Make French Fries Less Greasy: No Fryer, No Problem!

French fries are a beloved side dish, but they can be greasy and unhealthy when cooked in a deep fryer. Luckily, there are several ways to make French fries without a fryer that are just as delicious and crispy. Here are some tips and tricks to achieve the perfect French fry:

- Cut the potatoes into even slices, about 1/4-inch thick.

- Soak the potatoes in water to remove excess starch, which will help them crisp up during cooking.

- Use the right type of potato. Russet, Sebago, Maris Piper, or King Edward potatoes are ideal due to their starchy and floury texture.

- Parboil the potatoes in vinegar water before frying to slow the breakdown of pectin, creating a crispy exterior and fluffy interior.

- Double fry the potatoes at two different temperatures to achieve the perfect crispiness without greasiness.

- Use a stable fat with a high smoke point, such as beef tallow, duck fat, or lard, instead of oils like soybean or canola oil.

- Season the fries with salt and your favorite spices to enhance the flavor.

- For a healthier option, bake the fries in the oven instead of frying.

Soak the potatoes in water to remove excess starch

Soaking the potatoes in water is an essential step in making french fries that are not greasy. The water removes excess starch from the potatoes, which is key to achieving the desired crispiness.

After cutting the potatoes into fries, place them in a colander and rinse them for about 20 seconds to remove any excess starch. Then, put the potatoes in a bowl of cold water and let them soak for about 10 minutes. This process pulls out additional starch, giving you the best results and crispier fries.

It is important to note that the soaking time should not be too long, as this can lead to the potatoes becoming mushy. After soaking, drain the potatoes and dry them thoroughly using a kitchen or paper towel. This step is crucial as it helps to reduce sputtering when frying and ensures that the potatoes brown evenly.

By soaking the potatoes in water to remove excess starch, you are taking a crucial step towards achieving french fries with the perfect texture and crispiness.

Use a serrated knife to cut the potatoes for a rougher surface

Using a serrated knife to cut the potatoes is a neat little trick to achieve crispier fries. Although not visible to the eye, using a serrated knife creates a rougher surface on the potatoes, which in turn creates more surface area for the potatoes to crisp up during frying. This method is recommended by Nagi from RecipeTin Eats, whose french fry recipe is adapted from the legendary Kenji López-Alt’s The Food Lab.

The ideal size for your fries is 6mm/1/4" batons, as thicker cuts will be less crispy, and thinner cuts will not have enough fluffiness inside. To achieve this, cut the potato into 6mm/1/4" thick slices. Then, stack 2 or 3 slices and cut them into 6mm/1/4" thick batons.

If you don't have a serrated knife, don't worry! While using a serrated knife will result in crispier fries, they will still turn out super crispy without one.

Other Tips for Crispy French Fries

• Soak the potatoes in water prior to cooking. This removes their starch, which is critical to allowing them to crisp in the oven.
• Double fry the french fries. This method involves cooking the fries at two temperatures to achieve a soft interior and a crispy exterior.
• Use the right type of potato. Starchy, floury potatoes are best for crispy fries. Russet potatoes are recommended by multiple sources.
• Use the right oil. Oils with a high smoke point, such as beef tallow, duck fat, or peanut oil, are ideal for frying.
• Season generously. A critical component of perfect french fries is seasoning. Basic salt and pepper will do, but feel free to experiment with other spices.

Simmer the potatoes in vinegar water to remove excess sugars

Parboiling potatoes in a vinegar solution is an effective way to make french fries less greasy. This method helps to slow the breakdown of pectin in the potatoes, resulting in fries with tiny, bubbly, blistered surfaces that stay crisp even when cool. It also rinses off excess sugars to prevent over-browning.

To make french fries using this method, start by peeling and cutting the potatoes into fries of your desired thickness. For optimum crispiness and fluffy insides, aim for a thickness of around 1/4 inch. Place the cut potatoes into a pot of cold water with a ratio of 1 tablespoon of vinegar per quart of water. Add salt to taste. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low so that the surface is barely rippling. Simmer the potatoes for 10 minutes, then carefully remove them from the pot using a slotted spoon and spread them out on a tray to dry. From here, you can proceed to fry your potatoes, following your preferred method.

It is important to note that the type of potato you use will also impact the crispiness of your french fries. For crispy fries with fluffy insides, it is best to use starchy or floury potatoes such as Russet, Sebago, Maris Piper, or King Edward. Waxy potatoes are less suitable for french fries as they do not crisp up as well.

Use a stable fat like beef tallow that can tolerate high heat

How to Make French Fries Less Greasy Without a Fryer

When making French fries, it's important to consider the type of fat or oil you use for frying. If you're looking for a healthier and tastier alternative to traditional frying oils, beef tallow is a great option. Here's why:

• Healthier alternative: Beef tallow is a stable fat that can withstand high heat without breaking down and becoming oxidized. This makes it a healthier choice compared to oils like soybean and canola oil, which are highly oxidized and rancid.
• Better taste: Beef tallow also has a higher smoke point than olive oil, making it suitable for frying. It gives your French fries a superior flavour and durability compared to other oils.
• Cost-effectiveness: Tallow is reusable, so you can filter and reuse it multiple times for other deep-fried recipes.

When using beef tallow for frying French fries, follow these steps:

• Cut the potatoes: Create a flat surface on one side of the potato and place it on a cutting board to stabilize it. Cut downward carefully to create slices slightly more than 1/4" thick, then cut those slices into fries. You can adjust the thickness to your preference, but try to keep the sizes consistent for even cooking.
• Rinse and soak: Place the cut potatoes in a colander and rinse them for about a minute to remove excess starch. Then, soak them in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes. This step is crucial for removing additional starch and achieving crispier fries.
• Dry the potatoes: After soaking, drain the potatoes and use a kitchen towel to blot excess water from them. This step is important because excess moisture can cause sputtering and increase the time it takes for the potatoes to brown.
• Heat the beef tallow: Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan or a dedicated fryer to heat the beef tallow. You'll need enough tallow to come a few inches up the pot. Heat it to 325 degrees F.
• First fry: Add the cut potatoes to the hot tallow, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the interior of the potatoes is soft. The potatoes should not take on much colour at this stage.
• Drain and increase temperature: Remove the potatoes from the tallow and drain them on paper towels for 5 minutes. While the potatoes rest, increase the tallow temperature to 375 degrees F.
• Second fry: Return the potatoes to the hot tallow and cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until they are golden brown and crispy.
• Drain and season: Place the French fries in a paper towel-lined bowl to drain any excess tallow briefly. While they are still hot, season them with sea salt or your desired seasonings. Toss to ensure the salt sticks to the fries.
• Serve: Serve your homemade French fries immediately while they are still hot and crispy. Enjoy them with ketchup, mayonnaise, aioli, nacho cheese sauce, or plain.

Cut the potatoes into 1/4 thick slices

To make fries that are 1/4 inch thick, you'll first need to cut a whole potato into 1/4-inch thick slices. Stack 2 or 3 slices, then cut them into 1/4-inch thick batons.

It's important to note that the size you cut your fries will determine their crispiness. Fries that are thicker than 1/4 inch will be less crispy, while those that are thinner will not have enough fluffiness inside.

While cutting, use a serrated knife to create a rougher surface and increase crispiness. However, a regular knife will still do the job!

Frequently asked questions