Thin Crispy French Fries
These homemade Thin Crispy French Fries will rival your favorite fast-food version. Pure perfection from your own kitchen.
Learn the tricks on How to Make Crispy French Fries in your own kitchen!!
Why You Must Make
- There is nothing better than hot, freshly made french fries!
- You don’t have to leave your house for crispy fries.
- There are just 4 ingredients and 4 steps to making: boiling, frying, freezing and frying again!
- These are so much better than frozen, then baked French fries.
Ingredient Notes:
- Russet potatoes – Starchy potatoes like russets work best. Keep the cut potatoes in a bowl of water to prevent oxidization or turning brown.
- White vinegar – PRO-Tip: Vinegar adds a slight crust to the fries, helping them retain their shape
- Kosher salt – I prefer coarse salt for fries. Make sure to sprinkle while the fries are hot as this will ensure the salt will stick.
- Peanut oil – Has a higher smoke point than other oils and is best for frying.
How to Make
These homemade fries were the result of a quest for the very best French fries. The recipe comes from Serious Eats and was thoroughly researched by one of their chef contributors, who happens to be an MIT grad.
- Break out the deep fryer. Or in my case, the Dutch oven and digital thermometer. For the first stage of this recipe, the raw fries were boiled in salted, acidulated water till tender.
- There’s obviously some food science involved, but nothing I learned in nursing school (note MIT degree trumps my BSN). After air-drying for a few minutes, the spuds were briefly fried in hot oil before a stint in the freezer.
- Freezing overnight is recommended, but I only had a few hours.
- Right before serving, the oil was reheated and the fries were fried again to a perfect golden brown.
Frequently Asked Questions
American soldiers during WWI were exposed to French fries in Southern Beligium. Since the language spoken in the area was French, the soldiers refered to them as French fries.
Though ketchup is most popular in the US, my Canadian friends enjoyed their fries with vinegar, and others prefer mayonnaise.
First, peel them. Then slice a small piece to make a flat side. With the flat side down, slice planks in your desired thickness lengthwise, from top to bottom. Then slice those planks into fries.
Soaking helps remove some of the starch from the potatoes making them firmer and more likely to hold their shape. The salt in the solution infuses flavor and the vinegar also plays a role (see ingredient note below).
The most common reason is they were not dry enough when fried. After soaking, the fries need to drain on paper towels. Make sure all sides are dry.
These were a home run hit! I can usually restrain myself, but I ate my fair share. Their first salty bath infused them with the needed flavor, so just a light dusting of kosher salt finished them off.
If you have a hankering for homemade fried potatoes, you must try these thin crispy French fries! If you’d like to try your hand at sweet potato fries, they are another fabulous side for your burgers!
You May Also Like
- Bacon-wrapped Smashed Redskin Puffs by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
- French Potato Gratin
- Homemade Potato Bread
- Best Scalloped Potatoes
- Best Side Dish Recipes
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Thin Crispy French Fries
The best French Fry recipe adapted from Serious Eats
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes (3-4 large), cut into 1/4 inch x 1/4 inch strips (keep in a bowl of water)
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- Kosher salt
- 2 quarts peanut oil
Instructions
- Add 2 quarts of water to a large saucepan. Add vinegar and 2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Add potatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes or till potatoes are tender but not falling apart. Drain and spread on paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheet. Allow to dry for five minutes.
- Heat oil to 400°in a large Dutch oven. Add about 1/3 of fries to oil (oil temperature will drop but try to keep at 360º or above). Cook for about a minute, using a spider strainer to gently stir the oil. Remove to a paper towel lined baking sheet. Repeat with the next third of potatoes after oil reheats to 400º, then again with the final third. Let potatoes to cool to room temperature then freeze potatoes overnight (you can fry again before then, but they'll be best when well frozen).
- Return oil to 400° over high heat. Fry half of potatoes until crisp and golden brown, about 3-4 minutes minutes, trying to keep oil around 360°. Let drain on a paper towel lined baking sheet. Salt while hot if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Note that French Fries need to be frozen (overnight suggested) before final frying.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 460Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 177mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 5gSugar: 2gProtein: 6g
47 Comments on “Thin Crispy French Fries”
Such a delicious snack! My kids loved how crispy it is!
We loved these so much, they turned out perfectly!
Your fries look amazing! I so want to fry some food – doughnuts too! I need a new thermometer though. What kind do you have?
these are DAAAAANGEROUUUUUS!!!
These fries look so tasty, I would not stop eating them 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Lizzy,
I love thin crispy fries. When I’m out and fries come with the meal, I always ask the server to burn them. These look delicious.
Annamaria
Your fries look amazing Liz, I love when they done just right. Going to France soon and they have the best, can’t wait!!
I’ve never heard of this technique, but with the way those fries look, Id’ say it’s totally worth the effort. 🙂
French fries are a bit of a weakness of mine so I try and stay away from them but these are certainly very tempting looking. There is something so comforting about salty crispy fries. I wish I had some right now the thought of them is making me hungry!
Crispy fries are the best, these look irresistible!
Hi Liz! I’m so excited to see that you made these fries. They are definitely a bit labor intensive but oh so worth it! We often think that we’ll make extras and freeze them for later after the preboil step but then we end up making the whole batch 🙂
All right Lizzie. You have some explaining to do! I’ve been wanting to make this copy cat French Fry recipe that is supposed to be from some Irish chain and you beat me to it. Well, you can handle the calories and I can’t. I’ve had had that bookmarked for a long time! Damn. They look really good. Pass the ketchup, please!
My husband will only eat crispy French fries. In fact on most Friday evenings we do a carry-out from The Cheesecake Factory. To go with his sliders he requests extra crispy French fries. Whoever picks up the order has to be sure to check those fries to make sure they aren’t soggy or we send them back. Crazy I know but he likes his fries the way he likes them and no other way.
I just saved this recipe and will be sure to try them next time I make burgers. The things we do for love.
Have you ever tried BlackFinns French fries? I think they’re the best I’ve ever had. I feel like they were cooked in carbonated water (seltzer). They’re incredible. Too bad they closed here, although that was really the only thing I liked there. I’m guessing others felt the same way.
I love your homemade fries! I watched a tutorial on making the best chips and yes, it had all those steps but it said you could put the chips in the fridge rather than the freezer. It said resting them in the fridge/freezer creates a crispier chip. What a great thing to make on a snow day xx
They look so very crisp! I wonder if I could bake them after the boiling…probably won’t be as crisp as the fried one.
Geez, those look amazing. I’ve never heard of freezing the potatoes before frying them the second time, but I can see why it would work. It’s actually a genius idea.
I have actually been eyeballing that recipe for a LONG time. I don’t think I should wait any longer to make it, because these basically look like the perfect french fries. I know I wouldn’t be able to restrain myself!
Simple and to the point…. one of the best potato recipes ever! 🙂 These french fries look gorgeous and no one could just eat one or a few. I would say the entire batch would be eaten right out of the fryer. 🙂
They are awesome Liz, so perfect. I couldn’t resist these no matter the hour 🙂
French Fries are my weakness!
Dear Lizzy, Love homemade French fries. They are so much better and healthier. xoxo Catherine
French Fries are a real popular dish around our house — and some seriously delicious comfort food! 😉
I’ve never made French fries at home but your post has me wanting to change this, Liz. If this recipe gets your and Azmina’s approval, I know it’s a winner. 🙂
Ok, now I want some french fries! These look awesome!!
Isn’t Azmina amazing?? And these fries… positively addicting! I don’t own a deep fryer, and I have to admit I’ve never actually really “fried” anything, but you have me thinking I just might need to change that! Amazing recipe and your photos are so tempting.
Well now isn’t this interesting. Perfect fries at home are hard to come by. Great choice!
I’ve never made fries from scratch at home, but these look awesome! I’m going to have to try these!
These fries look great too 😉 want….
Yum, I’m afraid I’d eat way too many of these! Such an interesting technique.
Bravo for mastering the home-made french fry, Liz. Your son should feel very honored to have been the raison d’être of your fantabulous pommel frites!
Oh wow! These look and sound fabulous! Crispy and crunchy are always a hit in my house!
My guilty pleasure!!
I was waiting for the French Fries. I thought there would be several. Perfect choice
Oh my – I should not read this before lunch, I suddenly have a craving for fries! I’ll have to give this a try at home they look fabulous!
Liz, you are SO right!!! What’s a little mess when you get to eat PERFECT thin crispy fries like this?!!! Whoa!!! these are perfect! love!!!!
These look wonderful, Liz. I’m even scared to try them in case I get hooked. They look so crispy, crunchy – perfection!
Mmmm French fries ! Who can resist to them ? They looks amazing !
Really interesting method! I usually double fry — fry first at a lower temperature (blanching the fries, really). Then right before serving at a higher temperature. I’m guessing the boiling kind of acts like the first fry. Fun technique — I have to try this. Thanks!
I had no idea about freezing the fries! I love science! Your fries look perfect.
There is food science involved apparently and you nailed this recipe, Lizzy! I never knew to freeze before frying your own homemade fries. My MIL in Italy makes the most perfect fries every summer and she just whips them out (w/out frying). I think your putting them in fridge trick worked perfectly. Now how to get a plate for lunch!! 🙂
A BSN? Now I understand all that “perfection” in those photos! I worked with RNs for over 20 years and each and every one had that perfection gene that I don’t seem to possess! 🙂 The french fries look delectable and I would be very happy if someone would make them for me – they do seem like lots of work but it’s always nice to have homemade!
I could eat buckets of french fries right now. These look fabulous. We typically pan roast in the oven to get pretty good fries but it doesn’t beat frying. This method is interesting with the double fry. I would fly to your house for some of these!
I never would have thought these steps were involved in making French fries! These look amazing!
You just can’t beat a good crispy frenchfry, Liz.
Oh boy, even at breakfast they look good:@)
Yummy! I don’t think I would want to stop having these until they are finished 😀
I avoid deep frying too, Liz, because it is such a production, but these French fries certainly look worth the effort. I’ve heard of the double frying but never the freeze in between. I may have to give this a try!