I’ve never been a fan of steak fries. The ratio of crisp crust to fluffy interior is all off for me. I like that crunchy, slightly greasy crust, and with a thick steak fry, you get so little of it compared to the vast expanse of relatively bland interior. But what if there were a way to increase the crispness of the exterior? To build up a crust even more substantial than with my regular thin and crispy fries? Here’s a thought: if double-frying fries gives them a nice thick crust, would triple-frying or even quadruple-frying improve them even more? Only one way to find out. I made several batches of thick-cut fries (I’m talking ½ inch thick), using my thin-and-crispy fry technique as the baseline. The first batch I made exactly according to the directions. For the second, I fried them once at 360°F for 50 seconds and allowed them to cool, then fried them again for another 50 seconds and allowed them to cool, and finally fried them a third time until completely crisp and golden brown. For the third and fourth batches, I increased the total number of frying stages to four and five, respectively.
Notes: For best results, it’s imperative that you use an accurate instant-read thermometer and timer during frying. After the optional freezing in step 3, the fries can be stored in a zipper-lock freezer bag in the freezer for up to 2 months; cook them directly from frozen, as in step 4. Peanut oil is the best oil for deep-frying, but canola, vegetable oil, or shortening will work as well.
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 pounds russet (baking) potatoes (about 4 large), peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick fries (keep in a bowl of water until ready to cook)
- 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- Kosher salt
- 2 quarts peanut oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Place the potatoes and vinegar in a medium saucepan, add 2 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until the potatoes are fully tender but not falling apart, about 10 minutes. Drain and spread them on a paper-towel-lined rimmed baking sheet. Allow to dry for at least 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil to 400°F in a Dutch oven or large wok over high heat. Add one-third of the fries to the hot oil (the oil temperature should drop to around 360°F) and cook for exactly 50 seconds, agitating the potatoes occasionally with a wire-mesh spider, then transfer to a second paper-towel-lined rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining potatoes (working in two more batches), allowing the oil to return to 400°F before each addition. Allow the potatoes to cool to room temperature, at least 30 minutes.
- Repeat step 2 twice more, allowing the fries to cool for 30 minutes after each fry. Set the pot of oil aside. At the end of this stage, when the potatoes have been boiled once and fried three times, they can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 hours or, for best results, frozen in a single layer at least overnight. (Then, for longer storage, transfer to a zipper-lock freezer bag.)
- Return the oil to 400°F over high heat. Fry half of the potatoes until crisp and light golden brown, about 3½ minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain the oil at around 360°F. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl lined with paper towels to drain and immediately season with salt. The cooked fries can be kept hot and crisp on a wire rack set on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven while you cook the second batch. Serve immediately.
Each successive frying session delivers crisper French fries with a substantial crust that will make you question all other fries you’ve had before. The process may be labor-intensive, but the reward is well worth the effort. By repeating the frying process, the starch granules burst, and the gelatinized starch layers build up, resulting in a thick and crisp exterior that perfectly complements the fluffy interior of the potato. I’m not going to lie: these fries are a pain in the butt to make. They are a project, and you’ve got to devote a significant amount of time to them. But man, are they killer. This is a path you don’t want to start down unless you are prepared to be eternally spoiled for regular French fries. You’ve been warned.
