How to Cook Fries in an Air Fryer
The Picture Pantry Getty Images
If you're looking to make french fries from scratch, we highly recommend breaking out your top-rated air fryer. While the device is great for cooking proteins like salmon or chicken, and it really sings when used to quickly crisp up leftovers (one of our favorite air fryer tips), it actually does a decent job at, well, frying. And it does so without the splatter that inevitably happens when deep frying—and the headache that comes with cleaning up and figuring out how to dispose of the oil.
French fries should be made with russet potatoes. Waxier varieties don't have quite enough starch, and won't get the crisp exterior and fluffy interior you're looking for in a good fry.
While making fries in an air fryer is generally pretty straightforward, there are three main steps. First, you want to blanch the sticks. This removes a bit of the starch, dries them, and prepares the outside for crisping. Then you want to fry them twice—the first time at a lower temperature and the second time at a higher temperature. This will get you the very crispy-crunchy exterior that you're looking for, without overcooking the insides or burning them.
After that, serve them with your favorite condiment. Ketchup is classic, of course, but mayo is a very popular alternative. You can also combine them into mayochup or mix mayo and mustard for a Dijonaisse. Or you can mix up a spicy mayo–mayo and sriracha, or a tahini dip out of tahini, mayo, and lemon juice. If you want to getvery fancy, you can use a homemade mayonnaise.
Yields: 4 servings
Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
2 large russet potatoes (about 1 pound)
1 tbsp. white vinegar
1 tbsp. kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
This ingredient shopping module is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content on their web site.
- Leaving the skin on, slice potatoes into 1/4 inch sticks.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Combine potatoes, vinegar, salt, and 4 cups water into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until potatoes are tender but not falling apart, 7 to 10 minutes; drain. Spread fries in a single layer on prepared baking sheet and dry 5 to 10 minutes.
- Heat air fryer to 350°F. Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch of salt in a bowl.
- Arrange fries loosely in the bottom of the air fryer tray, ensuring plenty of room for air to flow. (Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook in 2 to 3 batches.) Cook for 10 minutes, shaking basket halfway through. Transfer to paper towels; cool to room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Increase air fryer temperature to 400°F. Toss potatoes with remaining tablespoon oil and return to the air fryer tray. Cook, shaking basket halfway through, until browned and crispy, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with salt. Serve with your favorite condiment.
Christopher Michel Chris is the Senior Food & Garden Editor at Country Living, where he covers all things edible or growable.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
How to Cook Fries in an Air Fryer
Source: https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/a35338751/air-fryer-french-fries/