Making Homemade Chips: Deep Fryer Alternatives

Making homemade chips without a deep fryer is a healthier alternative to deep-fried chips, and they taste great too! There are a few simple steps to follow: cut your potatoes into evenly-sized chip shapes, soak them in cold water for at least 30 minutes to remove excess starch, dry them thoroughly, and then cook them in an oven at around 200°C for 40-50 minutes, turning them a few times to ensure even colouring. You can also experiment with different oils, such as olive, safflower, corn, peanut, vegetable, or rapeseed oil, and different seasonings, such as salt, vinegar, celery salt, truffle salt, herb-infused salt, cumin seeds, smoked paprika, or chilli flakes.

Choosing the right potatoes

The type of potato you use is crucial in making homemade chips. You want to use a floury potato, such as a standard baking potato, Maris Piper, or King Edward. These potatoes will give you a soft, fluffy texture on the inside and a crispy outer shell. If you want to use what you have on hand, any kind of potato will do, but you may not get the ideal chip.

When choosing your potatoes, look for those that have been stored for a while. Potatoes that have dried out a little will make better chips. If you are buying potatoes specifically for making chips, it is worth buying a large number of them as you will need a lot to feed a crowd. Fifty to a hundred kilograms of potatoes will give you a good amount of chips, but you can adjust the quantity based on your needs.

Before cutting your potatoes into chips, wash and peel them. You can leave the skin on if you prefer, as it adds flavour and texture to your chips. Cut the potatoes into evenly sized, uniform fries. The size you cut them will depend on whether you want skinny or fat chips. For skinny fries, cut the potatoes into 1-centimetre slices, then cut again into 1-centimetre sticks. For fat chips, cut 2-centimetre slices and then cut into 2-centimetre batons.

Preparing the potatoes

You can peel the potatoes or leave the skin on, depending on your preference. Leaving the skin on adds flavour and texture to your chips and is also healthier as it contains more fibre. If you do decide to peel the potatoes, make sure to remove any excess starch by washing the potatoes several times in fresh, warm water.

Soaking the potatoes is an important step that should not be skipped. Soak the cut potatoes in a bowl of cold, lightly salted water for at least 30 minutes. This will help remove most of the starch, resulting in crispier chips. It also removes some of the natural sugars, preventing the outside from burning before the middle is cooked. After soaking, dry the potatoes thoroughly. Any moisture left on the chips will create steam and prevent them from crisping up during cooking.

Before cooking, coat the potatoes in oil. You can use olive oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, or rapeseed oil. Groundnut oil is also a good option as it has a high smoking point and will give your chips an even colour. Make sure the potatoes are well-coated by tossing them in a bowl or spreading them out on a baking tray and drizzling the oil over them.

Using the right oil

The type of oil you use is important when making homemade chips. You want to use an oil with a high smoke point, so it won't burn in the oven and will give you a more even colour. Oils with a neutral flavour are best, but if you like the taste, you can use oils with a stronger flavour.

Oils with a Neutral Flavour

• Vegetable oil
• Rapeseed oil
• Sunflower oil

Oils with a Stronger Flavour

• Olive oil
• Safflower oil
• Corn oil
• Peanut oil
• Dripping
• Goose fat

Cold-pressed rapeseed oil is recommended by one source for its ability to handle high temperatures, complementary flavour, and the fabulous yellow colour it roasts to. Groundnut oil is also recommended by another source for its high smoke point and ability to give an even colour.

Cooking methods

There are several ways to make homemade chips without a deep fryer. Here are some methods you can try:

Boiling and Baking

This method involves boiling the potatoes first, then baking them in the oven. Start by peeling and cutting your potatoes into your desired chip size and shape. Place them in a saucepan and cover them with cold water. Add salt to the water and bring it to a boil. Cook the potatoes until they are just shy of breaking down. Drain the potatoes and transfer them to a baking sheet or tray. Drizzle oil over the potatoes and toss to coat them evenly. Spread the potatoes out on the baking tray, leaving space between them to ensure even cooking. Bake in the oven at 190-200 degrees Celsius for 20-25 minutes, then turn them over and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until they are golden and crispy.

Baking Only

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Cut your potatoes into 1 cm chip shapes. You can peel the potatoes or leave the skin on, depending on your preference. On a baking sheet, sprinkle oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper over the chips until they are well coated. Bake in the oven until crunchy and golden, turning them once during the cooking process. The total baking time will be around 45 minutes to an hour.

Parboiling and Frying

For this method, you will need a deep pot filled with oil. Start by peeling and cutting your potatoes into thick slices, then cut the slices into sticks. Use floury potatoes such as Maris Piper. Leave the cut potatoes in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes to remove excess starch. Drain the potatoes and make sure they are completely dry. Heat the oil to 160 degrees Celsius. Carefully lower a quarter of the potatoes into the hot oil and cook for 6-7 minutes. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding. Remove the potatoes from the oil and set them aside to cool. Once all the potatoes are fried, increase the heat to 190 degrees Celsius and fry all the potatoes together for a second time, for about 3 minutes, until they are crisp and golden. Drain the excess oil and season the chips before serving.

Air Fryer

Although this method uses a type of fryer, it is a healthier alternative to deep frying. Cut your potatoes into your desired chip size and shape. You can peel the potatoes or leave the skin on. Soak the potatoes in cold water for 30 minutes to remove excess starch, then drain and pat them dry. Drizzle oil over the potatoes and toss to coat them evenly. Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket and cook at 180 degrees Celsius for 20-25 minutes, shaking the basket occasionally to ensure even cooking. Season the chips with salt and your desired spices before serving.

Seasoning and serving

There are many ways to season your homemade chips. The classic option is to sprinkle them with salt and vinegar. You can also try celery salt, truffle salt, or a herb-infused salt like thyme or rosemary.

If you want to add some spice, give your chips a light dusting of toasted cumin seeds, smoked paprika, or a couple of pinches of chilli flakes. You could also experiment with dried herbs, spices such as paprika and garam masala, or even melted cheese!

For a super-posh option, try serving your chips with truffle oil and parmesan cheese. Or, for a more indulgent option, serve them with a side of gravy or melted cheese.

If you're looking for a healthier option, consider leaving the skins on your chips. This adds more fibre to your meal. You can also try baking your chips instead of frying them. Baked chips are lighter and healthier than their fried counterparts.

• Popcorn chicken
• Sticky halloumi kebabs
• Naan bread pizza
• Chicken tikka burgers
• Crispy chicken burgers
• Cajun salmon tacos
• Philly cheesesteak

Enjoy your homemade chips!

Frequently asked questions