Fry Stand Fries, At Home.

I used to think achieving fry stand quality fries at home was out of the question. I guess I just assumed it was something you needed an industrial fryer for, or a special kind of potatoes. See the thing was I just didn't know. Then I started dabbling if you will, with making baked fresh cut fries, they were good but they are not the fry stand fries. Not the kind of fries you want to smother in gravy and top with cheese curds (I know, I know my Canadian is showing). Not the kind of fries you want to make a whole batch of my fry sauce for. (keep reading for the recipe, you won't regret it). More like just good ketchup fries. I finally put on my big girl pants, bought a frying thermometer and very cautiously tried to deep fry them on my stove. Man, what a world of difference, but the real change came when I started doing a series of things. Such as soaking the potatoes after cutting for hours, and double frying, salting the second they come out of  the hot oil. 


The first thing you need to do is select the perfect potato. I'm using russet because that's almost always what I have on hand. And for a good reason, they cook up fluffy in the middle and achieve optimum crispiness on the outside. You're going to cut your fries to the size you prefer, I am doing a pretty standard size. Not a chunky fry or a wedge, but not quite a shoe string. If you want to do chunkier or thinner you may need to adjust the fry time the first time around. My incredible Mom, after seeing my Crispy Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries recipe brought me my new favourite kitchen toy. The fry cutter!😱 It makes the most perfect, uniform fries and it's so quick. If you don't have one sorry, I wish I could send you mine to borrow. 

You may have noticed I didn't say peel your potatoes, I personally like a rustic, unpeeled fry so I don't. It also may have something to do with peeling potatoes being my #1 least favourite cooking chore. Fry stand fries typically aren't peeled anyway. Do you. 

Once you have your potatoes cut, grab a large bowl of cold water and put all the potatoes in. Give them a good stir around and drain the water from the bowl. Keeping the fries in the bowl add more clean water, stir around and dump. Not only at this point are we washing the potatoes from dirt etc, but we are removing a good amount of the chalky starch. Now finally add cold water to your bowl with potatoes one last time, cover it and leave the potatoes in it for at least a couple hours. You can do overnight even. If you're doing over night you will just need to find a spot in the fridge for the bowl. I do about 4 hours so just add the coldest water I can get from my tap, then top it off with a tray of ice cubes.







When you're ready to get cooking, drain your potatoes and spread them around on a clean dish towel and roll up the towel.  You want your potatoes to be as dry as possible.






Grab a heavy bottomed pot with high sides, your frying thermometer and a jug of vegetable oil. I have read/hear peanut oil is the best for frying foods, but it's quite honestly expensive. One time I splurged to try it and the oil ended up burning? and didn't make the food great. Good ol' vegetable oil has never failed me and makes perfect fries.  Safely first for sure so please note the amount of oil i have in my pot. I have more than enough room to add the potatoes and the oil to do a big bubble up without risking it overflowing. I always have an open box of baking soda on my counter beside my stove when frying because just in case something does happen and a grease fire starts you will need something to deal with it right away. Water will not put out a grease fire it will make it worse. Baking soda, baking powder, flour etc will do the job. But that's worst case, don't freak out just make sure you're being safe when frying and not multitasking. Heat your oil to around the 300° mark and in batches add some of your potatoes. 


The first time you put fries in it's going to bubble pretty good - this is from any left over water on the potatoes. I did dry them the best I could but a bit is bound to be left. Again note the space remaining in my pot. 
The bubbles will calm down, continue to fry for about 5 mins trying to keep the heat around the 300° mark.

Once the 5 minutes is up, remove the fries to a paper towel lined tray. The potatoes should be soft all the way through. A good way to test is to try and squish one while they're still in the oil, if it squishes no problem it's time for them to come out. You will need to adjust your cook time depending on the size you cut the potatoes.

Continue to fry in batches until all of your potatoes are cooked and resting on a paper towel lined tray.

Turn your heat up and raise the temperature of your oil to 350-375° area. Get another paper towel lined pan ready, and place your salt next to it. Once your oil is in that temperature area, in batches you're going to again fry your fries. The potato is already cooked through so the goal here is crispiness! This will happen pretty fast so stay watching. They will start to become golden. When they're at your desired crispiness remove them to your new paper towel lined pan, and immediately salt them. You need to salt them quickly after they come out of the oil, that's the trick to perfectly salted fries. Salt them while they're still shiny with hot oil. The oil will disappear and leave the salt stuck to the fry. 






I probably could have taken my fries to a little bit of a more golden colour, but my wings were done and I was hungry! But seriously look at these wings! 😍 Those are oven baked! OVEN BAKED y'all! here is my recipe for those.











Now what to dip the perfect fry in? Ketchup is fine, but kinda boring. Try my fry sauce. It's magic and also so simple.

This will make enough for probably 4 servings. In a small bowl mix together:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tsp yellow mustard
• 2 tsp dill pickle juice
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Black pepper
• 1 tsp dry dill
• 3-4 dashes Worcestershire sauce

I know it sounds odd but oh man is it good. You won't be disappointed I promise.  

Anywho, I hope you all enjoy my fries/fry sauce as much as I do. Safe frying.