Reliable and super easy, anybody can learn how to make crispy homemade French fries. Make them on your stovetop with no special equipment needed or need to monitor oil temperature. So simple.
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Introduction and My Rating
This is the ultimate easy french fry recipe. It just works. Cut. Put in cold oil. Cook for 25 minutes. Eat.
No double frying, no watching temperature on the oil, no catches. The original idea came from famed chef Joël Robuchon so credit to where credit is due.
When I first saw Christopher Kimball present this on a morning show, it was obviously a “me” type recipe. It was simple and logical. I have since seen it on his PBS shows several times.
By starting in cold oil, the interior of the potato has time to cook and get to temperature before the outside starts to crisp. It is like a one-step only double frying of French fries. And since most of the oil absorption happens between the double frying of fries, they are lower in fat by 1/3.
My Rating:
I do love a good French fry.
🥔The Potatoes
Most people will be using Russets potatoes for this, which is fine. Peeling is optional. Wider fries are ok but not thinner than 3/8 inches, and all pieces should be about the same size.
I always feel a potato is a potato, and I feel that it is mostly true here. Kimball and Cooks Illustrated made a big deal of using Yukon gold and implied no others worked well which seems wrong. They may be a bit creamier interior than Russets due to the starch levels being lower, but America is used to Russet fries, and they are fine.
Can I use frozen potatoes? I don’t recommend it. I have not done it and have not seen that others have tied it either.
The Oil
Use a higher temperature oil. I have used peanut oil frequently but more recently used a more standard oil mixture with corn and canola oil.
The oil is not abused by very high temperatures, so it is fine to run it through a strainer and reuse several times.
👨🍳Method
- Trim the potatoes.
- Place in cold oil. Cover completely.
- Cook on high for 15 minutes without touching.
- Stir well once, then continue to cook for about 10 more minutes until golden brown.
📖Potato Recipes
Crispy Baked French Fries
Bacon American Fries
Easy Roasted Red Potatoes
Crispy Smashed Potatoes
🔪Instructions
Start with about 1 1/2 pounds of potatoes. About three medium or two large.
Clean and cut potatoes into 3/8 inch fries. Very easy with a mandolin or use a sharp chef’s knife. BE CAREFUL.
Add fries to a Dutch oven or another large pan. Cover with oil.
Place over high heat. Cook for 15 minutes without touching. It will reach a hard boil after a few minutes. After 15 minutes using tongs or wooden spoon, stir and scrape the bottom to release any stuck fries and to break apart any clumped fries. This is the only time you will stir the fries.
Continue to cook for about another 10 minutes until golden brown. Place into a large bowl lined with multiple paper towels to drain. Salt to taste.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Homemade French Fries
Reliable and super easy, anybody can learn how to make crispy homemade French fries. Make them on your stovetop with no special equipment needed or need to monitor oil temperature. So simple.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time30 mins
Servings/Adjust Amount: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb potatoes – about 3 medium or 3 large
- 4 cups oil – (peanut, canola or other vegetable with high smoking level). Just enough to cover.
- salt – to taste
Instructions
-
Start with about 1 1/2 pounds of potatoes. About three medium or two large. Usually Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes.
-
Clean and cut potatoes into 3/8 inch fries. Very easy with a mandolin or use a sharp chef’s knife. Be careful especially with the mandolin.
-
Add fries to a Dutch oven or other large pan and cover the fries with oil.
-
Place over high heat. Do not cover. Cook for 15 minutes without touching. It will reach a hard boil after a few minutes.
-
After 15 minutes using tongs or wooden spoon, stir and scrape the bottom to release any stuck fries and to break apart any clumped fries. This is the only time you stir.
-
Continue to cook for about another 10 minutes until golden brown.
-
Place into a large bowl lined with multiple paper towels to drain. Salt to taste.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Use the potatoes you want.
- Scale to the amount you want. You can double this recipe but more than that will not work well due to the mass of potatoes.
- You can make fries or wedges but avoid very thin, less than 3/8 inches wide.
- Use a higher temperature oil like peanut, corn, or canola.
- No need to rinse the cut fries in cold water. The starch helps in the browning.
- Keep the lid off the pan to let moisture out.
- Only stir the one time, otherwise, you will be breaking them apart.
- Salt after removing from the oil.
- You can reuse the oil several times. I strain and refrigerate after use.
- Estimate about 1/4 to 1/3 of a pound of raw potato per serving.
- I don’t recommend frozen potatoes for this recipe.
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ADJUST THE RECIPE SIZE:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Easy Homemade French Fries
Amount Per Serving
Calories 258 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Sodium 590mg25%
Potassium 709mg20%
Carbohydrates 31g10%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin C 10mg12%
Calcium 22mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition is generally for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.
All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
Editor’s Note: Originally Published August 6, 2010. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.