Deep Frying

Ever since I was a little girl, my father was obsessed with freshly-cut and perfectly-fried french fries. Not only would he regularly drag us to eat at places that made, what he called, “real french fries”, but he even went as far as opening up his own fast-food joint to have the opportunity to serve the kind of french fries he loves.

As my culinary palate has expanded, I still come back to the perfect French Fry as one of my favorite foods. And while I try not to indulge too frequently, knowing how to prepare and perfectly Deep Fry french fries is a skill I hold dear. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Slice fresh potatoes into 3/8 in X 3 in stick cuts
  2. Soak in cold water for several hours – keep changing the water
  3. Preheat your oil to 275*
  4. Cook for 4-5 minutes – for this fry, you’re only looking to cook the potato through – don’t develop any color
  5. Lay the potatoes out on a baking sheet in one layer and chill them
  6. Raise the temperature of your oil to 375*
  7. Add your potatoes and fry them until they’re golden brown and crispy
  8. Drain them on a wire rack that is placed over a baking sheet
  9. Dry your potatoes thoroughly

Using the Concentration method, Deep Frying involves cooking a tender piece in a large amount of hot fat.

Utilization Tip:

  • Best for small tender cuts of meat and other proteins
  • Also good for vegetables

Technique:

  1. Dry your piece thoroughly to help produce a nice brown crust
  2. If desired, bread the piece (see below for breading ideas)
  3. Cook in a large amount of hot fat
  4. Remove from the fat and drain
  5. Season with salt
  6. Serve with an emulsified sauce on the side

Breading an item for deep frying can be done in a number of different ways. Here are a few options for you to consider:

Traditional breading

  1. Place your item in flour and shake off excess (dredge)
  2. Submerge your item in beaten eggs and lift out to remove excess
  3. Set your item in seasoned crumbs (depending on what you’re making, you could use bread, cookies, cereal, etc…)
  4. Whenever time allows, place in fridge before frying to allow breading to set

Cornstarch

  1. Place your item in seasoned cornstarch and shake off excess (dredge)

Batter

  1. Combine flour with seasoning
  2. Add cornstarch, baking soda and baking powder (use one or all three)
  3. Mix in a liquid (water, beer, soda, buttermilk, etc…) until the consistency is such that it could coat your item

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