Homemade French Fries | The Modern Proper (2024)

October 25, 2022

These crazy delicious, crispy french fries are as easy as they are impressive! You might never buy frozen fries again!

Photography by Gayle McLeod

The Easiest Homemade Fries

There’s not much better than a side of golden-brown crispy fries. We guarantee you’ll love this method for making easy homemade fries. In less than one hour and with only four household ingredients, you’ll get restaurant-quality fries the whole family will adore. We’ve also tested a few different frying methods and can agree that the two commonly missed steps of soaking and double-frying are imperative to the success of your fry-making, taking them from good french fries to great french fries that are nice and crispy. Don’t skip these steps if you want the best homemade french fries! Finish your fries with a dusting of salt and pepper, or if you’d like to make them your own, go wild with all the homemade french fries seasonings like our Oven Fries with Jerk Seasoning. Interested in a sauce? Check out Pantry Essentials: Condiments guide to learn all about items you’ll want to have on hand to create your own, such as our Garlic Aioli.

Why Do You Have to Soak Potatoes Before Frying?

This step is commonly missed in making homemade fries, but it might be one of the most important! Soaking your fries in cold water helps remove excess starch, which allows for crispy, golden fries! The cold water bath also helps the french fries retain their shape and contributes to a fluffy inside. In our homemade french fries recipe, we suggest soaking your potatoes for at least 15 minutes, but if you’d like to do this step ahead of time, they can soak overnight. Avoid excess water on the potatoes: make sure to pat them dry after removing them from the water bath otherwise you’ll end up with limp fries.

How to Keep Your Homemade French Fries Crispy

Potatoes naturally have a high water content. One secret to making the perfect fries is double frying: the first round of frying is at a lower heat which softens the potato and starts the water absorption process, while the second round, at a higher heat, finishes absorbing the water to create the ideal crunchy texture. When making homemade potatoes in oil, we prefer to use refined peanut oil, which is neutral in flavor and great for high-heat frying. Another way to ensure your fries stay crispy is by choosing the correct potato type. As most restaurants do, we use russet potatoes, also known as Idaho potatoes, due to their shape and lower water content. We suggest avoiding waxy potatoes such as red or fingerling. Our final tip for the crispiest french fries is to allow the fries to air-dry in between the first and second fry. This step allows excess oil to drip off, giving you that desirable crunch!

How to Make Homemade French Fries

1. Slice the Potatoes! Cut into ⅓ -inch thick sticks, trying to keep them as uniform as possible so that they fry evenly. You can leave the skin on for a rustic look, but in this recipe, we peel them to get a more golden-brown color!

2. Soak the Potatoes! Secret number one in perfecting homemade french fries: soaking the potatoes removes the starch and allows the fries to become crispy and evenly brown. You don’t want to skip this step!

3. Fry the Potatoes - Twice! Secret number two in perfecting the homemade french fry? Frying the potatoes at not one temperature but two allows for a soft inside and crunchy outside. Make sure you allow the fries to spread out and drip off excess oil between double-frying.

4. Season the Fries! As soon as the piping hot fries come out of the oil, sprinkle them generously with salt and pepper. Toss them using your slotted spatula to distribute the seasoning.
   

Tools You’ll Need for Our Crispy French Fries Recipe

• Sharp Knife or Mandolin

• Kitchen Towels

• Bowls

• Large Pot

• Slotted Spoon

• Baking Sheet

• Deep Fry Thermometer

Do You Love Fries As Much As We Do? Try These Recipes!

We’ll never have enough fries! If you’re looking for fun and festive variations, we suggest :

• Oven Fries with Jerk Seasoning

• Greek Fries (Patates Tiganites)

• Homemade Poutine Recipe

OR, if you’re looking for something to go alongside your delicious homemade fries, try:

• Classic Cheese Burger with Secret Sauce

• Sloppy Joes

• Black Bean Burgers

Thank Goodness it’s Fry-Day!

There’s just something about hot, salty fries that we love! Did you make our Homemade French Fries Recipe? We want to see it! Snap a photo or video and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!