Reply to: How do you like your French fries ?

[NickFitz]

Do what the ape says. Truly an officianado of the Great British chip.

NickFitz, will you have my babies?

Fried or broiled?

[Cliphead]

Have you reported it? I had to re-read the original several times before I understood what you are going on about(but I am slow) - I guess it was before the news that they were tortured?

The original post was edited.

[BrilloPad]

Shame on you EO for this crass posting... it may have slipped under the admins radar but to joke about the slaughter of two young French students is over the mark no matter how well disguised

Shame on you

Have you reported it? I had to re-read the original several times before I understood what you are going on about(but I am slow) - I guess it was before the news that they were tortured?

[ArthurBigot]

Shame on you EO for this crass posting... it may have slipped under the admins radar but to joke about the slaughter of two young French students is over the mark no matter how well disguised

Shame on you

[NickFitz]

Doesn't make sense to me. Potatoes are mostly water with starch the next greatest ingredient, so the benefit of leaving chips to soak and drying them etc. would have to be tested under controlled conditions if I'm to believe it

I tested it the night before last, and will be testing it again shortly - it works perfectly

Incidentally if you grate potatoes and collect the gloop together it acts like liquid that goes hard when you move it suddenly, or compress it.

Funnily enough, I made rosti a few nights back - the key thing with that is to wrap the grated potato in a clean teatowel (or you can just about get away with paper kitchen towels) and squeeze it mega-hard to wring as much water out as possible. It's surprising the amount of liquid that comes out of two small grated potatoes

[TimberWolf]

It doesn't make much difference to the water content (potatoes are very watery anyway) but it leaches the starch out. Rather than just draining them, you should also rinse them under cold running water after soaking, just to wash away any starch left on the outside.

The crucial part is the drying of the outside before the first frying. This is absolutely essential, otherwise they'll never become crisp.

Oh, and it's worth absorbing any excess oil once they're done using kitchen roll - helps keep them crisp

Also worthy of note is that they can be left for quite some time after the initial frying. So they can be started and left to cool, then given the second fry once the rest of the meal is ready - handy if the latter stages of preparing the meal involve a lot of fiddly stuff, as you don't have the additional hassle of keeping an eye on them during the initial frying.

Doesn't make sense to me. Potatoes are mostly water with starch the next greatest ingredient, so the benefit of leaving chips to soak and drying them etc. would have to be tested under controlled conditions if I'm to believe it Incidentally if you grate potatoes and collect the gloop together it acts like liquid that goes hard when you move it suddenly, or compress it. Can be fun to play with while you wait for the chips to cook, unless microwaving speeds the process up which also has to be tested...

[NickFitz]

Does this increase or decrease the water content?

A problem with chips IMO is the high water content, which means they take ages to cook. Has anyone tried microwaving them to get them up to temperature before frying?

It doesn't make much difference to the water content (potatoes are very watery anyway) but it leaches the starch out. Rather than just draining them, you should also rinse them under cold running water after soaking, just to wash away any starch left on the outside.

The crucial part is the drying of the outside before the first frying. This is absolutely essential, otherwise they'll never become crisp.

Oh, and it's worth absorbing any excess oil once they're done using kitchen roll - helps keep them crisp

Also worthy of note is that they can be left for quite some time after the initial frying. So they can be started and left to cool, then given the second fry once the rest of the meal is ready - handy if the latter stages of preparing the meal involve a lot of fiddly stuff, as you don't have the additional hassle of keeping an eye on them during the initial frying.

[Board Game Geek]

I like my french fries served with a Big Mac.

[EternalOptimist]

I like mine made with fresh potatoes stolen from the nearest allotment

Crispy, with plenty of sea salt and a splash of vinegar.

watch it , bunny face

[miffy]

I like mine made with fresh potatoes stolen from the nearest allotment

Crispy, with plenty of sea salt and a splash of vinegar.

[realityhack]

Northern curry sauce - WTF is that.

It's thicker, more viscous than the stuff down here - generally. Tastes about the same though.

[DaveB]

Does this increase or decrease the water content?

A problem with chips IMO is the high water content, which means they take ages to cook. Has anyone tried microwaving them to get them up to temperature before frying?

It increases it, frying drives a lot of water out of the chips, where do you think the steam comes from when you cook them?

And good food takes time to cook. Even chips.

[TimberWolf]

Once they have been cut stick them in a bowl of water for half an hour.

Does this increase or decrease the water content?

A problem with chips IMO is the high water content, which means they take ages to cook. Has anyone tried microwaving them to get them up to temperature before frying?

[DaveB]

Perfect chips, they're a faff to make but worth it once in a while.

Estima Potatos are the best, other wise Maris Pipers or King Edwards.

The chips should be about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick.

Once they have been cut stick them in a bowl of water for half an hour.

While the chips are soaking heat the oil to around 150 degrees. Drain the chips and dry them with a tea towl then put them into the oil and cook untill they start to colour, don't let them go brown at this stage. If the oil is the right temp. you should get a nice gentle "boil" when the chips go in, not a frantic spitting and loads of noise.

Once the chips have started to colour take them out of the oil and leave them to cool. Spread them out on a baking sheet or similar to stop them sticking together.

Once they have cooled turn up the heat on the oil to 190 degrees, or whatever your fryer will go to and put the chips back in. Keep an eye on them as they will only take around 5 mins to cook to a nice golden brown.

Remove and drain, serve with your favorite additions. They will be crispy and light on the outside, fluffy on the inside and taste delicious. Guarenteed.

[Xenophon]

Very thin and crispy - have to be deep fried from real potatoes and served piping hot with plenty of salt and cracked black pepper - no vinegar for me.

Sold. That sounds delicious to me. I'll have what Lockhouse is having.