Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Perfect Crispy French fries Recipe
Lastly, right here it’s – The right french fries recipe! Based mostly on a ground-breaking methodology from the legendary Kenji López-Alt’s The Meals Lab, these sizzling chips are so crispy they keep that approach even after they’ve gone chilly. It’s uncommon to seek out fries this good even at up-market bistros!
There’s nothing extra deflating than going to all the hassle of constructing your individual fries from scratch, solely to seek out they begin shedding crispiness earlier than they even hit the desk. Which is what occurs for those who use the usual approach of cooking selfmade fries – soaking in water adopted by a double fry.
Nicely, it’s taken me years however with the assistance of the impressively thorough french fry analysis documented in Kenji López-Alt’s The Meals Lab, Chef JB and I’ve lastly nailed down the recipe for the right selfmade french fries. Fluffy on the within, crispy on the skin – and stays crispy properly past the time it takes to eat the fries and, say, a giant juicy Cheeseburger. The best french fry!
Actually, the crispiness endurance is insane. These french fries are nonetheless crispy even after they’ve gone chilly!
French fries recipe overview
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Minimize fries with a serrated knife (secret crispiness tip #1)
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No soaking, simply rinse
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Gently simmer 10 minutes in vinegar water (secret crispiness tip #2! And no, you may’t style vinegar)
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Shallow-fry twice
The standard approach of constructing french fries includes firstly soaking the uncooked fries in water adopted by a double fry. This was (nonetheless is?) the way in which college students had been taught at cookery college and continues to be the default methodology utilized by many eating places and pubs.
This methodology will yield crispy fries when they’re piping sizzling, straight out of the fryer. However the first downside is that inside minutes, earlier than they even hit the desk, they begin to lose crispiness. I additionally discovered this classical methodology is closely depending on the potato. You get various ranges of crispiness relying on the potato high quality and even season, because the starch / sugar ranges of potatoes fluctuate all year long. That is true even for those who use the best number of potato.
Nicely, this received’t-stay-crispy downside and unpredictability simply received’t lower it anymore. So, old-fashioned methodology ditched. It’s time to have a look at trendy strategies with higher and extra dependable outcomes!
Really it’s not simply me. Occasions have modified typically and eating places around the globe use all types of strategies nowadays in pursuit of the final word crispy French fries. Some go to excessive lengths like triple or quadruple frying, in a single day resting, or frying in pure beef drippings.
However we don’t have to dabble in any such tedious restaurant kitchen shenanigans. This methodology I’m sharing immediately is one which any dwelling prepare dinner can do. It’s tailored from Kenji Lopez-Alt’s french fries recipe from his iconic cookbook The Meals Lab. It’s not notably technical. However you do must be snug frying in oil. That mentioned, on this recipe we solely shallow fry and never deep fry – at all times a bonus!
Right here’s all it’s essential to make your crispy french fry goals a actuality. Yep, that is all!
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Potato – The kind is necessary. Starchy, floury potatoes are the potatoes you want for crispy fries.
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Australia: Sebago (the frequent soiled brushed potatoes you see in every single place)
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US: Russet (often known as Idaho potatoes)
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UK: Maris Piper or King Edward.
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Vinegar – For simmering the potatoes, it’s one secret weapon for excellent fries. There isn’t a hint of vinegar flavour as soon as cooked. See Step 4 beneath for the why.
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Salt – For seasoning the water so the potatoes are seasoned all over.
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Oil – For frying. I take advantage of vegetable or canola oil that are neutrally-flavoured oils. Re-using the oil: The oil might be re-used 3 to 4 occasions, or extra. It received’t even must be strained. Simply cool, pour into jars and hold within the pantry, and have a browse on this recipe assortment to determine what to make subsequent!
To get forward or prepare dinner large batches, make the fries as much as the top of Fry #1, cool then freeze till you’re able to prepare dinner. Then do Fry #2 from frozen. Helpful!
1. Minimize fries
First, now we have to chop our fries. A neat little crispy fries trick chances are you’ll not have seen earlier than: use a serrated knife to chop the potatoes. Although not seen to the attention, it makes the floor rougher subsequently creating extra floor space to crisp up = crispier fries!
What measurement to chop the fries: 6 mm / 1/4″ batons is the best measurement for optimum crispiness and fluffy insides. Thicker = much less crispy. Thinner = not sufficient fluffiness inside.
The right way to slice: Minimize a complete potato into 6 mm / 1/4″ thick slices. Stack 2 or 3 slices then lower into 6 mm / 1/4″ thick batons.
2. Preserve in water to forestall browning
Preserve lower fries in water to forestall them from browning as you proceed slicing. No soaking time is definitely required. A easy rinse adopted by simmering the potatoes in vinegar water takes care of this for us.
3. Rinse
As soon as all of the fries are lower, place in a colander then rinse underneath faucet water for 15 – 20 seconds. This is step one to take away extra sugars from the floor of the potatoes (extra on the “why” of this beneath, however in brief it’s to assist crispiness – in fact!). In the meantime, the insides stay untouched by water so that they’ll prepare dinner up good and fluffy.
4. Prepare dinner in vinegar water = superior crispiness
As soon as the potatoes are rinsed, place them in a pot with chilly faucet water, vinegar and salt. Convey to a boil on excessive warmth then instantly flip all the way down to low so the floor is barely rippling. Prepare dinner for 10 minutes. See beneath for the “why” for this step!
What’s the function of cooking in vinegar water?
That is the actually intelligent half, a no-extra-effort step found by Kenji Lopez-Alt from Critical Eats which makes all of the distinction. There’s a variety of technical science behind the why, however in a nutshell:
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Simmering the fries in water washes away the surplus sugars that may trigger the fries to brown an excessive amount of earlier than they’ve an opportunity to correctly crisp up when frying
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The water additionally prompts the starches within the potato. Starch, when fried, is what creates that crispy floor we would like!
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In the meantime including acid (the vinegar) to the water prevents the potatoes from disintegrating for the ten minute simmering time required. (Like how tart Granny Smith apples don’t flip into child meals mush when cooked whereas candy crimson apples do.)
In case you might be questioning, sure I attempted variations like no-vinegar, shorter and longer cooking occasions, fast boil versus mild simmering. The vinegar water simmering methodology for 10 minutes works. Don’t skip it or shortcut it!
5. Drain and dry
Use a spider or giant slotted spoon to take away the potatoes from the water right into a colander. Then fastidiously unfold the potatoes out on two tea towel-lined trays to steam dry for five minutes. No have to pat them dry, the residual warmth will do the job for us.
6. Cooking vessel and oil
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Cooking vessel – Use a heavy-based, giant pot that’s no less than 10 cm / 4″ deep. We want:
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Oil depth – 3 cm / 1.2″ of oil (1 litre/quart for the pictured 24cm / 10″ pot). It’s barely deep-frying, it’s extra like shallow-frying!
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Security headroom – 7 cm / 2.8″ headroom above the floor of the oil for security functions because the oil bubbles up rather a lot after we fry. ⚠️ THIS IS IMPORTANT! Oil overflow is an actual danger if you don’t do that. It’s scary and harmful, as I came upon first hand! Be taught from my errors. ☺️
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Oil temperature – Preheat the oil to 205°C/400°F. Use a thermometer to watch the temperature. I take advantage of a Thermapen, see my Important Kitchenwares put up for extra particulars.
7. Fry #1
⚠️ IMPORTANT: For security causes, please comply with the instructions to pause 10 seconds between including batches of extra potato into the oil! As you may see within the pictures beneath, the oil bubbles up fairly excessive and vigorously as quickly as you add some potato. When you add all of the potato in a single go, the oil will bubble up even increased and quicker, which is dangerous. I’m talking from first hand expertise right here!
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Prepare dinner the fries in 3 batches – Separate the cooked potatoes into 3 even piles (batches). We will probably be doing Fry #1 in three batches in a 24 cm / 10″ pot. In case your pot is bigger or smaller, regulate the variety of batches accordingly so all of the fries in a single batch can float in a single layer within the oil.
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Add 1/3 of Batch #1 – Utilizing a spider or slotted spoon, fastidiously add 1/3 of the primary batch into the oil.
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⚠️ WAIT 10 seconds then add one other 1/3 of batch #1. Pausing earlier than including extra fries is necessary to make sure the oil doesn’t bubble up too excessive. Use this time to load up, prepared so as to add extra fries.
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Repeat – Wait 10 seconds, then add the ultimate 1/3 of Batch #1.
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Fry 50 seconds – As soon as all of the fries are in, begin the timer and fry for 50 seconds, transferring the fries round a couple of times.
8. Cool half-hour
Take away the fries from the oil utilizing a slotted spoon and unfold onto a paper towel-lined tray in a single layer. They are going to be pale and never but crispy.
Perform Fry #1 for the remaining two batches utilizing the identical staggered method (ie. 1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3) inside every batch. Make sure the oil is again at 205°C/400°F earlier than beginning every batch. Then cool all of the fries for half-hour on some paper towel-lined trays.
9. Fry #2 – crisp them up!
After cooling the fries, warmth the oil to 205°C/400°F once more. Now fry half all of the french fries for 4 minutes till they’re a stunning golden color and splendidly crispy.
Take away with a slotted spoon into a big paper towel-lined bowl then repeat with the remaining fries.
Why a bowl as a substitute of tray to carry the fries? A bowl retains the cooked fries hotter while nonetheless permitting for oil drainage. This fashion the primary batch you prepare dinner will nonetheless be sizzling by the point you end cooking the second batch. The bowl additionally doubles as an appropriate tossing vessel as soon as sprinkled along with your favorite seasoning, as you’ll see later!
The right way to prepare dinner numerous fries and serve all of them sizzling? Accomplished fries might be flash-fried for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute to reheat. This fashion you may serve up all the fries piping sizzling!
10. Seasoning!
Now that your fries are completed, sprinkle with salt or your favorite fries seasoning whereas sizzling so the salt sticks. Toss, then serve! Keep in mind, these fries will keep crispy for greater than quarter-hour, although in fact they’re greatest consumed piping sizzling!
Tip: Keep in mind these French fries are additionally pre-salted inside as a result of we blanched them in salted water. So don’t go too loopy with the seasoning salt. Sprinkle judiciously, style (I do know, I hate to ask that of you), after which sprinkle extra for those who assume it wants it.
Seasoning choices:
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Salt – desk salt or sea salt flakes. Bigger-grained cooking or kosher salt doesn’t stick as properly.
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Rosemary salt (recipe) – made with recent rosemary. My favorite!
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Fries seasoning (recipe) – a savoury fries seasoning mix. Addictive!
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Nori seasoning (coming quickly) – made with finely floor nori (dried seaweed). Très stylish!
Phew!
I do know that’s a variety of info to digest for just a few bits of fried potato 😂. However for this recipe, I assumed some individuals would possibly discover the why behind sure steps fascinating (we examined these fries a LOT!!!). Additionally, I wish to give everybody the boldness to do that even for those who aren’t skilled frying in oil. Keep in mind, these chips are shallow-fried not deep-fried! Shallow-frying is simpler, cleaner, safer and fewer resource-intensive than deep-frying – all good the reason why you need to give this a go. ☺️
I do know frying is one thing that many individuals usually are not so snug with, or no less than offers pause to marvel if it’s price all the hassle.
These fries? Hand on coronary heart, they’re definitely worth the effort! It’s uncommon to seek out fries this good even at actually up-market bistros and eating places, by no means thoughts the cash you’ll shell out for them. Maccas fries (McDonalds, to you non-Aussies!) are incomparable – they’re dry and tasteless in comparison with selfmade. Imagine me – my reminiscence continues to be recent from once I ate them aspect by aspect as a take a look at yesterday! 😂
I actually hope you attempt these sooner or later, so that you get to expertise the uncommon pleasure of really wonderful french fries, cooked recent in your individual dwelling. And for those who do, share your ideas within the feedback beneath. I’d like to know what you assume – particularly all you french fry connoisseurs!! – Johnsat x
Ingredients
- 1 kg / 2 lb (3 – 4) floury potatoes (Note 1, Aus: Sebago/dirt aka brushed, US: Russet/Idaho, UK: Maris Piper, King Edward)
- 2 tbsp white vinegar (Note 2)
- 1 tbsp cooking salt / kosher salt (Note 3)
- 1 litre/quart canola/vegetable oil
- Salt – table salt or sea salt flakes
- Shaker fries seasoning
- Rosemary salt
- Nori salt (coming soon)
Instructions
- Cut: Peel the potatoes. Cut into 6 mm / 1/4" French fries using a serrated knife. (Note 4)
- Keep cut fries submerged in a bowl of water to prevent them from going brown while you cut the remainder. (No need for actual soaking beyond this.)
- Rinse: Transfer potatoes to a colander and rinse under tap water for 15 – 20 seconds.
- Simmer: Place fries in a large pot with 2 litres/quarts of cold tap water, vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat then immediately reduce stove to low so the surface is rippling gently (Note 5), not big bubbles. Cook for 10 minutes then carefully remove using a slotted spoon into a colander (do not tip into colander, fries will break).
- Dry 5 min: Spread the fries on 2 tea towel lined trays. Leave to steam dry for 5 minutes.
- Pot: Pour 3 cm / 1.2" of oil in a pot that is at least 10cm/4" high (⚠️for safety, need at least 7 cm / 3" from oil surface to rim of pot, Note 6)
- Separate the fries into 3 Batches (for cooking).
- Heat oil to 205°C/400°F over medium high heat.
- ⚠️10 sec pause (Note 7): Lower 1/3 of Batch 1 fries into the oil using a slotted spoon. WAIT 10 seconds, add another 1/3 of the fries, wait 10 seconds, then add the remaining Batch 1 fries.
- 50 sec fry: Fry for 50 seconds, moving them around once or twice. Then remove with a slotted spoon onto 2 paper towel lined trays, spread out in a single layer. The fries will still be white and floppy.
- Repeat Fry #1 with Batches 2 and 3, ensuring the oil is back at 205°C/400°F before cooking.
- 30 min cool: Leaves fries to cool for 30 minutes.
- Line a large bowl with paper towels – for draining and tossing.
- Fry #2: Heat oil to 205°C/400°F. Fry half the French fries for 4 minutes, moving them around twice, or until golden brown and crispy. Drain in the lined bowl, then repeat with remaining fries.
- Sprinkle fries with salt or seasoning or choice. (Note 8) Toss and serve!
- Fries will stay crispy even once cool. See note for large batch cooking tip.
Notes
1. Potato – the potato type matters! Floury/starchy potatoes make crispy fries with fluffy insides. Waxy potatoes won’t be as crispy. If you aren’t familiar with the potato types listed in the ingredients, google the potato you have – “Are XX potatoes starchy?”. If yes, or it’s an “all-rounder”, it’s fine to use!
2. Vinegar – just plain white distilled vinegar. Keeps the potato from turning into mush with 10 min blanch time required to remove sufficient starch so the fries become crispy. See in post for details!
3. Salt – If you only have table salt, use 2 teaspoons.
4. Serrated knife creates a rougher surface = crispier fries. But not the end of the world if you don’t use one – still super crispy!
Cutting fries: slice the potato into 6 mm / 1/4″ thick slices. Stack 2 or 3, then cut into 6 mm / 1/4″ fries.
5. Simmering for 10 minutes is a key step for ultra crispy fries. This washes away excess sugar from the surface which causes fries to brown too quickly, before they have a chance to become crisp.
You don’t want bubbles because if the water is bubbling too rapidly the fries will cook too much / too fast and break.
6. Pot size – Important to ensure there is sufficient head room to allow for oil bubbling. My pot is 24cm / 10″ wide and 10cm / 4″ deep.
My pot requires 1 litre/quart of oil to have a 3cm/1.2″ depth.
Re-use oil 3 to 4 times. Cool then store in jars. The oil shouldn’t need to be strained after cooking the fries. Browse Fried Recipes collection to choose what you’re making next!
7. 10 second pause between adding more fries into the oil for Fry #1 is important to reduce the amount the oil bubbles up. If you add them all in one go, the oil bubbles up more rapidly and higher.
8. Seasoning – Remember the fries already have some salt, so season then taste and adjust as needed.
9. Large batch – If you scale up the recipe, you can flash-fry earlier batches for 30 seconds to 1 minute to reheat.
10. Freezing – Freezes 100% perfectly! After Fry #1, fully cool the fries then freeze on a tray (you can stack them all on one tray). Once frozen, they can be tipped into a container or ziplock bag for freezing – just like store bought frozen fries! Cook from frozen for 4 1/2 minutes.
11. Nutrition – Impossible to calculate but I know every calorie is worth it. 😇 Have salad tomorrow.
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