Homemade French Fries

Making your own french fries can sound a little tedious and yes, like a lot of work… but the end result is WELL WORTH THE EFFORT. Trust me! Nothing beats double fried homemade french fries. They taste fresh, have a great crunchy quality to them and YOU control how they are made, which beats the pants off of the science project list of ingredients you find on the package of most french fries you find in your grocer freezer isle.

As a mom I am always looking for ways to make my kids healthy alternatives to store bought frozen, processed foods and for sure french fries fit the bill.

I have tried making homemade french fries for years and have experimented ALOT with different methods, recipes and cooking vessels. But nothing came close to a good old cast iron skillet and patience.

The ultimate objective? Golden crispy fries on the outside with a light fluffy interior. When done right you won’t be able to resist eating them all. Done poorly and you wind up with a soggy, oily mess.

With the right tools and a few tricks you can easily make delicious, healthy alternative french fries at home that, hands down, are far and away better than any frozen bag you grab at the store.

Now before we jump into the recipe there are a few tools you will want on hand and a few tips you will want to keep in mind.

Tip #1:

Buy this right potatoes! Sounds simple right? But when you get into the food store you are inundated with all kinds of options to choose from… which potato makes the best french fries? My personal preference is using large Russet baking potatoes. I find other varieties to be too sweet for my liking or too small to make a nice sized french fry.

Tip #2:

Have on hand a vegetable or potato slicer. This will save you tons of time and make slicing the potatoes effort less. It is a great tool to have in your kitchen gadget cabinet for all sorts of recipes including fried zucchini sticks and vegetables for the grill.

Tip #3:

A fry thermometer is a must have. It is important that you know the temperature of your oil so that you can not only make adjustments to the heat level under your pan but to ensure you don’t make a soggy mess from trying to  fry with oil not to temp or burning your fries with oil that is too hot. A must have for not only french fries but fried chicken, chicken fried steak, fish & chips and all sorts of recipes.

Tip #4:

 A good cast iron skillet can be magical! Cast iron hold heat longer and gives you more control over the temperature during frying recipes. I use mine for everything from chicken fried stead, fish & chips, to french fries and pork chops. An indispensable pan to have in any kitchen. My husband even has one he uses on the grill for his smoky crab cake recipe! And be sure to have a handle cover for your pan… you will thank me later. The handle can get very hot and unless your on the run from the law you will probably want to keep your finger prints… LOL.

Tip #5:

Finally, you will want a good baking sheet and a wire rack… this will help drain off the excess oil and make your life so much easier. trying to drain the oil off on a plate will just cause a headache and create soggy fries. Trust me here! Great for all sorts of recipes including fried chicken. A little trick, save money by cutting in half brown paper shopping bags and place on top of the wire rack resting in a half sheet pan. This will reduce the number of paper towels you need and is a nice way to reduce, reuse and recycle instead of just throwing out those brown bags.

OK… you are now armed and ready to start making some delicious homemade french fries! Once you try this recipe you will never go back to those science fair project frozen french fries again. Hope you enjoy them! Don’t forget to make some of Mamma Rocks Burger and Fries Sauce to dip your homemade fries in!!!!! MMMMMMMM 🙂