I Found The Perfect French Fries

Joshua Weissman

18 Feb 202414:15

Summary

TLDRIn this deep dive into the art of making the perfect French fries at home, the host explores and tests various well-known techniques to recreate restaurant-quality fries. The journey starts from the basic single fry method to more complex procedures like double frying, battering, par-cooking, and the renowned triple-cooked method. Each method is meticulously tested for crunch, fluffiness, and flavor to find the ultimate French fry recipe. The video culminates with a surprising winner, challenging traditional methods and proving that the perfect French fry might just be achievable at home.

Takeaways

😊 It is undisputed that french fries are a beloved food staple across the world
👨‍🍳 The author has long sought to recreate the perfect restaurant-style french fries at home
🔬 Several french fry cooking methods are analyzed in detail to determine the best technique
🥔 Single-fried potatoes lack crunch and fluffiness compared to other techniques
🔥 Double-frying improves texture but still falls short of restaurant quality
🎊 Batter-frying introduces great flavor but the interior potato remains dense
🥧 Parcooking then frying makes a tasty baked potato fry but lacks sufficient crunch
🏆 The triple-cooked method yields the crunchiest, fluffiest and tastiest fries yet
🧂 Brine-frying results in excellent flavor penetration and makes fries that rival triple-cooked
👍 The brined or triple-cooked fries are deemed the best homemade restaurant-quality options

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?
-The main topic is testing different french fry cooking techniques to determine the best method for making restaurant-quality fries at home.
What is the baseline frying method used?
-The baseline is simply cutting potatoes into fries and frying them once.
What are the two main components that make up an ideal french fry?
-The two main ideal components are crunchiness and fluffiness inside.
What is the triple cooked method?
-The triple cooked method parboils the fries, then does a first fry, freezes them overnight, and does a second fry from frozen.
What is special about the brined fries?
-The brined fries have deeper flavor penetration due to the brining process before frying.
Which method produced the best tasting fries?
-The brined fries and the triple cooked fries were the top scoring methods.
Why is it important to season fries immediately after frying?
-Seasoning immediately helps the salt stick to the fries better while they are still hot.
What oil temperature is used for the first fry?
-The first fry is done at a lower temperature of 320°F to par-cook the potatoes.
What is the purpose of the overnight refrigeration step?
-The refrigeration helps develop crunchy starch on the exterior of the potatoes.
What recipe adjustments are suggested in the video?
-The batter can be customized with different spices based on personal taste preferences.