Description
This recipe delivers perfectly crispy homemade French fries that stay crunchy even after cooling. Inspired by Kenji López-Alt's method, the key is blanching the fries in vinegar water, a two-step frying process, and careful drying. The result is golden, fluffy fries with a signature crispiness unmatched by fast food.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes and Prep
- 1 kg potatoes (floury type like Russet or Maris Piper)
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp cooking salt or kosher salt
Oil
- 1 litre canola or vegetable oil
Optional Seasoning
- Salt (table salt or sea salt flakes)
- Shaker fries seasoning
- Rosemary salt
- Nori salt (optional)
Instructions
- Cut: Peel the potatoes and cut into 6 mm (1/4 inch) thick French fries using a serrated knife. Keep the fries submerged in water to prevent browning while cutting the rest.
- Rinse: Rinse the cut fries under cold tap water for 15 to 20 seconds in a colander to remove surface starch.
- Simmer: Place fries in a large pot with 2 litres of cold water, vinegar, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle ripple without bubbling. Simmer for 10 minutes, then carefully remove fries with a slotted spoon to a colander without tipping to avoid breakage.
- Dry: Spread fries in a single layer on two trays lined with tea towels and allow them to steam dry for 5 minutes.
- Prepare Oil: Pour oil into a deep pot to a 3 cm depth. Ensure the pot leaves at least 7 cm of space from oil surface to rim for safety.
- First Fry Batch 1: Heat oil to 205°C (400°F). Lower one-third of the first batch fries into the oil slowly, pausing 10 seconds before adding the next third, and repeat until all fries from batch 1 are in. Fry for 50 seconds, moving fries gently, then remove and drain on paper towels.
- First Fry Batches 2 and 3: Repeat the first fry step for batches 2 and 3, reheating oil to 205°C before each batch.
- Cool: Let all fries cool for 30 minutes.
- Second Fry: Reheat oil to 205°C. Fry half of the fries for 4 minutes until golden brown and crispy, stirring gently twice. Drain on paper-lined bowl. Repeat with remaining fries.
- Season and Serve: Toss fries with salt or chosen seasoning and serve immediately. Fries will remain crispy even once cooled.
Notes
- Use floury or starchy potatoes for best crispiness; waxy potatoes won't yield the desired texture.
- White distilled vinegar helps remove excess starch, preventing mushy fries and enhancing crispiness.
- If only table salt is available, use 2 teaspoons in place of 1 tablespoon kosher salt to compensate.
- A serrated knife creates a rougher surface for crispier fries but is not essential for success.
- Simmering fries gently without boiling prevents overcooking and breakage.
- Ensure pot size allows sufficient headspace to safely accommodate oil expansion during frying.
- Pausing 10 seconds between adding fries at the start of frying prevents excessive oil bubbling for safer frying.
- Adjust seasoning carefully since the fries already contain salt from blanching.
- For large batches, flash-fry earlier batches for 30 seconds to 1 minute to reheat.
- You can freeze fries after the first fry step; freeze on a tray, then store in bags. Cook from frozen for 4.5 minutes during the second fry.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 250g fries)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
