Try these once, and chances you’ll go back to the packaged stuff are slim! Like with any potato preparation, the understanding of starch and sugar which is inherent to the vegetable is a handy bit of information.
Peel: I give the potatoes a quick wash and peel them and keep them in water to avoid oxidation.
Cut: The potatoes are then cut into large batons and washed thoroughly.
Blanch: Blanch the potato batons in hot boiling water for about 3 minutes to get rid of the excess starch on the outside of the batons which helps in getting the golden colour and crunch on the outside.
Drain: Then set aside on a tray lined with paper towels. It’s now that the interesting part of the frying begins. Basically, I use a double frying technique which is what gives the fries their characteristic crispness, even colour and creamy inside.
Oil Blanch: The potato batons are blanched in hot oil at 150 degrees for 3-5 minutes. The potatoes will cook but not turn golden. (If a thermometer is not available, check the temperature by dropping a small drop of water in the oil, the drop will sink to the bottom of the pan and create a splatter as it moves up.) Freeze: This step helps even out the heat distribution and the desired end result. Shake off any excess oil from the fries and dry them out again. Spread them out a tray lined with paper towels and freeze for 2 hours. (You could also package them and freeze them for use on a later date, they hold for days in advance.)
Oil Fry: Remove them from the freezer, let them thaw out a little and finish frying in hotter oil at 190 degrees C (A drop of water would sizzle on the surface of the oil now as opposed to sinking) for another 3-4 minutes until golden brown and delicious, ‘GBD’ we call it. You’ll see how they begin to look like the fries you have at restaurants usually, only more satisfying in this case.
Season: Shake off the excess fat, toss with salt or seasonings of your choice – you can finish the French fries with a little thyme and a drizzle of olive oil and serve hot.