The secret to crispy homemade french fries is to double-fry them. These homemade french fries are so crispy and delectable I promise your family will love them as much as we do!
My daddy loved to cook, especially for family and friends. He also loved cooking gadgets. I always said it was a good thing he didn’t have a credit card every time one of those infomercials came on television or he would have had one of every cooking gadget they advertised on television. Goodness me, I miss him!
My mama gave me one of those “Have-to-Have” cooking gadgets he ordered. It is called a “Le Presse” gourmet food styler. This gadget is supposed to do lots of cool things; juicing, ricing, coring, extruding, etc… I only wish I could ask my daddy why he wanted this contraption and what he was going to do with it. I have lots to learn about this gadget, but I tell you one thing I do know, it cuts slices a mean french fry!!
Using the two attachments below, you can slice fries out of a potato in just seconds!!
Here’s how I used the kitchen gadget to make crispy homemade french fries:
Peel and rinse the potatoes. Then cut them into sticks by cutting the potato in 4 or 5 vertical pieces, and then cutting each piece into sticks (or if you are as lucky as I am, break out your LePresse!).
Place the potato slices in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Allow them to soak to remove the excess starch.
Note: The longer you can soak the potatoes, the better. Soak the potatoes at least two 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. Blot with paper towels to dry them. It is important to get all the excess water off the potatoes. Remember, oil and water DO NOT mix!!
Tip: I use my salad spinner to help dry the potatoes. Click HERE to learn more!
Heat a few inches of oil in a heavy pot to 300 degrees F. In 2 or 3 batches, cook the potatoes until soft, 4 to 5 minutes per batch.
They should not be brown at this point. You just want to start the cooking process. Remove each batch and drain on new/dry paper towels.
Once all the potatoes have been fried at 300 degrees F, turn up the heat until the oil reaches 400 degrees F.
When the oil’s hot, start frying the potatoes in batches again, cooking until the fries are golden and crisp.
Remove the potatoes from the oil and drain on paper towels.
Sprinkle with sea salt and dive in!
The secret to getting home fries so crispy is to fry them twice! That is why frozen french fries turn out crispy. They have already been par-cooked and are ready for their second frying.
Now you know how to make crispy home fries, so get frying!
Crispy Homemade French Fries
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes 4 to 5-inches long (about 2 pounds)
- peanut oil for frying
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Peel and rinse the potatoes. Then cut them into sticks by cutting the potato in 4 or 5 vertical pieces, and then cut each piece into sticks.
- Place the potato slices in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Allow them to soak to remove the excess starch.
- When you’re ready to make the fries, drain off the water and lay the potatoes on 2 baking sheets lined with paper towels. Blot with paper towels to dry them. It is important to get all the excess water off the potatoes. Remember, oil and water DO NOT mix!!
- Heat a few inches of oil in a heavy pot to 300 degrees F. In 2 or 3 batches, cook the potatoes until soft, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. They should not be brown at this point. You just want to start the cooking process. Remove each batch and drain on new/dry paper towels.
- Once all the potatoes have been fried at 300 degrees F, turn up the heat until the oil reaches 400 degrees F. When the oil’s hot, start frying the potatoes in batches again, cooking until the fries are golden and crisp. Remove the potatoes from the oil and drain on paper towels.
- Sprinkle with sea salt and dive in!
Liz says
Ha ha are there people who sit with credit cards and order all those unbelievable gadgets they advertise? I am always so tempted but then I always chicken out. Homemade fries are the best, always. I love the crunchy took!
Debbie Spivey says
Liz, I think everyone has been tempted to order something from time to time. They are very good at persuasion…lol!
sophisticatedjerseygirl says
Yum! If the gadget does nothing else, I think it’s worth its weight in french fries 🙂
Thanks for the tip on double frying… now I know!
Debbie Spivey says
You’re welcome! I look forward to seeing what else I can use this gadget for. 🙂
David says
Beautiful, Debbie! I have come so close to buying that gadget soooooo many times!
Debbie Spivey says
Thanks, David! Really?!? What would you have done with it first?
Sherri Thompson says
Bill has a gadget that cuts potatoes just like that, that he has had for about 30 years now. His is only for potatoes and has pieces that look like the metal and plastic pieces that you showed. His is shaped like a sideways wedge, and you put the potato in, and BAM! They are so much better than frozen! Never knew about double frying them though! Thanks!
Debbie Spivey says
Thanks for commenting Sherri! Here’s to crispy frying! 😉
LISA C says
Double frying really does do the trick!