French Fries - Guide For The Home Cook

French Fries © kvalifood.com

The difference between a soggy fry and a great one comes down to four variables: the right potato, dry surface, correct oil temperature, and two frying stages. None of it is complicated, but all of it matters.

The Potato

Use a high-starch, floury variety. In practice:

  • North America: Russet Burbank
  • UK: Maris Piper
  • Europe/Australia: Agria or Bintje

Avoid waxy potatoes (new potatoes, fingerlings, Charlotte) - they fry dense and greasy.

Do not store raw potatoes in the fridge before frying. Cold storage converts starch to sugar, causing premature browning and increasing acrylamide.

The Method

1. Cut

Uniform sticks, 10-13 mm square for Belgian-style; 6-8 mm for thinner fries. Inconsistent cuts mean some are raw while others overcook.

2. Soak

Submerge the cut strips in cold water for at least 30 minutes, ideally 1-2 hours. This removes surface starch and reducing sugars - both cause the exterior to blacken before the interior cooks. The water will go cloudy; that’s the point.

3. Dry

Drain and dry thoroughly - towel, salad spinner, or spread on a rack. Wet potato hitting hot oil splatters, drops the oil temperature, and produces steam instead of crust.

4. First fry - cook the interior

Oil at 140-160°C. Fry in batches for 5-8 minutes until cooked through but pale. Do not crowd the pan. The fries should be soft and have no color - this is correct.

5. Rest

Drain on a wire rack for at least 5 minutes. The surface dries further as steam escapes. This step can be done hours ahead or overnight in the fridge.

6. Second fry - build the crust

Oil at 180-190°C. Fry for 2-3 minutes until deep golden. The Maillard reaction needs a dry surface and high heat - both are now in place.

7. Salt immediately

Salt the moment the fries come out of the oil, while the surface is still wet. The hot oil film holds the salt. Salting raw potato draws out moisture and ruins the drying step.

Oil

Oil Notes
Beef tallow Best flavor; stable at high heat; the traditional Belgian and pre-1990 McDonald’s choice
Refined peanut oil Excellent neutral option; high smoke point
Lard Good stability and flavor; similar to tallow
Refined sunflower or canola Decent neutral options; degrade faster with reuse

Avoid unrefined or extra-virgin oils - they smoke at frying temperatures.

Troubleshooting

Problem Cause Fix
Soggy, no crust Surface moisture; oil too cool; skipped rest Dry more thoroughly; check oil temp; rest between fries
Black outside, raw inside Too much sugar on surface; oil too hot Soak longer; lower first-fry temperature
Greasy Oil too cool; not drained properly Maintain temperature; drain on wire rack, not paper
Sticks together in the pan Overcrowded; wet surface Smaller batches; dry more thoroughly

See Also