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Should you boil potatoes before frying them?
The truth is, you don’t need to pre-cook the potatoes at all. You just need to slice ’em thin and choose the best oils—yes, the plural is intentioinal! Below are our top tips for pan-fried potato perfection. As much as we love butter, it burns too quickly over high heat, which is necessary for optimal crispiness.
Why do you Soak potatoes in water before frying?
The soaking, Mr. Nasr said, is the secret to the crisp texture of the fries. It draws out the starch, making them more rigid and less likely to stick together. The cooks fry them twice, first blanching them until slightly limp in peanut oil heated to 325 degrees, and again in 375-degree oil to crisp and brown them.
How long should I Soak potatoes for fries?
Place them in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Allow them to soak, 2 to 3 hours. (You can also stick them in the fridge and let them soak overnight.) When you’re ready to make the fries, drain off the water and lay the potatoes on 2 baking sheets lined with paper towels.
Can you fry raw potatoes?
The short answer is no, you don’t have to boil your potatoes before you pan fry them. If you want to you most definitely can! Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook for roughly 20-25 minutes. Once the potatoes are fork-tender, you can fry them in a skillet for 5-10 minutes.
How long do I blanch potatoes for french fries?
Remove the potatoes from the water and pat dry. Working in small batches, fry the potatoes until they go from shiny to matte, 3 to 5 minutes (this is also called blanching). Drain well on paper towels.
Is it better to fry potatoes in butter or oil?
Using both butter and oil to fry the potatoes gives you the best of both worlds. The butter will impart a delicious buttery flavor to the potatoes and the oil will keep the butter from burning.
What happens if you don’t Soak potatoes before frying?
It is said that excess starch on the outside of the potato can cause potatoes to stick to one another, because of the gelatinization of the starch. Also, it is said that rinsing of some of those excess sugars will reduce the risk of your fries burning and turning black (because of the Maillard reaction).
Should I soak French fries before frying?
For great fries, you need to soak the julienned potatoes in water for at least eight hours but preferably 24 hours before frying. This means you have to plan ahead, but it also spreads out the little bit of work required. Use baking potatoes for frying, and leave the skin on.
How long do you soak potatoes to remove starch?
Soak raw potatoes in a container for up to four hours. The potatoes should be fully submerged to prevent oxidation and discoloration. After four hours, the potatoes should be rinsed with cold water. Chopping, cutting or otherwise slicing the potatoes will excrete more starch.
Should you soak potatoes in salt water before frying?
Soaking the sliced potatoes is the fundamental first step of making proper french fries. The soaking process removes the troublesome starch on the outside of the potato, which will help the fries achieve the perfect crispness.
Why is my French fries soggy?
Improperly cooked french fries are limp, greasy, or soggy and often over-browned. These problems all arise from the improper handling of starch and sugar when exposed to high heat.
How long can cut potatoes sit in water?
How long can peeled and cut potatoes sit in water before cooking, before they begin taking on too much water? A: We usually recommend no more than 24 hours. You can keep the potatoes from absorbing the water by making sure the water is not salted, and is chilled (you can even add ice to the water).
What kind of oil do you use to fry potatoes?
Peanut oil or any light vegetable oil is necessary to make the best fried potatoes with the crispy crust you’re looking for. I prefer peanut oil over olive oil because of its high smoke point but use what you have.
What is the best oil to fry French fries in?
Peanut oil is a popular choice for frying, thanks to its high smoke point and nutty flavor. In fact, it’s the go-to oil for fast food restaurant Five Guys, which is why their French fries are so delicious and buttery.
Why should you double fry French fries?
Theory #1: “The first fry gets the outside to create a water tight barrier. That way, when you fry them the second time, they stay moist.” Or, Theory #2: “The first fry cooks them through to the center—if you skipped that step, your fries would brown on the outside, but still be raw in the middle.”.
Is it better to blanch fries in oil or water?
Fresh fries are best blanched. Get a crispier finished fry by blanching potatoes in hot oil to precook before peak periods and then finish in a final fry before serving. Fries are completely cooked during the blanching stage at a lower temperature to allow the potato to cook slowly without becoming golden brown.
How do you blanch fries before frying?
To blanch them, you will need to cut them into uniform pieces first. Add them to a deep saucepan with cold water and bring to a boil. Leave it for 5 minutes and then remove and dry. These are the general steps to blanching French fries.
How hot does grease need to be for French fries?
Pour oil in a deep fryer or heavy saucepan to reach halfway up the sides of the pan. Heat to 325 degrees F, use a deep fry thermometer to determine this. While the oil is heating, peel the potatoes and push through a French fry cutter to form uniform sticks.
