{"id":3080,"date":"2024-04-10T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-09T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dinnertimesomewhere.com\/?p=3080"},"modified":"2026-06-23T12:30:22","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T02:30:22","slug":"the-perfect-homemade-fries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dinnertimesomewhere.com\/index.php\/side-dish-recipes\/potato-side-dishes\/the-perfect-homemade-fries\/","title":{"rendered":"The Perfect Homemade Fries"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Of all the delicious recipes we\u2019ve published on this website, making The Perfect Homemade Fries has been the most tested. Simply put, making Homemade French Fries that are perfectly cooked and beautifully crispy is challenging! We can\u2019t tell you how many Potatoes, Salt, and Oil we went through perfecting this recipe over the years! However, we can proudly announce that we\u2019ve cracked the recipe to make the best Fries at home, and we\u2019re sharing it with you all now!

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Like any good recipe, there are several key criteria you must follow to get Crispy Fries every time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some recipes you can wing it. Change the recipe a bit, change the cooking time. For Fries, however, you must follow this criteria. It\u2019s our sure-fire technique which will guarantee you the best fries you\u2019ve ever cooked. There are three key criteria that you absolutely must follow

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1. Chose the right Potatoes that are high in Starch Content<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Choosing the right or wrong Potato is a game changer when making your own Fries. There are really three types of Potatoes out there. The Waxy kind (which contain high levels of moisture), the Starchy kind (which contain low levels of moisture), and potatoes that kind of fall in the middle

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To get a perfect Crispy Fry, you must use Potatoes that have a high starch content. The enemy of crispiness is moisture, so chose the Potatoes that have the lowest levels of moisture possible. Our best bet recommendation for Potatoes to make The Perfect Homemade Fries are Russet or Idaho Potatoes

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If these Potatoes aren\u2019t available in your local area, just do some research on \u2018high starch Potatoes\u2019 and buy whichever potatoes fit the bill

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To make the Perfect Homemade Fries you need to follow all the steps, that includes parboiling the fries before freezing them!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

2. You must twice cook your Fries<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve got your potatoes up into the perfect size (it doesn\u2019t matter if they\u2019re thick cut or shoestring cut) the Fries will need to be parboiled before they eventually get fried in Oil. This step is to ensure that the insides of the Fries are almost cooked all the way through before they are Deep Fried

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This will ensure that you won\u2019t over cook the Fries in the Oil and leave them too dark, potentially burnt before they are cooked on the inside. The step of parboiling is very simple, just place your cut Fries in a large pot of cold water. Season the water generously with Salt and then bring them to a boil. Once the Fries are just starting to tenderize, take them out of the water and rinse them in cold water to stop the cooking process

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Freeze your cooked Potatoes before you Deep Fry them<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While the first two steps are critical, this one is hands down the most important step. A step that many people don\u2019t do, but oh boy is it a critical one! Once you\u2019ve parboiled those Potatoes, put them into a Ziploc bag and freeze them for a minimum of 3 hours. We\u2019d recommend an overnight Freeze to get them as Frozen as possible

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Once you\u2019re ready to cook them, bring them out of the Freezer and straight into the hot oil. You\u2019ll only need to fry them for about 5-6 minutes (less for thinner cut Fries) before they turn a beautiful crispy light-brown color. The Potatoes will be perfectly cooked on the inside, and crispy on the outside

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The Freezing step was the one that eluded us for many years and many tests. I am not sure exactly why freezing them makes all the difference, but it truly does. One word of advice is, try to get as much moisture off the Potatoes after you\u2019ve boiled them and before you freeze them. Pat them dry with some Paper towels before freezing

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Frying with Oil is a great method for cooking, just be sure to follow all of the safety measures to cook your food perfectly and safely<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Safety first when it comes to deep frying<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Deep Frying is a great way to cook food and shouldn\u2019t be feared so long as you are taking the right steps and precautious before you begin. Remember you are dealing with extremely hot oil which will be heated to around 375F, so always respect the hot oil and never get close to having your skin in contact with the Oil

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Always use a thermometer to gauge the temperature of the Oil. It is critical that the Oil is heated between 350F \u2013 375F throughout the duration of the cook. If the Oil temperature drops too much, the Potatoes will begin to absorb the Oil, which will make them an unpleasant taste and texture. Using a Candy Thermometer will allow you to constantly monitor the temperature of your Oil as you cook

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Adding the Frozen Potatoes to hot Oil will cause a violent reaction with the Oil<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Oil heat will drop once you add the Frozen Potatoes. This is a guarantee because you\u2019re adding a cold element to something hot. Our recommendation is to add small portions of the Fries at once so that you can bring the Oil temperature back up to heat quickly

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Also, be careful of the Oil spilling over once you add the Frozen Potatoes. There will be excess moisture in the Potatoes, which will cause the Oil to react violently. Do not worry about this, after a small amount of time the water will cook out. The reaction will be less violent the less Potatoes you add at once. Just ensure you do not overfill the Pot so there is no chance of the Oil spilling out

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Use a Spider Strainer to remove the cooked Fries from the Oil<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Spider Strainers allow you to scoop up a large quantity of the cooked Fries without taking any of the Oil with you. It\u2019s important to strain the Fries well before you set them down to Season. A Spider Strainer will help you get as much excess Oil off the Fries as possible

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Once you\u2019ve strained the Fries, you want to season them immediately with Salt. The hot fries will capture that Salt and it will absorb into them before they cool. This is a critical step to ensure you\u2019re fries taste their best. After all, we\u2019re making The Perfect Homemade Fries here!

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For the perfect Crispy Fries, make sure you strain them well and then immediately season with a generous amount of Salt<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Is it worth making this recipe for The Perfect Homemade Fries myself? The answer is.. no not really<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You may think this is a bizarre statement, given we\u2019re writing a recipe on how to make the perfect homemade fries. The truth is, yes they taste amazing and if you want to challenge yourself to make great Fries then you should follow this recipe. However, the effort involved in making them is so great, that in our opinion, it far outweighs the result

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You can honestly get some above-average Fries straight out of the frozen section of your supermarket. You simply throw them in the Oven or Air Fryer and in minutes you\u2019ve got great, crispy Fries. Making the fries yourself is such a massive undertaking and one of the most challenging dishes you can make

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 At the very least you\u2019re looking at half a way of work to get these perfect Fries. For a fraction of that effort, get the frozen stuff. It\u2019s almost as good and will save you a load of time!

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Anyway, now that we\u2019ve got that out of the way. Here\u2019s our recipe to make the Perfect Homemade Fries at home for yourself!<\/p>\n\n\n

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Recipe Details<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
<\/path><\/svg><\/span>Servings<\/span>

2 – 4 people<\/p><\/div>

<\/path><\/svg><\/span>Prep time<\/span>

3+ hours<\/p><\/div>

<\/path><\/svg><\/span>Cooking time<\/span>

15 minutes<\/p><\/div>

<\/path><\/svg><\/span>Total time<\/span>

3+ hours<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n

The Perfect Homemade Fries Recipe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ingredients<\/h2>\n\n\n\n