Chef Johns French Fries Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S COTTAGE FRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
• Combine potatoes, salt, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and herbes de provence in a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil over potatoes and stir to evenly coat.
• Place potatoes on baking sheet, spaced evenly, and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven, flip over each potato slice, and return to the oven for another 15 minutes. Continue cooking and flipping until potatoes are well browned, about 30 minutes. Potatoes should be crispy around edges, but still soft in the center.

CHEF JOHN'S FRENCH FRIES

Steps:

• Soak potato strips in a large bowl of water for about 30 minutes. Pat with paper towels until thoroughly dry.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Gently add potatoes to the hot oil and fry for about 5 minutes, stirring and flipping the potatoes occasionally. Use a slotted spoon to transfer potatoes to a paper towel-lined plate. Let cool completely.
• Heat oil again, but this time to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Add potatoes and fry a second time until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Remove from the deep-fryer and blot with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt to serve.

CHEF JOHN'S FRENCH FRIES

Steps:

• Soak potato strips in a large bowl of water for about 30 minutes. Pat with paper towels until thoroughly dry.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Gently add potatoes to the hot oil and fry for about 5 minutes, stirring and flipping the potatoes occasionally. Use a slotted spoon to transfer potatoes to a paper towel-lined plate. Let cool completely.
• Heat oil again, but this time to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Add potatoes and fry a second time until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Remove from the deep-fryer and blot with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt to serve.

MEAN CHEF'S FRENCH FRIES

Steps:

• Pour oil in a deep fryer or heavy saucepan to reach halfway up the sides of the pan.
• Heat to 325 degrees F, use a deep fry thermometer to determine this.
• While the oil is heating, peel the potatoes and push through a French fry cutter to form uniform sticks.
• As you go, place the cut potatoes in a bowl of ice water to release some of the starch and to keep them from browning.
• Dry the potato strips thoroughly, this will keep the oil from splattering.
• Fry the potatoes in batches so the pan isn't crowded and the oil temperature does not plummet.
• Cook for 3 minutes until they are soft but not browned.
• Remove the potatoes with a long-handled metal strainer and drain on brown paper bags.
• Bring oil temperature up to 375 degrees F.
• Return the par-fried potatoes to the oil in batches and cook a second time for 4 minutes until golden and crispy.
• Drain on fresh brown paper bags then place in a serving bowl lined with paper towels.
• Salt and serve immediately.