Tuesday Dinners

French Fries

Love is a potato.

⏲️ Prep Time
15 minutes (+30 Rest)

⏲️ Cook Time
40 Minutes

🍴 Serves
4

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds of potatoes
  • Several cups of cold water
  • 3 tablespoon oil

Optional Spices

  • Salt
  • Paprika
  • Chili Powder
  • Garlic Powder
  • Onion Powder
  • Steak Seasoning
  • Cayenne Pepper

Directions

  1. Peel (optional) and then chop your potatoes into as uniform of a size as you can, making them skinny
  2. Submerge and rest your cut up potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes
  3. Pat dry your potatoes, then cover with oil, add desired spices and toss until thoroughly coated
  4. Spread potatoes out evenly on a baking tray
  5. In a 425 degree oven bake potatoes for 20 minutes and then flip before cooking for another 20 minutes

Step by Step Directions

First cut your potatoes up to your desired size. I’ve found that the easiest method for this is to cut them lengthwise first (so that they make little potato discs), and then stack and cut them to your desired size.

Ideally we want to make the cut as consistent as possible, otherwise our fries will cook at different speeds in the oven. But, unless you have a machine to cut them to exactly the same size just try your best.

Fill a bowl with cold water (I just used regular and then added a couple of ice cubes). Place your in the cold water and let them sit for at least 30 minutes.

The water will remove the excess starch from the potato (which will allow it to cook more evenly). The water should adopt a slight white color after the potatoes have been sitting there for a while.

Drain and pat dry the potatoes. Any excess water in the bowl will create steam when they are placed in the oven (which will make them mushier).

Over the top of the potatoes drizzle your oil and add any spices you want. Make sure to get a nice even coat of oil and spices around all the fries. (I accidentally dumped too much oil into the bowl, don’t measure over your bowl kids)

Spread your fries evenly onto a baking sheet, ideally no fries should be on top of one another (this may be impossible, but I’m going to assume you’ll try your best).

So you have the option to fry them in oil but if you’re okay with the oven method then strap in for some debate:

  • Some people say to cook the fries at two different temperatures, starting low at like 375 for 20 minutes and then flipping them and cooking at 425 for another 20 minutes
  • Some people say they should be cooked at a consistent temperature, but you should place a same size baking sheet on top so they cook evenly
  • Some people say just cook them normally but put them under the broiler for a couple of minutes

For this go around I just baked them at 425 for 20 minutes, then flipped them on the tray and put them back in the oven for another 20 minutes.

Enjoy.

Variations

  • Try different spice mixtures. Your favorite restaurant probably has a “copy-cat” online so you’ll know what you want. But, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go do some more testing at the restaurant.
  • Try different width fries, if you like a thicker “steak” fry then cut it large. If you want a thin “matchstick” fry then you should cut it thinner. Just make sure to watch the cooking time.
  • Take the skins on or off. Some people don’t like the texture, some people do. The majority of nutrients are supposed to be in the skin. Some people can’t stand the eyes.

Unsolicited Feedback

  • LK: I think the fries at the place with the big golden arches are way better.
  • MV: There wasn’t enough salt.
  • CP: I think you had too much salt.