Tried your method. The spuds were tasty, but dry and a bit tough. And it
took very close to an hour before they got even tolerably brown.

Just and ordinary pot on an ordinary kitchen stove. Five potatoes. Full
heat.

Next time, I'll go back to my "two heat" method, but I may try starting
out the first heat in cold oil. When the spuds are tender, I'll take
them out and let the oil get up to about 375 F and then drop 'em in to
brown quickly.

Isaac

Isaac Wingfield wrote:

> Tried your method. The spuds were tasty, but dry and a bit tough. And it
> took very close to an hour before they got even tolerably brown.

I haven't had that experience. Cold oil (enough to cover by about an
inch), drop in spuds and turn the heat on full - all the way. It's never
taken more than 20 minutes when I've done it. I cut mine like "steak
fries." Largish potatoes cut in half lengthwise with 1/4" to 3/8" slices
cut the full length of the spud half. Skin still on.

And they sound way overcooked. The stages of fried potatoes go from very
moist and crisp (snap when bent) when raw, to slightly crusted (as
surface starches cook) and firm but not crisp when partially cooked, to
browned crust on the outside and moist, creamy inside when cooked
properly, to thickly crusted outside and dehydrated, tough inside when
overcooked.

Give me more info:
What kind of stove?
What sized pot?
How much oil?
What kind of oil?
How were the potatoes cut - what shapes and sizes?

And a restaurant fact: When we changed oil in our fryers, we reserved a
cup of the old oil (filtered) to add to the new oil. New oil doesn't
brown fried foods as well as older oil, and just adding a little to a
new batch makes a big difference. In the case of this recipe, see if it
doesn't go faster and browner with the same oil, second time around.
Russ Parsons explains the phenomenon in his book, "How to read a French
Fry."

> Just and ordinary pot on an ordinary kitchen stove. Five potatoes. Full
> heat.
>
> Next time, I'll go back to my "two heat" method, but I may try starting
> out the first heat in cold oil. When the spuds are tender, I'll take
> them out and let the oil get up to about 375 F and then drop 'em in to
> brown quickly.

I can't understand it. The oil should get to 375°F in 15 minutes or so.

The two-temperature approach is certainly a classic, but I suspect it
won't work well starting from cold. The first fry should be around 320°F
and the finish-fry at 375°. The whole point of cold oil start is to not
have to consider temperature.

Sorry it didn't work well for you.

Pastorio

Bob (this one) wrote:
> Isaac Wingfield wrote:
>
>> Tried your method. The spuds were tasty, but dry and a bit tough.
>> And it took very close to an hour before they got even tolerably
>> brown.
>
I agree with Bob (this one), that doesn't make much sense.

> And a restaurant fact: When we changed oil in our fryers, we reserved
> a cup of the old oil (filtered) to add to the new oil. New oil doesn't
> brown fried foods as well as older oil, and just adding a little to a
> new batch makes a big difference. In the case of this recipe, see if
> it doesn't go faster and browner with the same oil, second time
> around.
(snippage)

I can attest to this! Seems I'm waxing nostalgic lately but there was a
place in Memphis named Dyer's that deep fries hamburgers. They used only
ground top round, formed into meatballs, flattened and and slipped into deep
hot oil. When they floated, they were done. But that's not the point. The
point is they strained the grease nightly and then added fresh oil. But
they never *ever* dumped out the old oil. Rumour has it some of the
original oil from the first batch back at the turn of the *last century* was
still being used. Wouldn't surprise me.

http://www.hollyeats.com/Dyers.htm

They moved from the original location around 1994, which was a hole in the
wall in midtown Memphis. There was a police escort for the precious 100
year old oil when they relocated. (Okay, that's stupid, but it's true.)

They do not cook their french fries in the same oil as they do the burgers
but I'll bet they use the same philosophy and don't toss out the oil every
night when they clean the deep fryers for the fries.

Jill

P.S. These burgers might well give you a heart attack but they are to DIE
for, with good reason! I've never had any burger taste as good in my life!

On Thu 28 Jul 2005 12:22:49a, jmcquown wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> Bob (this one) wrote:
>> Isaac Wingfield wrote:
>>
>>> Tried your method. The spuds were tasty, but dry and a bit tough.
>>> And it took very close to an hour before they got even tolerably
>>> brown.
>>
> I agree with Bob (this one), that doesn't make much sense.
>
>> And a restaurant fact: When we changed oil in our fryers, we reserved
>> a cup of the old oil (filtered) to add to the new oil. New oil doesn't
>> brown fried foods as well as older oil, and just adding a little to a
>> new batch makes a big difference. In the case of this recipe, see if
>> it doesn't go faster and browner with the same oil, second time
>> around.
> (snippage)
>
> I can attest to this! Seems I'm waxing nostalgic lately but there was a
> place in Memphis named Dyer's that deep fries hamburgers. They used
> only ground top round, formed into meatballs, flattened and and slipped
> into deep hot oil. When they floated, they were done. But that's not
> the point. The point is they strained the grease nightly and then added
> fresh oil. But they never *ever* dumped out the old oil. Rumour has it
> some of the original oil from the first batch back at the turn of the
> *last century* was still being used. Wouldn't surprise me.
>
> http://www.hollyeats.com/Dyers.htm
>
> They moved from the original location around 1994, which was a hole in
> the wall in midtown Memphis. There was a police escort for the precious
> 100 year old oil when they relocated. (Okay, that's stupid, but it's
> true.)
>
> They do not cook their french fries in the same oil as they do the
> burgers but I'll bet they use the same philosophy and don't toss out the
> oil every night when they clean the deep fryers for the fries.
>
> Jill
>
> P.S. These burgers might well give you a heart attack but they are to
> DIE for, with good reason! I've never had any burger taste as good in
> my life!

I've read about Dyer's before, but never saw any pictures. They look SO
good! If I ever make it back to Memphis, it's a sure stop for me!

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974


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In article >,
"Bob (this one)" > wrote:

> Isaac Wingfield wrote:
>
> > Tried your method. The spuds were tasty, but dry and a bit tough. And it
> > took very close to an hour before they got even tolerably brown.
>
> I haven't had that experience. Cold oil (enough to cover by about an
> inch), drop in spuds and turn the heat on full - all the way. It's never
> taken more than 20 minutes when I've done it. I cut mine like "steak
> fries." Largish potatoes cut in half lengthwise with 1/4" to 3/8" slices
> cut the full length of the spud half. Skin still on.
>
> And they sound way overcooked. The stages of fried potatoes go from very
> moist and crisp (snap when bent) when raw, to slightly crusted (as
> surface starches cook) and firm but not crisp when partially cooked, to
> browned crust on the outside and moist, creamy inside when cooked
> properly, to thickly crusted outside and dehydrated, tough inside when
> overcooked.

My stages were raw, bubbling, white and very soft (far too fragile to
stir), white and getting dry on the outside, white and getting really
tough and beginning to shrink, still white and shrinking some more,
slightly brown and tough, and finally nicely brown and tough. But tasty.

> Give me more info:
> What kind of stove?

An old but very servicable "Wedgewood". Used a "big" burner.

> What sized pot?

Used the aluminum container from my old deep-fat fryer; probably three
quarts total.

> How much oil?

1 quart; just covered the spuds

> What kind of oil?

Generic Crisco; a brand new bottle, but not for any particular reason;
we'd just used up the previous batch of "old oil".

> How were the potatoes cut - what shapes and sizes?

Used the "french fry" blade on my mandolin.

Maybe that's the problem; mine had too much surface area?

Isaac

Isaac Wingfield wrote:
> In article >,
> "Bob (this one)" > wrote:
>
>>Isaac Wingfield wrote:
>>
>>>Tried your method. The spuds were tasty, but dry and a bit tough. And it
>>>took very close to an hour before they got even tolerably brown.
>>
>>I haven't had that experience. Cold oil (enough to cover by about an
>>inch), drop in spuds and turn the heat on full - all the way. It's never
>>taken more than 20 minutes when I've done it. I cut mine like "steak
>>fries." Largish potatoes cut in half lengthwise with 1/4" to 3/8" slices
>>cut the full length of the spud half. Skin still on.
>>
>>And they sound way overcooked. The stages of fried potatoes go from very
>>moist and crisp (snap when bent) when raw, to slightly crusted (as
>>surface starches cook) and firm but not crisp when partially cooked, to
>>browned crust on the outside and moist, creamy inside when cooked
>>properly, to thickly crusted outside and dehydrated, tough inside when
>>overcooked.
>
> My stages were raw, bubbling, white and very soft (far too fragile to
> stir), white and getting dry on the outside, white and getting really
> tough and beginning to shrink, still white and shrinking some more,
> slightly brown and tough, and finally nicely brown and tough. But tasty.

My diagnosis is oil not hot enough at any stage, plus new oil.

>>Give me more info:
>>What kind of stove?
>
> An old but very servicable "Wedgewood". Used a "big" burner.

I guess I should have asked gas or electric. I was asking about heat
source, not very clearly. Wedgewood doesn't mean anything to me.

My sense is that the big burner isn't delivering enough heat intensely
enough.

>>What sized pot?
>
> Used the aluminum container from my old deep-fat fryer; probably three
> quarts total.

You want something more substantial than that; I assume it's a
thin-walled pot. Thicker walls to absorb heat and release it into the oil.

Why didn't you do it in the deep fryer? It's designed for frying.

>>How much oil?
>
> 1 quart; just covered the spuds
>
>>What kind of oil?
>
> Generic Crisco; a brand new bottle, but not for any particular reason;
> we'd just used up the previous batch of "old oil".

Don't discard all the old oil, and I'm assuming you mean "used" oil that
you cooked with before. Save some to add to the new oil. Things brown
substantially better that way.

>>How were the potatoes cut - what shapes and sizes?
>
> Used the "french fry" blade on my mandolin.
>
> Maybe that's the problem; mine had too much surface area?

Nope. Can't have too much surface area.

Conclusion: the stove doesn't turn out enough heat to do this well.

OTOH, you talk about double frying and I was assuming that you did it on
the stove. If you do, then something about what you're doing here is
amiss. If you do it in the deep fryer, then do this in there.

Do you rinse the spuds after cutting them? If you do, make sure you dry
them well. Otherwise evaporation of that water will make the heat rise
happen much more slowly.

Pastorio

In article >,
"Bob (this one)" > wrote:

> Isaac Wingfield wrote:
> > In article >,
> > "Bob (this one)" > wrote:
> >
> >>Isaac Wingfield wrote:
> >>
> >>>Tried your method. The spuds were tasty, but dry and a bit tough. And it
> >>>took very close to an hour before they got even tolerably brown.
> >>
> >>I haven't had that experience. Cold oil (enough to cover by about an
> >>inch), drop in spuds and turn the heat on full - all the way. It's never
> >>taken more than 20 minutes when I've done it. I cut mine like "steak
> >>fries." Largish potatoes cut in half lengthwise with 1/4" to 3/8" slices
> >>cut the full length of the spud half. Skin still on.
> >>
> >>And they sound way overcooked. The stages of fried potatoes go from very
> >>moist and crisp (snap when bent) when raw, to slightly crusted (as
> >>surface starches cook) and firm but not crisp when partially cooked, to
> >>browned crust on the outside and moist, creamy inside when cooked
> >>properly, to thickly crusted outside and dehydrated, tough inside when
> >>overcooked.
> >
> > My stages were raw, bubbling, white and very soft (far too fragile to
> > stir), white and getting dry on the outside, white and getting really
> > tough and beginning to shrink, still white and shrinking some more,
> > slightly brown and tough, and finally nicely brown and tough. But tasty.
>
> My diagnosis is oil not hot enough at any stage, plus new oil.
>
> >>Give me more info:
> >>What kind of stove?
> >
> > An old but very servicable "Wedgewood". Used a "big" burner.
>
> I guess I should have asked gas or electric. I was asking about heat
> source, not very clearly. Wedgewood doesn't mean anything to me.

An old, domestic gas stove. A well-regarded label, still in demand by
some folks.
>
> My sense is that the big burner isn't delivering enough heat intensely
> enough.

Could be, butit's all I have, and it's about the size of other large
domestic burners I've used.
>
> >>What sized pot?
> >
> > Used the aluminum container from my old deep-fat fryer; probably three
> > quarts total.
>
> You want something more substantial than that; I assume it's a
> thin-walled pot. Thicker walls to absorb heat and release it into the oil.

I can try that next time.

> Why didn't you do it in the deep fryer? It's designed for frying.

It's electric, and the heating element is nowhere near as capable as a
large gas burner. I stopped using the electric heater years ago.

> > Maybe that's the problem; mine had too much surface area?
>
> Nope. Can't have too much surface area.
>
> Conclusion: the stove doesn't turn out enough heat to do this well.

Or I had too many spuds in the pan. But I did have the burner all the
way up.

> OTOH, you talk about double frying and I was assuming that you did it on
> the stove. If you do, then something about what you're doing here is
> amiss. If you do it in the deep fryer, then do this in there.

I do that on the same burner, on the same stove, in the sane pot.

> Do you rinse the spuds after cutting them? If you do, make sure you dry
> them well.

Yes, I did. And dried them thoroughly.

>Otherwise evaporation of that water will make the heat rise
> happen much more slowly.

Whatever the ultimate reason, I'm sure that was the real problem.

Last house we lived in, I installed a US Range small professional
6-burner cookstove. Now *that* had burners to die for.

Thanks for the discussion/advice.

Isaac