've always heard that you can "clean" your oil somewhat by frying some potatos (throw them out afterwards.) Don't know if it's true or not.


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## pumbaa (Feb 22, 2012)

I par boil my potatoes. This also works for hash browns or any other potato you want soft and flaky inside and crunch and brown on the outside. Then I just fry them.


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## PierreRodrigue (Feb 25, 2012)

Doing a run of 7 pounds russett potatoes. Will let you know how they work out! Also doing 6 pounds fried chicken, and beer battered onion rings.


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## Vertigo (Feb 25, 2012)

PierreRodrigue said:


> Doing a run of 7 pounds russett potatoes. Will let you know how they work out! Also doing 6 pounds fried chicken, and beer battered onion rings.



Be there in 20 minutes. Hope the pass is clear.


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## PierreRodrigue (Feb 25, 2012)

I'll have beers in the snow bank!


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## PierreRodrigue (Feb 28, 2012)

So for the fries, I was off on something, the heat or time, not sure. They were good, but not crisp. Insides were great. The fried chicken was holy shite good! As were the onion rings. All in all a success. Need to sort out the fries...


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## Candlejack (Feb 28, 2012)

PierreRodrigue said:


> So for the fries, I was off on something, the heat or time, not sure. They were good, but not crisp. Insides were great. The fried chicken was holy shite good! As were the onion rings. All in all a success. Need to sort out the fries...
> View attachment 4976
> View attachment 4977
> View attachment 4978
> View attachment 4979



That is heartproblems right there. 


Now tell me more about the chicken and the onion rings!


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## PierreRodrigue (Feb 28, 2012)

Lol! Almost as good as sex! Ok, fine maybe not that good, but lets say I filled the old store house that meal!

The chicken is actually similar to KFC chicken, its not the same flavor, but I'll tell you what, I would not cross the street for KFC if I had the choice to eat this.

The onion rings are a beer battered concoction, that as soon as the hit the oil, they baloon up and fry very crisp. I used Kilkenny Irish cream ale. I would think there will be many attempts with different beers in my future!

I can put recipes up if there is anyone wanting...


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## Deckhand (Feb 28, 2012)

Great looking food.My son is having a fit wanting that food right now. He keeps saying i want to buy that food dad over and over again. With my fries it turned out to be patience. When I first started I wouldn't wait long enough. Now I wait and watch til they are brown and crisp enough. A very difficult thing for me:biggrin:


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## PierreRodrigue (Feb 28, 2012)

Yup, thats my problem! I'd rather be eating than waiting!


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## Candlejack (Feb 28, 2012)

PierreRodrigue said:


> Lol! Almost as good as sex! Ok, fine maybe not that good, but lets say I filled the old store house that meal!
> 
> The chicken is actually similar to KFC chicken, its not the same flavor, but I'll tell you what, I would not cross the street for KFC if I had the choice to eat this.
> 
> ...




I do want recipes!

Never had KFC, so i can't compare.


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## PierreRodrigue (Feb 28, 2012)

Here you go! Let me know how it works for you!


Beer Battered Onion Rings

Ingredients
Onion Rings
	1 large Spanish onion, sliced into 1-cm (1/2-inch) rounds and separated into rings (if desired, set aside the small centre rings for another use) 
	1/4 cup cornstarch 
Batter
	1 cup pastry flour 
	2 tablespoons cornstarch 
	1/4 teaspoon baking powder 
	1/4 teaspoon salt 
	1 cup pale ale 
	Oil for frying 

Directions
Onion Rings
1.	Preheat the deep fryer to 190°C (375°F). Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet or line a baking sheet with paper towels.
2.	In a paper bag or large bowl, toss the onion rings in the cornstarch to coat well. Set aside.
Batter
1.	In a bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Whisk in the beer.
2.	Using your fingertips or a wooden chopstick, dip the rings in the batter, 4 or 5 at a time. Shake off excess batter and deep-fry for about 3 minutes, turning half way through cooking. Drain on the baking sheet. Season lightly with salt. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.




Kentucky Style Fried Chicken

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
2 to 3 eggs, beaten
Oil for deep frying(method 1)
oil for pan frying (method 2)
Coating Mixture:
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons paprika
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon tarragon
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
Mix together all the coating ingredients and place in a clean plastic bag. Dip each piece into beaten egg, then into the flour mixture in the bag. Coat the chicken completely with the flour mixture. 
Method 1
Deep fry until internal temperature reaches or exceeds 180 degrees.
Method 2
Place the oil in a skillet and heat. Brown the chicken in oil slowly (225ºF if you are using an electric skillet), uncovered. Cover the skillet and continue to fry at a very low heat until the chicken is fully cooked, approximately 1 hour.
Drain well on paper towels.


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## DeepCSweede (Feb 28, 2012)

P
[U said:


> Kentucky Style Fried Chicken[/U]
> 
> 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
> 2 to 3 eggs, beaten
> ...



I learned how to make good fried chicken from a buddy of mine from Virginia that learned it from his grandma and she swore by version #2 - that was one of my staples in college. Yours looks fantastic Pierre. I'm starvin' just looking at the pictures.


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## VoodooMajik (Feb 28, 2012)

1. Blanch the fries in water quickly to pull out some of the starch from and soften the center (Sometime I add Garlic and a few other things to the water)
2. Spread out the potatoes on a rack or sheet pan to allow the steam to pull as much moisture from the flesh as possible
3. Blanch the fries in the deep fryer @ 375 for approx 2 min, Drain oil. cool.
4. Finish Cooking fries in the deep dryer @ 375 (golden and swimming)
5. Drain oil and toss with seasoning.
6. Enjoy your crispy french fries 

Baking frites is blasphomey


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## ptolemy (Feb 28, 2012)

PierreRodrigue said:


> So for the fries, I was off on something, the heat or time, not sure. They were good, but not crisp. Insides were great. The fried chicken was holy shite good! As were the onion rings. All in all a success. Need to sort out the fries...
> View attachment 4976
> View attachment 4977
> View attachment 4978
> View attachment 4979




here why i think:

chicken you cook for longer time to 325 350 or 375 not that huge of a difference.
onion ring dough cooks faster, so it's fine when they become golden brown

i think the issue with potatoes is oil wasn't hot enough. this is where pre cooking helps... since fries would be at least 1/2 cooked, you're not really worrying about cooking part just crispy part, so I would raise temperature... if you cooked at 375, then try 400-410 and drop them and keep an eye since they will faster/easier to burn.


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