I decided to make my own chips at home and was wondering what oil and types of potatoes are best? I plan to cook them in 2 deep fryers, one to cook them thru and another to crisp them. any tips?

On Jul 24, 3:33 pm, gourmetluv >
wrote:
> I decided to make my own chips at home and was wondering what oil and
> types of potatoes are best? I plan to cook them in 2 deep fryers, one
> to cook them thru and another to crisp them. any tips?
>
Is that "chips" English style, meaning what Americans call "French
fries" or "chips" American style, meaning what the English call
"crisps"?

I'm assuming the former, from your description of the two-stage frying
method (and because I've never tried to make the latter). Use
russets/Idaho/baking potatoes, not the waxy red or white kind.

As to oil, there's health and then there's taste. Animal fats will
give you best taste. If not some suet, then lard, or a simulation
like Crisco. Canola oil is probably the healthiest, but peanut oil is
not unhealthy and will taste better. I have also used safflower oil
with good results. Fast food joints probably use soybean oil.

When you are through, save the oil (filter it) because the fries will
taste better the second time you use it.

You can use just one fryer, of course. Cook the potatoes first at 300
- 325F for about six minutes, then remove and drain them while raising
the oil temperature to 365 - 375F. Fry again for two or three
minutes. I like these better than those that are fried just once.
Besides, you have to do something different from the fast food places
to justify the trouble of doing them yourself. -aem

On Tue, 24 Jul 2007 23:33:06 +0100, gourmetluv
> wrote:

>
>I decided to make my own chips at home and was wondering what oil and
>types of potatoes are best? I plan to cook them in 2 deep fryers, one
>to cook them thru and another to crisp them. any tips?

You need floury or mashing-type potatoes - not waxy ones. If you are
in the US I think it is an Idaho potato. If you are where I am in
New Zealand it is Ilam Hardy or Agria.

I actually cook them in the oven without deep frying them. They are
thus not strictly French fries but oven chips. We like them best
this way because they are more healthy eating.

Good luck.


The Golfer's Wife

Steve Wertz > wrote in news:c8t6orlre1r4
:

> On Tue, 24 Jul 2007 23:25:28 GMT, Steve Wertz wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 24 Jul 2007 23:33:06 +0100, gourmetluv wrote:
>>
>>> I decided to make my own chips at home and was wondering what oil and
>>> types of potatoes are best? I plan to cook them in 2 deep fryers, one
>>> to cook them thru and another to crisp them. any tips?
>>
>> Yeah - you only need one fryer. They're french fries.
>
> Oops, I meant: ^^^ not
>
>
> And since you're posting from Ontario, I assume you mean potato
> chips, not French fries.
>
> -sw
>

If you are talking french fried potatoes as in Fish and Chips...I like to
cut them up then soak them in lightly salted water for a while, overnight
is the best but a hour or two will work. This remove some of the starch.
I cut mine too a smaller size than the english pub style more like a
shoe string size. I prefer to use a waxy red or yukon gold type potato.
Then you follow the fried twice method. Peanut oil works the best but
canola works too.

The same potato and soaking applies to Potato chip or Crisps except you
only need to fry them once. I use a food processor to slice them up. And
peanut oil to cook them in...go with the hotter setting (the one for the
first fry for french fries).

--

The house of the burning beet-Alan

It'll be a sunny day in August, when the Moon will shine that night-
Elbonian Folklore

I use suet when I can find it as an ingredient but have never actually
used it for frying , does it really work ?

Steve

PS Lard for cooking chips in really works, takes me back to my childhood.

aem wrote:
> On Jul 24, 3:33 pm, gourmetluv >
> wrote:
>> I decided to make my own chips at home and was wondering what oil and
>> types of potatoes are best? I plan to cook them in 2 deep fryers, one
>> to cook them thru and another to crisp them. any tips?
>>
> Is that "chips" English style, meaning what Americans call "French
> fries" or "chips" American style, meaning what the English call
> "crisps"?
>
> I'm assuming the former, from your description of the two-stage frying
> method (and because I've never tried to make the latter). Use
> russets/Idaho/baking potatoes, not the waxy red or white kind.
>
> As to oil, there's health and then there's taste. Animal fats will
> give you best taste. If not some suet, then lard, or a simulation
> like Crisco. Canola oil is probably the healthiest, but peanut oil is
> not unhealthy and will taste better. I have also used safflower oil
> with good results. Fast food joints probably use soybean oil.
>
> When you are through, save the oil (filter it) because the fries will
> taste better the second time you use it.
>
> You can use just one fryer, of course. Cook the potatoes first at 300
> - 325F for about six minutes, then remove and drain them while raising
> the oil temperature to 365 - 375F. Fry again for two or three
> minutes. I like these better than those that are fried just once.
> Besides, you have to do something different from the fast food places
> to justify the trouble of doing them yourself. -aem
>

Sorry I wasn't specific. I want to make potato chips (crisps), not french fries.

I had read on another forum it was best to use 2 fryers, I thought it was strange. I'll go with Aem's method.. Cook the potatoes first at 300- 325F for about six minutes, then remove and drain them while raising the oil temperature to 365 - 375F. Fry again for two or three minutes.

Thx for the tips on the types of oil and potatoes to use.

On Jul 25, 12:51 pm, Steve Y > wrote:
> I use suet when I can find it as an ingredient but have never actually
> used it for frying , does it really work ?

Yes, it works, but there was some effort involved (I've only done it a
couple of times). First you have to find a butcher who has it (it's
also sometimes called beef tallow), then you have to render it over
medium heat, then strain through layers of cheesecloth. Throw the
solid strained bits out for the birds. Once rendered, it can be
frozen and kept for at least a month if not longer.

I used it once for fries and once for fried onion rings. The onion
rings were fantastic. -aem

I was talking real chips not crisps, should have been clearer.

My father used to work on a mobile fish and chip wagon and they used
pure lard for frying

Steve

Steve Wertz wrote:
> On Wed, 25 Jul 2007 21:51:27 +0200, Steve Y wrote:
>
>> PS Lard for cooking chips in really works, takes me back to my childhood.
>
> There was something on one of the History Channel's food programs
> that said there was quite a demand for lard-fried PC's in....
> Pennsylvania, I think. Was it Wise or Herr's?
>
> I've never tried it myself. I buy 'em in the bags for $1.49
> rather than smelling up the house.
>
> -sw