Who says you need a deep fryer to make crispy, mouth-watering French fries? Think again! With three simple methods–air frying, pan frying, and oven baking–you can achieve lip-smacking, finger-licking good French fries that maintain their crispiness for as long as necessary. Here are some simple steps that will have you bidding soggy, flavourless fries goodbye.
Air fryer method
An air fryer is one kitchen appliance that everyone should own. Its versatility is unmatched. Air frying is also considered a much healthier cooking technique. And if you’re particular about freshness and flavour preservation, this appliance’s got you!
Nothing makes COSI (crunchy-outside, soft-inside) french fries like an air fryer does. Peel the potatoes and immerse them in iced water until you’re ready to cut them. This prevents the potatoes from discolouring.
Preheat your air fryer to 200°F (93°C).
Cut your potatoes into rectangular pieces about as wide as your index finger using a serrated knife. Still, keep the pieces in ice water. Before frying, pat the pieces dry on a paper towel and toss them in a bowl with two tablespoons of vegetable oil. Sprinkle some salt and other preferred seasoning.
Line the basket of your air fryer with parchment paper and fry for 15 minutes at 400°F (205°C). Once the potatoes begin to brown or turn golden, you can take them out and serve. Ninja’s Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1 with 5 QT Capacity is one of Amazon’s highly rated air fryers. It makes the tastiest fries.
Pan Frying method
When preparing French fries by pan-frying, don’t soak the potatoes in water.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into rectangular pieces about the size of your finger. Then, give them a good rinse under running water. Next, blanch the potato pieces in vinegar for 10 minutes while you heat your oil to 205°C or 400°F.
Deep fry in 3cm of vegetable oil or more. A saucepan will give you the needed depth for this. Once your fries turn golden brown or darker (your choice) take it out and garnish with salt or other preferred spices.
Oven-baking method
This is an easier and healthier alternative you’ll love. Here’s how to oven-bake French fries.
Preheat your oven to 425°F or 218°C.
While your oven gets heated up, coat your baking pan with parchment paper or cooking spray. Peel your potatoes and cut them into rectangular wedges. Place the potato pieces in a bowl, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil, salt, paprika, and ground black pepper, and shake well.
Arrange the potato pieces on the baking sheet without placing any piece over another. Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes until crisp and tender.
Tips
Use serrated knives to cut your potato. This helps to roughen the surface area of the potato, creating crispier fries.
To get the familiar rectangular shape you see in your favourite restaurants and fast food outlets, cut off both ends of the potato before peeling it. Then, divide each potato into two halves or three parts (depending on size). This way, the potato pieces come out in a better-defined rectangular shape.
Using low-starch potatoes like white, red, or new potatoes is all right. But you’re better off using high-starch potatoes like Finnish yellow and Yukon gold for crispier fries.
Not all vegetable oils are safe for deep frying. Olive oil, for example, is not suitable because of its low smoke point. The problem with using this oil is that you smoke up your kitchen only to end up with discoloured or charred fries. Instead, use high smoke point oils like peanut or canola oil.
Temperature is key when it comes to making fries, whether it is by oven, air, or pan frying. Your potatoes must cook at a uniform temperature throughout for better-tasting fries. With an oven or air fryer, this is easy to achieve. But if you’re using a pan, you may need to use a thermometer to monitor the oil’s temperature throughout the cooking process.
Bottomline
It’s a myth that you cannot make the perfect French fries without a deep fryer. Proper use of your air fryer, saucepan, or oven will make you make fries that rival any restaurant!
