INGREDIENTS
This is what you need:
- large potatoes
- deep-frying oil
optional:
- fry-cutter with wide grid.
Pic1: friesmaking fries at home
Pic2: heavy-duty fry-cutterPic3: my 2-quart deep-fryer
Pic4: keep dreaming — internet picture :-)
with a larger deep-fryer
2017-08-08
Pic5-7: a larger deep-fryer- I tried a bigger deep-fryer to speed up cooking the fries, but was not happy with this model. The heating model lies loose underneath the basket, and the fries cannot be submerged deep enough in the oil. As a result, the expected time gain was not realized, but I wasted a lot more oil.
- I returned it because the grease reservoir leaked.
This is how Belgian vendors serve them:
Pic8-10: vendor fries
fries with Flemish beef stew
Pic11: Flemish culinary heritage - internet picturePic12: as sold by street vendors - internet picture
Pic13: mine
Directions
2020-04-08, shown with crinkle fries
Pic14-16: 1st bake + cooling- Peel the potatoes. Remove eyes and damaged parts.
- Wash and dry the potatoes in a clean kitchen towel.
- Push the potatoes through the fry-cutter with the widest grid.
-
IMPORTANT:
- Do not wash the fries after cutting them. That removes the potato starch.
- Dry the fries in a clean kitchen towel. That will reduce oil spatter.
- Heat your preferred deep-frying oil to 350 ºF.
- Bake 3-4 minutes at 350 ºF.
The fries are still soggy and white at this point, not brown. - Shake the basket occasionally to prevent the fries from sticking together.
Make the batches small enough that the oil keeps bubbling the entire time. - Hang the basket on the edge and allow the oil to drain.
- Spread the fries on a plate with paper towels or a surface with a clean kitchen towel.
- Allow the fries to cool.
To save time, start a second batch during this waiting time.
Pic17-19: 2nd bake- Increase the oil temperature to 380-400 ºF, but stay below the smoking point of your oil.
- Bake the 1st batch for 3-5 minutes until the fries start floating on the surface and begin turning golden brown.
- When done, hang the basket on the edge again to let the oil drain.
- When dry enough, transfer to a serving dish and add salt to taste.
- Serve with your favorite sauce. I prefer mayo, Marielos ketchup.
Belgian pickles are also a favorite, but I can't get them here in the US.
b. crinkle fries
many dates
I haven't bought potatoes as often since 2019, just don't eat that many anymore.
And for fries, I now buy 5-lb. bags of crinkle fries. I find they brown better than the straight-cut fries. But I still use the double-shift frying method as shown above.
3 different dates
Pic20-22: crinkle fries with Flemish beef stew
2020-04-08: with cheese
Pic23-25: crinkle fries with cheese
- For when you want to try something different.
- Sprinkle grated cheese over the fries and cover for a few minutes to let the cheese melt,
or microwave 30 seconds. - Serve and enjoy.
c. Spanish-fried potato fries
2020-03-31 a.o.
This is how Marielos makes her fries when she gets a craving. She cuts them by hand, much finer than I care for and Spanish-fries them stovetop in a frying pan with about 3/4" of oil.
The good thing about this method is that it uses a lot less oil than a deep-fryer.
On the other hand, I don't care very much for these 'shoe-string' fries. When fried until brown, they are completely dried out inside. I prefer my fries with soft, steaming potato inside.
2020-03-31
Pic26-28: Spanish-frying potatoesd. deep-fried quartered potatoes
2020-04-10
Kitcheneering experiment # 238. Not a great success.
As already stated above, potatoes should be parboiled at least 5 minutes before deep-frying them, so they can absorb salt during the cooking. The potatoes should not be boiled to the point they turn to flour when tossed. (Pic34) Keep them firm, that you don't contaminate the frying oil too much.
These pieces are considerably thicker than potato fries and when started raw require longer cooking times than fry-cut potatoes. The center of the potatoes still taste saltless because it cannot be absorbed. Also, unlike fry-cut potatoes, the larger pieces do not come floating at the surface when done, so it may be a bit more difficult to determine when they are done.
2020-04-10
Pic29-31: first pass 5 minutes
Pic32+33: second pass, 6-8 minutesPic34: boiled potatoes vs. deep-fried potatoes