Improperly cooked french fries are limp, greasy, or soggy and often over-browned. These problems all arise from the improper handling of starch and sugar when exposed to high heat.
Why are French fries not crunchy?
Perhaps most important, water on the surface can inhibit crispness and produce greasy fries. Remember that the surface starch absorbs nearby moisture and seals the surface. If you don’t dry the potatoes, you won’t get a dry surface that seals.
Why are some mcdonalds fries soft?
“The error everyone makes is closing the top of the bag that contains the [fries],” Bouchet, who worked at McDonald’s as a teenager, told WOMI. He added that while you may think closing the bag keeps your fries hot, it actually traps in steam which creates moisture inside the bag — and thus, mushy fries.
Does too much oil make fries soggy?
If you put the second basket of fries into oil that isn’t at the recommended temperature, too much oil can get absorbed into the product itself. Hence, soggy fries and unhappy customers.
Why are my French fries chewy?
Those guys make it look easy — creating fries that are crispy on the outside but soft and pillowy on the inside — because they have a few tricks up their sleeves. Use the wrong potato, and the fries will turn out chewy. Choose an ill-suited fryer oil, and the potatoes can taste terrible.
Why do you soak French fries before cooking?
The soaking, Mr. Nasr said, is the secret to the crisp texture of the fries. It draws out the starch, making them more rigid and less likely to stick together. The cooks fry them twice, first blanching them until slightly limp in peanut oil heated to 325 degrees, and again in 375-degree oil to crisp and brown them.
Why are my fried potatoes mushy?
Because they are already cooked, they don’t take much oil or time in oil to crisp up. If frying hash browns on a griddle, put the oil on first and allow it to heat up, then add the potatoes. Pouring cool or room temp oil over the potatoes is a sure fire way to end up with soggy spuds.
What happens if you don’t Soak potatoes before frying?
You will only get crispiness if enough water has left that outer part of your fry. Secondly, the starch in the potato cooks (which we’ve elaborated on in far greater detail here). Upon cooking the starch absorbs water and swells up. The other major process taking place is the Maillard reaction.
How do you make french fries not soggy?
If your fries are soggy after the first time frying them, there’s even a method that allows you to fry them a second time. Some users suggest frying it the first time until the insides are ready. From here, you will let them cool off. Then, you fry them again.
What does Chick Fil A fry their fries in?
Waffle-cut potatoes cooked in canola oil until crispy outside and tender inside.
How do you make McDonald’s fries soft?
Drain, rise twice with cold water, then pat them completely dry.
- Fry in batches at 300°F for about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside on a paper towel.
- They will be very soft. (This is a good thing.)
- Add vegetable shortening to the oil.
- Season immediately with salt and serve!
Are McDonald’s fries actually potatoes?
They’re real potatoes
Yes, it might be a shocker but McDonald’s French fries are actually made with real potatoes.
How much oil do you use to fry french fries?
Heat 3 to 4 inches oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Use a thermometer to ensure the temperature is correct: 325 degrees for French fries, 375 degrees for shoestring and basket-weave fries.
How do french fries absorb less oil?
If frozen too long (ice crystals form) the potatoes can be soggy and absorb more oil. If the frying oil is at too low a temperature (we recommend 350 degrees F) the fries will absorb too much oil.
Should you soak potatoes in salt water before frying?
Why use salt water for soaking potatoes? There’s moisture naturally found in potatoes, and moisture is drawn to higher concentrations of salt. (This is a process called osmosis.) So, if you put the potatoes in a salt water bath, that will help draw out some of their moisture, resulting in crispier fries.
Does Mcdonalds soak their fries in sugar water?
Once arrived at the plant, the potatoes are peeled and forced through a cutter at 65 MPH to make uniform fries. They’re then briefly immersed in hot water to remove excess natural sugars for color reasons.
Does soaking potatoes in water make them soggy?
Do soak small cuts of potatoes only for a short time. Small cuts, like diced potatoes, get waterlogged faster, so are best kept in cold water for a short time, like while you prep other ingredients. Bigger cuts, on the other hand, can hang out happily in water for 8-12 hours.
What makes a good French fry?
Though tastes and preferences differ, the perfect French fry generally has a crunchy exterior and a light, fluffy interior. Finding the right balance is tricky, though, as making French fries that are too crispy will result in a tough exterior that goes beyond crispiness.
How do you keep French fries crispy after frying?
The best way to keep fried foods crispy? Just place them on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. If you’re frying multiple batches, throw the whole setup into a low oven to keep everything warm as you keep frying and adding to the rack.
How long should you soak potatoes before frying?
Allow them to soak, 2 to 3 hours. (You can also stick them in the fridge and let them soak overnight.) When you’re ready to make the fries, drain off the water and lay the potatoes on 2 baking sheets lined with paper towels. Blot with paper towels to dry them.
Is it better to boil potatoes before frying?
It’s best to parboil the potatoes first before pan frying to get cooked tender inside. In my experience, not boiling the potatoes first will result in not well cooked inside but crispy outer potatoes. Unless you are cutting the potatoes extra thin (which makes it like potatoes crips) then it’s best to boil first.
Do you have to soak homemade french fries?
Soaking the sliced potatoes is the fundamental first step of making proper french fries. The soaking process removes the troublesome starch on the outside of the potato, which will help the fries achieve the perfect crispness.
Why do you soak potatoes in milk?
The milk gives them a creamier texture and a little more body and richness.
Does soaking potatoes in cold water make them crispier?
The additional step of allowing the peeled, washed and cut potatoes to soak in cold water removes excess potato starch from the outside. This will help with the crisping up of the potatoes when they bake or roast. Soaking the potatoes in cold water also prevents the potatoes from browning too fast when cooking.
Why should you double fry french fries?
Theory #1: “The first fry gets the outside to create a water tight barrier. That way, when you fry them the second time, they stay moist.” Or, Theory #2: “The first fry cooks them through to the center—if you skipped that step, your fries would brown on the outside, but still be raw in the middle.”
How do you make McDonald’s fries crispy?
Here’s the short answer. The best way to reheat McDonald’s fries is to first microwave them covered with a damp paper towel for 10 seconds. Next, re-crisp the fries by putting them in a 350°F (180°C) air fryer for 20-30 seconds. Alternatively, you can use the broiler or a dry skillet to add the crisp back to the fries.
Can you make soggy fries crispy again?
Just set it to 350˚, then place your leftover fries in a single layer in the fryer basket and heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until your desired crispiness has been reached.
Does Chick-fil-A soak their chicken in pickle juice?
Well before being fried to perfection, the chicken breasts are brined with pickle juice for super-juicy, tender meat.
Which fast food has healthiest fries?
An essential daily guide to achieving the good life
- Chick-Fil-A Waffle Potato Fries.
- Wendy’s Natural-Cut Fries.
- Jack In The Box French Fries.
- KFC Seasoned Potato Wedges.
- Sonic Natural Cut Fries.
- Arby’s Curly Fries (*Snack Size)
- Burger King French Fries (*Value Size)
- McDonald’s World Famous Fries.
Why is McDonald’s fries so good?
To mimic the chain’s original oil blend, which was mostly beef tallow, the oil is laced with chemical flavoring to replicate that mouthwatering smell. In other words, the delicious scent we know and love is actually the smell of potatoes cooked in beef fat, an aroma so powerful it makes the fries seem even tastier!
Why do McDonald’s fries taste different?
McDonald’s fries are different around the world
This is thanks to the addition of “natural beef flavour”, which contains a milk extract. However, in Britain and other European countries, this ingredient is not included, making them vegan friendly and subtly different from their US counterparts.
How do you ask for fresh fries?
The fresh fries hack
So how do you ensure that you get those piping hot fries each time? According to one Quora user who works at McDonald’s, all you have to do is make one simple request: “If you want fresh fries, order them sans salt.
Why do McDonald’s fries not mold?
Without moisture, mold can’t grow, and McDonald’s french fries are soaked in hydrogenated oil — saturated fat which increases shelf life and maintains flavor. As the french fries cool, they’re essentially sealed by the hardening saturated fat, which in turn seals off moisture.
What makes McDonald’s addictive?
According to Miller, it’s actually the saltiness of a McDonald’s fry that sends your brain into a pleasurable overdrive. “Eating salty foods triggers the release of dopamine, a happy-hormone, brain chemical that stimulates feelings of pleasure and satisfaction,” she explained.
Does McDonald’s fries have plastic?
McDonald’s fries are never molded, or “formed,” into the thin strips consumers see, according to Gibson. Instead, they’re machine-sliced, blanched to remove their natural sugars and prevent discoloration, then coated in a “textural solution” to even out the look.
What oil does Mcdonald’s use for fries?
The suppliers we work with first peel, cut and blanche the potatoes. They then dry, partially fry and quickly freeze the fries for our restaurants. Once in our kitchens, we cook them in our canola-blend oil so you can have them crispy and hot—just the way you like them.
What’s the best oil for french fries?
Refined peanut oil is the best oil to use for making french fries. You can also use canola or safflower oil. Additionally, restaurant fries are so crispy because, among other things, they use old oil continuously.
What kind of oil is best for deep frying french fries?
Peanut oil is excellent for deep frying because it has a high smoke point that allows the fries to cook efficiently with nice crispy edges. Also, peanut oil does have a faintly nutty flavor that will not change the flavors or colors of the fries.
Do you boil fries before frying?
A properly made fry must hit the oil twice–once at a lower temperature, and then again at 350 degrees Fahrenheit–to get the perfect creamy interior and crunchy exterior. Before all that, though, the secret is to briefly poach them in boiling water (or “blanch” them) before they go into the hot oil.
Is it better to fry potatoes in butter or oil?
Using both butter and oil to fry the potatoes gives you the best of both worlds. The butter will impart a delicious buttery flavor to the potatoes and the oil will keep the butter from burning.
Why did McDonald’s change their french fries in 1990?
The switch was all because of a man named Phil Sokolof. After having a heart attack in 1966, Sokolof began lobbying against cholesterol and fat in fast food, specifically targeting McDonald’s. He eventually got the company’s attention, leading the chain to stop cooking its fries in beef tallow in 1990.
Why my french fries are not crispy?
For crisp, firm fries, fry twice
Ideally, this is when the surface starch absorbs the last remaining bit of moisture, expands more, and seals the surface for crispness. You do need to have the cooking time for high-starch potatoes just right. If you cook them too long, they’ll run out of internal moisture.
Why are my french fries chewy?
Those guys make it look easy — creating fries that are crispy on the outside but soft and pillowy on the inside — because they have a few tricks up their sleeves. Use the wrong potato, and the fries will turn out chewy. Choose an ill-suited fryer oil, and the potatoes can taste terrible.
What is the coating on frozen french fries?
Coated fries outperform regular fries, every single serving
Because our coated fries are covered in a very thin, practically invisible, layer of potato starch, they’re transformed into what you could call ‘super-fries’.
Are McDonald’s fries made from mashed potatoes?
Mythbusters host Grant Imahara asks the French fry makers to answer questions everyone asks themselves, like, “Are French fries made of mashed potato goo?” (A: No, they’re made from real Russet Burbank, Ranger Russet, Umatilla Russet, and Shepody potatoes), and, “How do you get the perfectly shaped French fry?” (A: You …
What are McDonald’s French fries made of?
Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Natural Beef Flavor [Wheat and Milk Derivatives]*, Citric Acid [Preservative], Dextrose, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (Maintain Color), Salt.
What does baking soda do to french fries?
We’ve made a few tweaks to the triple-cooking technique: First, we provide an easy way to find the ideal potatoes for frying. Next, we brine the potatoes in a solution that includes glucose and baking soda, which elevate the pH slightly, ensuring a deeper golden-brown crust.
Why Soak potatoes before making fries?
The soaking, Mr. Nasr said, is the secret to the crisp texture of the fries. It draws out the starch, making them more rigid and less likely to stick together. The cooks fry them twice, first blanching them until slightly limp in peanut oil heated to 325 degrees, and again in 375-degree oil to crisp and brown them.
What happens if you don’t Soak potatoes before frying?
You will only get crispiness if enough water has left that outer part of your fry. Secondly, the starch in the potato cooks (which we’ve elaborated on in far greater detail here). Upon cooking the starch absorbs water and swells up. The other major process taking place is the Maillard reaction.
What does Chick Fil A fry their fries in?
Waffle-cut potatoes cooked in canola oil until crispy outside and tender inside.
What does Burger King fry their fries in?
The fries are cooked in trans fat-free vegetable oil and do not contain animal products, Burger King said. On December 16 Burger King is promoting its new fries by giving away $1 “value” portions for free. The new fries will be available outside the United States in 2012.
What does soaking potatoes in vinegar do?
Boiling the potatoes in a salt and vinegar bath allows them to soak up all of that briny flavor before you dry them off and crisp them up in the oven. The result is a soft-in-the-center, crispy-on-the-outside potato that’s loaded with flavor.
How long should you soak potatoes?
Give them a cold water bath: Once your potatoes are chopped, toss them into a large bowl. Then cover the potatoes completely with cold water and let them soak for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight). This will help to rinse off the excess starch and help the potatoes crisp up beautifully in the oven.
What does boiling potatoes in baking soda do?
They suggest adding baking soda (bi-carb soda) to the water you boil your potatoes in to help them go crispy in the oven.
How do you keep fries from getting soggy after frying?
First fry them till they are cooked, but still pale on the outside. Then let them cool off. Then fry them again, till they are crispy. This should improve overall crispiness, but also potentially keep sem good for longer, as you´ll reduce water content.
Should you soak potatoes in salt water before frying?
Why use salt water for soaking potatoes? There’s moisture naturally found in potatoes, and moisture is drawn to higher concentrations of salt. (This is a process called osmosis.) So, if you put the potatoes in a salt water bath, that will help draw out some of their moisture, resulting in crispier fries.
What kind of potatoes are best for fries?
What type of potato makes the best french fries, Russets. This mealy potato is high in starch and low in moisture which makes them absolutely delicious for french fries. The russets do not stop there, the high starch content makes for a fluffy baked potato.
How hot should the oil be for french fries?
Heat to 325 degrees F, use a deep fry thermometer to determine this. While the oil is heating, peel the potatoes and push through a French fry cutter to form uniform sticks. As you go, place the cut potatoes in a bowl of ice water to release some of the starch and to keep them from browning.