Homemade French Fries

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Would you like some homemade French fries with that? As a kid, I had a slight obsession with French fries; in fact, I still do. The salty, slightly crisp on the outside, perfect on the inside bit of potato dipped in ketchup is the perfect side to any burger or sandwich.

Homemade French fries can be a bit tricky to get that perfect restaurant-quality taste, but with this step-by-step recipe guide, you will be making the perfect french fries no time. This French fry recipe closely resembles the kind of fries that they serve at Five Guys.

Gather the ingredients and tools

To make these homemade fries, you need a few simple ingredients and tools:

• Potatoes – I use Russet potatoes; they work really well.
• Oil – I like to use peanut oil, but any high smoke point oil should work, like standard olive oil (not extra virgin), vegetable oil, canola oil, etc.; lard works great too. Coconut oil and Avocado oil are healthier oil options.
• Salt
• Cold water – The cold water is going to help remove the starch from the potatoes.

Tools

• French Fry Cutter or knife
• Deep fryer or deep pot
• Candy thermometer
• Bowl
• Paper towels

How to make homemade French fries

Wash the potatoes really well. After they are washed, you can peel them if you like. I don’t peel mine. It’s just a personal preference. I like the rustic, homemade look the peels give them.

Now it is time to cut the potatoes into the classic fry shape. I have a handy French fry cutter that I like. It saves a bunch of time, but you can certainly just use a knife to cut potatoes.

Next, place the potato slices into a large bowl with really cold water. Make sure to add a couple of teaspoons of table salt as well.

Why do we do this? This process helps to remove the excess starch from those potatoes, resulting in a much tastier French fry. And it helps to prevent the fries from getting too brown.

The sugar in the starch tends to brown/burn easily in hot oil. Soak them for about 20 minutes.

While the potatoes are soaking, get the frying oil started. For large batches of homemade French fries, I generally use a deep fryer, which I really like; however, a pot and a candy thermometer will work just fine.

Heat the oil for the “first fry” to 320 degrees F. (160 °C.) You will wind up frying the potatoes twice.

Next, drain the water from the potatoes and place them on a paper towel. Use another paper towel to pat the potatoes dry. We want them fairly dry because water and hot oil do not play nicely together. 🙂

Cooking the fries in stages and freezing them

Now place a small batch of potatoes into the deep fryer or pot and fry them on a lower heat, around 320 degrees F (160 C) for 4 to 6 minutes until they are blonde in color.

You will probably need to wait a few minutes after a few batches and let the oil come back up to temperature. Lift the basket up to remove them, or if using a pot instead, use a slotted spoon or spider ladle.

Once they are done, place them on a paper towel to dry, then place them in freezer bags or Tupperware to freeze them. Freeze them for 30 minutes to an hour.

If you don’t have time to freeze them, you can go to the next step. I like to freeze mine so I can make a ton upfront, and then freeze the ones I am not going to eat to fry up later.

Now, once we have frozen our fries, let’s turn up our heat to 400 to 425 degrees F. (205 C to 218 C). Or if your deep fryer doesn’t go that high, put it on its highest setting.

The Second Fry

Then comes our “Second” fry or “High Heat” fry. Take a batch of frozen fries and place them in the hot oil. This time, you will only be frying them for around a minute or so until they turn a nice golden brown.

Take the crispy French fries out and place them on a paper towel to drain the excess oil off, and salt those fries up! You can also add any other seasonings that you may want, like garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, ranch powder, etc. Seriously, hands down, these are the best fries I make at home. Enjoy!

***Note about the “Two-Fry Method” This is not a new method, nor my own method; it has been around for ages. The first fry will cook them almost completely without over-browning them, the second fry will cook them the rest of the way, and crisp them up. For best results, I highly recommend using this method for delicious crispy fries.

Can the oil be reused for future French fries?

Yes! The oil can be used over and over again several times. But don’t use it for something like chicken, only potatoes, chips, and fries. Store the oil after it cools down, back in its container it came in. Place it in a dark pantry, but not in the fridge.

How long will homemade French fries last?

Store any leftover fries in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days.

What is the best way to reheat French fries?

Reheat them in the oven or, better yet, in the air fryer. Place the leftover fries in the air fryer basket in a single layer and air fry at 385 to 400°F for 4 to 5 minutes. They turn out awesome in the air fryer. And a perfect way to add new life into those soggy fries.

Here are a few more similar recipes you may like:

Thin Crispy Potato Chips

Sweet Potato Fries

Crispy Air Fryer Potato Skins

Do you like this homemade French fries recipe? Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it.  If you make it, tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.