Air-Fryer French Fries: How Long To Fry?

Air fryers are a great way to make French fries. They are healthier, faster, and easier to clean than deep-fried French fries. The cooking time depends on the type of potato and the thickness of the cut. Russet potatoes are the best for French fries as they have thick skins and starchy, fluffy flesh. The potatoes should be cut into evenly sized pieces, about 1/4-inch thick, and soaked in cold water to remove excess starch. The fries are then tossed in a bowl with oil and seasonings before being air-fried in a single layer at 375-400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 to 16 minutes, depending on the desired level of crispiness.

Russet potatoes are best for frying

The time taken to cook French fries in an air fryer depends on the thickness of the fries, the type of air fryer, and the number of layers of fries you cook at once.

For example, crinkle-cut or waffle fries will take 10-11 minutes, whereas shoestring fries will take 8-10 minutes. Sweet potato fries take 16 minutes.

As a general rule, air fry your French fries at 375-400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 to 16 minutes, turning them once or twice during cooking.

When it comes to making French fries, the type of potato you use is crucial. Russet potatoes, also known as Idaho potatoes, are the best option. Here's why:

• Russet potatoes have a high starch content, which makes them ideal for frying. The starch gives the potatoes a crispy texture on the outside and a fluffy, dry texture on the inside.
• The high starch content also means that Russet potatoes can stand up to the cooking process without falling apart, ensuring your fries remain intact.
• While Russet potatoes are not suitable for boiling due to their tendency to fall apart, they are perfect for frying and baking.
• Soaking Russet potatoes in hot or cold water before frying helps to remove excess starch, resulting in even crispier fries.
• When cut into uniform sticks, Russet potatoes cook evenly in the air fryer, ensuring a consistent texture throughout.

In summary, Russet potatoes are the best choice for making French fries because of their high starch content, which results in a crispy texture. With proper preparation and cooking, Russet potatoes will give you delicious, restaurant-quality fries that are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Soak potatoes in hot water for 10 minutes

Soaking your potatoes in hot water for 10 minutes is an essential step in achieving the crispiest air fryer French fries. While it may seem like an unnecessary step, it is crucial for removing excess starch and achieving that coveted French fry crispiness.

The reason for using hot water instead of cold water is to slightly cook the potatoes, creating the "double-fried" effect that makes many restaurant fries so addictive. The water temperature should be very hot, but not boiling.

After soaking, it is important to thoroughly pat the potatoes dry with kitchen towels or paper towels. This ensures that they will crisp up nicely in the air fryer.

The type of potato you use also makes a difference. Russet potatoes are starchier and result in fries that are crispy outside and drier inside, similar to restaurant-style fries. Yukon gold potatoes, on the other hand, are waxier and produce fries with a firmer, creamier inside and an equally crispy exterior.

When cutting your potatoes, aim for a uniform size of about 1/4-inch thick. This ensures that they cook at the same rate. You don't need to peel the potatoes, as the skin helps them crisp up and adds texture.

Once your potatoes are cut and dried, toss them with olive oil and salt, or your desired seasonings. Then, place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving a little space between each potato to allow the hot air to circulate.

Cooking times may vary depending on your air fryer model, but generally, you'll want to air fry at around 375-400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-16 minutes, flipping them once or twice during cooking. For maximum crispiness, cook in a single layer and consider cooking in multiple batches.

By following these steps, you'll end up with delicious, crispy air fryer French fries that taste just like their deep-fried counterparts but with far less oil!

Pat potatoes dry before air frying

Pat your potatoes dry with kitchen towels or paper towels. This is an essential step to ensure your potatoes crisp up nicely. If you're short on time, you can pat them as dry as you can with paper towels. However, if you have the time, it's best to scrub the potatoes at least 30 minutes before cooking, then pat them dry with paper towels and set them on a kitchen towel. Rotate them after 15 minutes so that both sides of the potato skin can dry.

If you're making French fries, it's also important to soak the potatoes in cold water for at least 10 minutes or up to 24 hours before cooking. This removes excess starch, which will help make your fries crispier. Be sure to pat them very dry before cooking!

Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket

While it may be tempting to stack your French fries to the top of the air fryer basket to cook a bigger batch, this is not advisable. Overfilling the basket will hinder the circulating air from reaching the ingredients from all angles, making it harder to ensure even cooking and crispiness.

The best way to ensure your fries are cooked evenly and come out crispy is to cook them in batches. Fill the basket halfway at most, and give the basket a good shake halfway through the cooking time. This will ensure all the fries get their time at the bottom of the basket, closest to the heat source, and helps to prevent them from sticking together.

If you're short on time, it's still better to cook in batches than to overcrowd the basket. Air fryers cook food faster than roasting or frying, so you'll be done in no time! Plus, the improved airflow in each batch will result in better, faster cooking.

If you're cooking for a large group and are worried about not having enough fries, consider buying a larger air fryer or purchasing additional accessories like a double-decker cooking rack. This will give you more cooking surface area without sacrificing airflow and even cooking.

So, while it may be tempting to fill that air fryer basket to the brim, resist the urge! Your fries will thank you.

Reheat in the air fryer

The air fryer is a great way to reheat French fries and get them crispy again. It's faster than the oven and doesn't make the fries as greasy as the deep fryer or skillet methods. It's also much better than the microwave, which will leave you with soggy fries.

Here's what you need to do:

• Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (176.6°C). Some recipes suggest preheating for about 3 minutes, while others suggest 5 minutes.
• Place your French fries in the basket. Make sure they are in a single layer and not overlapping, so the hot air can circulate and crisp them up. If you have a lot of fries, you may need to do this in batches.
• Spray or brush the fries with a little oil. You can skip this step if the fries were originally deep-fried. Avocado oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil are all good options.
• Air fry for 3-6 minutes. Thinner fries will take less time, so check on them after 3 minutes. For thicker fries, check after 3 minutes, then shake the basket and check every 1-2 minutes until they're done. Keep a close eye on them, as they can go from crispy to burnt very quickly!
• Serve with your favourite dipping sauce and enjoy!

Some other tips to keep in mind:

• If you're using an oil spray or cooking spray, shake the basket halfway through cooking to ensure the fries cook evenly.
• If your fries are on the thicker side, you may need to add an extra minute or two to the cooking time.
• Don't fill your air fryer basket to the top. You can have multiple layers, but don't fill it all the way.
• If you want to add seasonings, do so after adding the oil, so they stick to the fries.
• If you're reheating sweet potato fries, curly fries, steak fries, homemade fries, or even McDonald's fries, adjust the cooking time depending on the thickness of the fries.

Frequently asked questions