Buzz
When it comes to creating the perfect fries, fast food chains have nailed it. It's not that they use the best potatoes (they don’t), or that they rely on some secret spice mix (it’s just salt), or even that they deep fry them (though that helps). The real secret, my friends, lies in the fact that they’re double cooked.
Many restaurants opt for frozen fries, which have already been cooked once. Others—like this one—cut and cook their potatoes in-house, but their fries tend to fall short. As J. Kenji Lopez-Alt discussed with NPR’s The Salt, the issue is moisture. The key to great fries is that second fry to remove excess water:
When food cools, moisture moves from the center to the surface, making it soggy. The second fry is what helps to evaporate that moisture, ensuring a crisp texture.
To be clear, I’m not suggesting you go through the trouble of buying fresh potatoes, cutting them yourself, and frying them twice; once is already tedious enough. Instead, I’m recommending you take a shortcut like the professionals and grab a bag of frozen fries (go for the thinner ones). And like my good friend Jeffrey Morgenthaler once said, fry them in duck fat because you deserve a gourmet experience—one where your fries can complement a steak or a burger with confidence.
I can already hear your thoughts (likely with some disbelief): “That’s a lot of duck fat!” It might seem like a lot if you’re deep frying, but the truth is, you don’t need to deep fry to achieve those perfectly crispy golden fries. A shallow fry will do the trick, and all it takes is just a quarter cup of fat. Can you use another type of fat? Sure. You could opt for beef tallow (for a classic McDonald’s vibe), peanut oil, vegetable oil, or any other oil with a high smoke point. I use duck fat not only for its crisping power, but because it adds a rich, smoky flavor to the tender insides of the fries, which makes me truly happy. To make yourself happy, even if just for a moment, gather these ingredients:
1/4 cup of duck fat
As many fries as you wish
Heat the fat in a large stainless steel or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Once it starts to shimmer slightly, drop in a test fry. If it sizzles right away, you’re good to go—add as many fries as you can fit in a single layer. (If it doesn’t sizzle, let the fat heat up a little more before adding the rest of the fries.)
Let the fries sizzle away, gently swirling and flipping them with a spatula in the hot fat until they turn a light golden brown—this should take about 6-8 minutes. Once done, use tongs or a slotted spatula to remove them, place on paper towels to drain, and sprinkle with salt. Repeat the process, adding more fat as needed, until you have a mountain of fries big enough to feed your hunger. Then, give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back for doing what In-N-Out will not (or maybe cannot, but it feels like a ‘will not’ situation).
