Deep Fried/Chips: Oily fries

Subject: Oily fries
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: Linda (lm03 at Lehigh.EDU)
Date: 25 Mar 1997 09:03:21 -0500
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Why is it that when I deep fry frozen french fries they come out crispy, but when I use fresh potatoes they seem oily?

I had some potatoes I needed to use & thought I'd make french fries. I had to use many paper towels to sop up the excess oil. Don't ever remember having that problem with frozen ones.
From: John D. (jdaz at ix.netcom.com)
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 12:46:42 -0700
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Frozen fries are blanched in medium temp oil before freezing. When you fry them the second time they crisp up.
To duplicate this:
1. Cut the potatoes into frys. Soak in sugar water for a couple hours.
2. Heat fryer to about 250. Cook fries for a couple minutes to blanch. They will soften slightly but not brown. You may refrigerate or freeze them at this point if you want.
3. Heat fryer to 350-400. Re-fry the fries until brown and crisp. This is the way McDonalds used to do fries before they went to frozen, commissary provided ones.
From: Sheldon (penmart10 at aol.com)
Date: 25 Mar 1997 21:32:16 GMT
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To make crisp French Fried Potatoes it helps if you blanch them ( 30 seconds ). This allows the fat to penetrate the surface, and help form a 'crust'.

Those flash frozen potatoes, in effect, have already been 'blanched' by the intense cold.

Deep fry potatoes at 375 degrees, and don't try to fry too many at one time.
Also, use a thermometer to check the temperature of your deep fryer.
You will discover that most home fryers can be off as much as 50 degrees.
Using fat that is too cool, or overloading will result in oily, limp fries.

Solid shortening works best for deep frying. When you are finished frying, CAREFULLY pour fat into a metal container (coffee can), let cool, cover, then freeze until needed again. If left at room temperature, it will become rancid.

Use fresh fat for the best tasting fries, and especially, NOT fat previously used to fry fish, or anything containing salt. Deep fryer fat contaminated with salt will cause potatoes to go limp. Fishy fat? Well you know.
From: Ken Gregg (kgregg at cookbooks.com)
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 17:32:09 -0600
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I believe a lot of the commercial frozen french fries are processed with a solution containing sugar, which makes them crispier than fresh, unprocessed potatoes. I guess this hardened, crispy, shell probably makes them less likely to soak up grease too. Check the package and see if sugar is listed as an ingredient.

And then again, I may be wrong!
From: Col. I.F. Khuntilanont-Philpott (colonel at vu-korat.ac.th)
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 07:49:07 +0700
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Fresh potatoes contain (and exude) a fairly high water content.

This cools the oil in contact with the fry and results in it becoming oily.

Ian
From: govoruno at sprynet.com (Irina)
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 16:17:22 GMT
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Did you rinse them before frying? Rinsing, or even soaking cut potatoes in a cold water washes away starch, and fries come out crispier.