If you’ve ever had frozen french fries, you know how disappointing they can be. They are usually undercooked and soggy, with little taste and a lot of greases. But with some preparation and the right techniques, you can make the best fried french fries on earth! In this article, we will discuss several things about frying frozen french fries. From preparing your pan to cooking time, different oil temperatures, and ways to prevent greasiness. Luckily freezing French fries has become much easier in recent years. Nowadays, many brands offer pre-fried frozen fast-food chains that have developed specific packaging to avoid freezer burn (although it’s still best to keep them in the freezer until ready to use). Here is everything you need to know about frying Frozen French Fries.
Can You Fry Frozen French Fries?
Yes, you can fry frozen french fries. To do this, preheat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan and heat until hot. Add the frozen french fries and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are crisp and golden brown.
What Is The Best Way To Fry Frozen French Fries?
Bring your potatoes to room temperature
If you’re using potatoes that have been sitting in the fridge, let them come to room temperature before you try to fry them. This will make them less likely to cause food poisoning. If you’re in a rush and your potatoes are still cold, you can also warm them up for a few minutes in some hot water. Potatoes absorb a lot of water when they’re refrigerated, so they can end up being too wet to fry if they’re not at room temperature. If you’re in a rush and your potatoes are still cold, you can also warm them up for a few minutes in some hot water.
Oil the spud before frying
Prepping your potatoes for frying will make sure that the oil is absorbed by the spuds rather than just sitting on top of them. The best way to oil potatoes is to slice them into half-centimeter slices and then put the slices through your oiled hand. If you don’t oil the potato first, the oil will just stay on top, leaving you with oily, soggy fries. And that’s no good. The oil should flow into the potato, but not soak into it. If it does soak in, your fries will get soggy and taste less like potatoes.
Don’t overcrowd your pan
It’s tempting to try and make more room in the pan by piling in more fries. However, doing this will cause the cooking time to be off and result in greasy, limp fries rather than crispy ones. It will also leave you with a pan full of soggy, uneatable food. A good rule of thumb is to place a single layer of fries in your pan. If you have room in the pan, you can add another layer, but make sure they’re not overlapping so that they don’t touch the sides of the pan.
Test your oil by dropping in a tiny bit of food
Once your oil is hot, you can drop a tiny pinch of flour into the oil and wait for it to brown. This tiny bit of flour is about the size of a grain of sand, so it shouldn’t affect the oil’s temperature at all. Once the flour starts to brown, you can drop in your fries and see how long it takes for them to get crispy. There’s no need to add salt to the oil since the potatoes are salty enough on their own. Once the fries are crispy, you can remove them from the oil with a strainer or slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel to drain.
Take care when you remove the fries from the pan
Once you’ve finished cooking your fries, you need to transfer them from the hot oil to the paper towel-lined strainer to drain any excess oil. This is where taking extra care when removing the fries from the pan comes in particularly handy. When you first remove the fries from the oil, they’ll be extremely hot and could burn you. To avoid this, use oven mitts to protect your hands while handling the hot fries. Once they’re out of the oil, quickly transfer them to the paper towel-lined strainer to prevent them from sticking together.
Serve immediately after cooking
Once you’ve cooked your fries, they should be eaten right away. You don’t have to wait around for them to cool down, but they should be served right away. French fries freeze really well, but they have a shorter shelf life after they’re cooked. If you want to store them for later, make sure you do it as soon as you serve them. They can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days, but they’ll be best after 1 day. French fries should be eaten or refrigerated as soon as possible. Anything longer and they’ll start to go stale.
Store leftovers in an airtight container
If you want to save your extra-crispy fries for later, you can. Just be sure to keep them in an airtight container or bag. They can be refrigerated for up to 2 days, but they’ll be best after 1 day. French fries should be eaten or refrigerated as soon as possible. Anything longer and they’ll start to go stale. If you notice that they’ve become soggy or start to smell off, they need to be eaten right away. French fries can also be reheated using the crisp-reheat method, but they’ll start to taste stale if they’re reheated too many times.
Do You Season Fries Before Ordfter Frying?
- Season the fries before frying them. To season, add salt to the oil and mix well.
- Season the fries after they’re cooked and cooled. To season, add salt to a bowl of oil and mix well.
- Season the fries when they’re ready to eat or after they’ve been refrigerated for more than 2 days. To season, add salt to a bowl of oil and mix well.
- Season after cooking but don’t fry them immediately – store them in an airtight container or bag in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months before eating or serving again
- Cook your fries from frozen – this will result in better crispness (add 2 minutes of cooking time)
What Type Of Oil Is Best For Frying?
- Canola oil – best for deep-frying (add 2 minutes cooking time)
- Olive oil – best for shallow-frying (add 2 minutes cooking time)
- Peanut oil – best for pan-frying (add 2 minutes cooking time)
- Sunflower oil – best for baking (add 4 minutes cooking time)
- Vegetable oil – use for baking, pan-frying and shallow frying (add 4 minutes cooking time)
- Water – use for baking only (add 4 minutes cooking time)
- Corn oil – use for deep frying only (add 2 minutes cooking time)
Conclusion
Frying frozen french fries is a cooking technique that is often done in restaurants. However, it is not that difficult to make. You just need to follow a few tips to ensure that you get the best results from your fries. First and foremost, you need to ensure that your fries are completely frozen before storing them. Once they are completely frozen, they should be stored in an airtight container in the freezer. This will ensure that they do not become soggy. Once you have your frozen fries ready, simply follow these steps to prepare them for frying. Ensure that you have a high-quality oil, as cheap oils tend to be much more oily than good ones. Follow these steps, and you will be able to make sure that you get the best results from your french fries.
FAQ’s
Do you season fries before or after frying?
- Season the fries before frying them. To season, add salt to the oil and mix well.
What type of oil is best for frying?
- Canola oil – best for deep-frying (add 2 minutes cooking time)
What are the best French fries to make?
- The best french fries to make are thick-cut ones, as they have a more crispy exterior, which means that you get a better taste when you bite into them too. They are also much tastier than their thin-cut counterparts as you will be able to see the potato when you bite into it, which makes it seem like it has more flavor in it too!
