I’ve been trying to cook chips, but in the two times I’ve tried so far, they’ve turned out limp. I’d like to understand why.
The recipe is very simple: cut, wash and dry the chips. Refrigerate overnight. Fry for 6 mins at 160C. Then at 185C until the temperature drops. Then at 185C for a minute or so. Dry and serve I’m using beef dripping.
I’ve tried large chips (first time) and 5mm (second time) chips. Both were limp. And brown. I want the golden crisp stiff chips that I get in chippies and restaurants and from oven chips.
Sounds like the fat isn’t getting hot enough. Are you using a deep fryer? Have you checked to see if it is getting up to the proper temperatures? It should be at 160C for the first fry and 190C for the second fry. About 3 minutes on the first, then for another 4 minutes on the second. What kind of potatoes are you using? Russets work about the best.
According to Jamie Oliver, Maris Piper’s are the best local variety for chips.
I agree that it sounds like an oil temperature issue. I’ve got an actual deep fryer, which you can pick up a basic one for 30 quid. I use Britannia beef dripping because it’s solid at room temperature, so I let it cool and set after use and therefore I don’t have to empty the fryer every time.
By the way, there’s a technique I learned I think from Cook’s Illustrated that works really well, though it doesn’t seem like it should. You start with your fries in cold oil, put it over high heat, and then take them out when they’re browned and crispy. Let me see if I can find the technique online.
The other surprising thing is that in the article where I read it, it actually said they absorbed less oil than the traditional cooking method. Also seems counterintuitive to me, but hey, I don’t question their methods and results.
If you’re frying in a pan, it’s much harder to use a thermometer and get a correct reading. A pot is better, but the real problem is trying to maintain the correct temperature by manually regulating the stove’s burner. A deep fryer is a far better tool.
Or, try the cold oil fry method, which requires no thermometers of any kind. Seriously, it’s great. The only disadvantage is that you can’t really make multiple batches of fries.
I think soaking in water is supposed to help somehow. I’ve read that it removes some of the starch, but I’m not sure what that’s supposed to mean or what the result is. The idea is to rinse or soak the potato in water after you’ve cut it into pieces. Obviously, it’s very important to dry the pieces before they go in the oil. Maybe someone who knows about this can comment.
Oh, yes. I always wash them and rinse them in ice cold water after cutting to get the excess starch out. Then pat them as dry as I can. I’ve never experimented with not doing that, so I’m not entirely sure what it does. I mean, yes, the point is to get out excess starch. But I don’t know the difference in the final product if you skip this.
I used the thermometer and the fluid does get to 160, but during cooking it will get to as low as 130 without the heating element coming back on. So I nudged the dial a bit to force the element back on and left the chips in a bit longer. I’m making progress but they’re still ending up brown, not golden, and the taste isn’t there yet.
