Best French Fries Recipe: A Chef's Secret to Restaurant-Quality French Fries Is Out (3 Ingredients) by Chef Gigi

Want to make french fries like a chef? Like the pros, you should always soak your potatoes in water, which rinses off the excess starch and prepares them for subsequent frying in fat. Like chefs, if you utilize use the proper frying temperatures and select the right fat, your fries will result with an irresistibly crunch you only gain (usually) when dining out.

Here is your chef-approved shopping list for restaurant-style french fries: russet potatoes, kosher salt, duck fat and optional Italian flat-leaf parsley for serving.

If you can’t get duck fat, use beef tallow. The flavor these two fats impart are impossible to recreate. Ask your local butcher or make friends with your favorite restaurant chef and ask them to order it for you. The more fat, the better. It’s very important to follow the frying temperatures and all cooling steps. If you are vegan, fry in a vegetable oil with a high smoking point, such as canola, soy or sunflower oil.

Serve this restaurant-quality gluten-free french fry recipe as a side dish with dinner or as a crispy snack with your favorite dipping sauce. You can't go wrong!

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 20

Ingredients

• 3 - 5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
• kosher salt
• 1/2 - 1 gallon duck fat
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped fine (optional)

Here’s how to make it:

1. Cut the potatoes into strips approximately 1/2- to 3/4-inches wide and 1/2-inch thick. As you cut, submerge them in a bowl filled with iced cold water. 
2. Fill a very large stockpot with cold water, add a little salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lift the potatoes from the cold water with a slotted spoon and cook in the boiling water until fork-tender, 10 to12 minutes. Lift the potatoes from the water and spread out on a paper towel–lined baking sheet.
3. Pat the potatoes dry, replace the original layer of paper towels with dry paper towels and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a deep, heavy pot or deep-fat fryer, bring the fat to a low fry temperature of 275 degrees F over medium-high heat.
5. Working in batches, fry the chilled potatoes for 3 to 5 minutes before lifting them from the hot oil with a slotted metal spoon and spreading onto an unlined, unprepared baking sheet. 
6. Allow the oil to reach its heat again in between batches. Place first fried potatoes back into the cooler again for about 15 minutes. While the potatoes chill, raise the heat on the fat or adjust to 375 degrees F. 
7. Fry the chilled potatoes again until golden brown and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes, working in batches and letting the fat regain its heat between each batch. Break apart any fries that are sticking together and, if necessary, turn them so they brown evenly.
8. With a slotted spoon, transfer the fries to a shallow bowl. Add the parsley and toss to mix. Season with salt and serve warm. Added fresh chopped garlic for an additional layer of flavor. Store any leftover french fries in an airtight container in the fridge. I like to reheat in a hot oven.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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