Deep-Frying Homemade Chips: A Tasty, Crispy Treat!

There's nothing quite like a pile of crispy, homemade chips. The key to the perfect chip is using the right potatoes and oil, and cooking them at the right temperature. The best potatoes are floury varieties like Maris Piper, King Edwards, Bintje, Russet Burbank and Sebago. These potatoes have a fluffy texture but hold their shape well, resulting in a crispy outer shell and soft, fluffy centre. The best oils for frying are vegetable, sunflower, or rapeseed, but if flavour is your priority, you can't go wrong with lard or beef fat.

Before frying, peel and cut the potatoes into evenly sized, thick slices, or uniform fries. Soak the potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes to remove excess starch, which will result in a crispier finish and prevent the outside from burning before the middle is cooked. Pat the potatoes dry with kitchen paper—any remaining water will cause the oil to spit.

Heat your oil to 130–160°C for the first frying, and 190°C for the second. Fry in small batches so the oil temperature doesn't drop. For the first fry, cook until the chips are tender but not browned—this should take around 10 minutes. For the second fry, cook for 4–5 minutes, until crisp and golden-brown. Remove the chips from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Serve immediately, seasoned with salt and vinegar, or experiment with different flavours like sea salt and black pepper, rosemary, garlic, or chilli flakes.

Choosing the right potato

The type of potato you use is critical to achieving the perfect homemade chip. The best potatoes for chips are floury varieties with a fluffy texture, such as Maris Piper, Bintje, King Edwards, Russet Burbank, Sebago, Mayan Gold, Elland, Kerr's Pink, Salad Blue, or Violetta. These potatoes hold their shape well and crisp up nicely on the outside while remaining soft and fluffy on the inside.

When selecting your potatoes, opt for large potatoes if you prefer your chips to be large and chunky. You can also add a colourful twist to your chips by choosing coloured potato varieties.

Before cutting your potatoes, be sure to peel them. Then, cut them into uniform, evenly sized fries or batons. This ensures that your chips cook evenly and results in a consistent texture throughout. Aim for a thickness of roughly 1 cm for thick-cut chips, or 1.5 cm for batons.

After cutting, it is essential to soak your potatoes to remove excess starch. Soak them in a bowl of cold water for at least 30 minutes, or even overnight if you have the time. This step helps to reduce the presence of starch, which can make your chips soggy. It also removes some of the natural sugars, preventing the outside from burning before the middle is cooked.

Once you've soaked your potatoes, be sure to pat them dry with a kitchen towel or paper towel. This step is crucial, as any remaining moisture can cause the oil to spit, potentially leading to burns or other hazards.

Preparing the potatoes

The type of potato you use is important when making homemade chips. Maris Piper, King Edwards, and Bintje are all recommended for their fluffy texture and ability to hold their shape.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into uniform chip shapes. The size of the chips is up to you, but generally, they should be cut lengthways into slices around 1-2 cm thick, and then cut into sticks. Rinse the potatoes in a colander under cold water to remove the outside starch, and then place them in a bowl of cold water to soak for at least 30 minutes. This will help to remove excess starch and ensure your chips are crispy. If you have time, you can leave them to soak for several hours or even overnight.

Once the potatoes have soaked, drain them in a colander or on some kitchen paper. Make sure they are completely dry—any water left on the potatoes will cause the oil to spit, which can be dangerous.

Now you're ready to start frying!

Preparing the oil

The type of oil you use to make your homemade chips is important. A light, neutral oil with a high smoke point is best. Vegetable oil, sunflower oil, and rapeseed oil are all good options. If you prefer a more flavoursome chip, you could use dripping, goose fat, lard, or rendered beef fat.

Use a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan for frying your chips. Fill the pan no more than halfway with oil. A cooking thermometer is essential for checking the temperature of the oil.

Heat the oil to 130–160°C for the first frying stage. The second frying stage requires hotter oil, heated to 190°C.

Never leave hot oil unattended.

Cooking the chips

The secret to getting that authentic chip shop taste is to fry your chips twice, at two different temperatures.

First, you'll need to peel your potatoes and cut them into slices of roughly 1cm thick. Then, cut these slices into chips of a similar thickness. Rinse the chips in a colander under plenty of cold water to remove excess starch. It's worth leaving the chips to soak in a bowl of cold water for at least 30 minutes, or even a few hours if you have the time. This will help to remove most of the starch in the potato, resulting in a crispier finish. It also means that some of the natural sugars are removed, so the outside won't burn before the middle is cooked. After soaking, pat the chips dry with kitchen paper. Make sure they are completely dry to achieve a crunchy, crisp result.

Now you're ready to start frying. Heat your oil to 130°C–140°C. Carefully lower your chips into the hot oil, being sure not to add too many at once, as this will cause the temperature of the oil to drop. Fry for around 10 minutes, or until cooked but not browned. Remove the chips from the oil and leave them to drain on kitchen paper.

Once all your chips have been fried, you can turn up the heat. Increase the oil temperature to 180°C–190°C. Carefully lower the chips into the oil for the second time and cook for 3–5 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown. Remove from the oil, drain, season, and serve.

Serving the chips

Once the chips are crunchy and golden, remove them from the oil and place them on kitchen paper to drain off any excess oil. Then, serve immediately. The best condiments for chips are a simple sprinkle of salt and vinegar, but you can also add grated cheese, mushy peas, gravy, or curry sauce. Feel free to experiment with flavours and create your own recipe!

If you want to add a twist to your chips, you can season them with sea salt and black pepper, rosemary, garlic, or chilli flakes. You can also try different combinations of these flavours to create a unique treat.

If you're serving a large batch of chips, it's best to cook them in smaller batches to ensure the oil doesn't cool down too much. This will help you achieve that perfect crispiness!

Remember, chip pan fires are common, so always exercise caution when deep-frying. Never fill your pan with more than a third of oil, and never leave the cooking unattended. Always have your full attention on the pan at all times.

Frequently asked questions