Recipe for Homemade French Fries

French fries are delicious and easy to make.

French fries are one of Americans' favorite foods. With the average American consuming more than 16 pounds of French fries per year, it's no wonder that potatoes are the most popular "vegetable" in the country. (Although they're really a starch.) Whether you pair them with a hamburger, a hot dog, or some chicken nuggets, or just feast on the crisp, golden treats by themselves, French fries are simple, delicious, and loved by just about everybody.

Things You'll Need

• 4 or 5 large, clean Russet or Idaho potatoes
• Large plastic or metal bowl
• Large slotted spoon or metal tongs
• Paper towels
• Brown paper bag
• Food thermometer
• Vegetable oil or shortening
• A large, deep pot or deep fryer
• Salt

Instructions

1. Skin potatoes and then cut them into strips sized to your liking. For steak fries, cut each slice approximately a 1/2 inch to a 1/4 inch thick. For fast food-style fries, cut the potatoes into small slices that are approximately 1/8 of an inch thick.

2. Place all of the cut fries into a large bowl and then fill the bowl with cold water. Move the potatoes around a bit with your hands until the water turns cloudy. This step ensures that the extra starches are removed from the potatoes, which will result in a crispier fry texture.

3. Drain the potatoes and place them on some paper towels and pat them thoroughly dry.

4. Fill a cooking pot about half full (approximately 4 to 5 inches deep) with vegetable oil or vegetable shortening--whichever you have on hand is fine, as both work great in this recipe. Heat the oil or shortening to 375 degrees F for thin-cut fast-food style fries, or 325 degrees F for large steak fries, as verified by a cooking thermometer.

5. Use a large slotted spoon or metal tongs to lift and place small amounts of potatoes into the hot oil until all potatoes have been transferred. Wait a few seconds between batches for the oil to settle to minimize the risk of hot oil splatter and to keep the oil from getting too cool, which can result in soggy fries.

6. Cook thin fast food-style fries for approximately 3 minutes, or 5 to 6 minutes for thicker steak fries. Remove the fries from the oil and place in a paper towel-lined paper bag to sop up extra oil. The fries should still be white in color at this point.

7. Increase the oil temperature to 375 degrees. Verify temperature with the cooking thermometer. If your oil was at 375 degrees to begin with, leave it at the same temperature.

8. Remove the fries from the bag and transfer them back into the hot oil for browning. Leave them in the oil, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes until they obtain a beautiful golden color.

9. Remove fries from the oil using the large slotted spoon or lift the basket from the deep fryer. Lay them on a bed of paper towels or the paper bag to drain and cool for a few minutes. Sprinkle with salt to the level you prefer and serve immediately.

Tips & Warnings

• Try adding toppings like melted cheddar cheese, bacon bits, or chili to fries for a tasty treat.

• Try sprinkling your favorite seasonings, such as Cajun, garlic, or pepper, on your fries.

• Oil temperature is a very important factor in getting a French fry recipe correct. If the oil isn't hot enough, it will result in soggy fries. If it is too hot, you will burn the outside of the fries without properly cooking the inside.

References

• Martha Stewart Recipes: French Fries
• Food Reference Facts: French Fries