I've been trying to make good, crispy home fried potatoes for years, and they always turn out either too grasy or soggy. I've carefully followed numerous recipes, sometimes cut back on oil or butter, but the results just don't cut it.
This morning I followed a recipe from Cooks Illustrated, and finally got a nice, crispy outside, but the taters were still greasy and soggy.
Here's the recipe and technique I used. The only change was that I used a mixture of olive oil and butter in which to cook the potatoes. Any suggestions to get a less greasy and soggy result?
Test Kitchen Discoveries
Use medium-starch or waxy potatoes so that they retain their shape through cooking. Our favorites include Yukon Gold, all-purpose, and red potatoes.
Parcook the cubed potatoes--tossed with butter--in the microwave before frying them.
Sauté the onions separately and stir them into the potatoes just before serving. Cooking the onions with the potatoes detrimentally affects the crust.
For herb-flavored potatoes, add chopped fresh basil, parsley, thyme, and tarragon to the cooked potatoes. Dried herbs won't taste nearly as good as fresh.
Although we prefer the sweetness of Yukon Gold potatoes, other medium-starch or waxy potatoes, such as all-purpose or red-skinned potatoes, can be substituted. If you want to spice things up, add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (4 medium), scrubbed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion , chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1/2 teaspoon table salt
Ground black pepper
1. Arrange potatoes in large microwave-safe bowl, top with 1 tablespoon butter, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave on high until edges of potatoes begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes, shaking bowl (without removing plastic) to redistribute potatoes halfway through cooking.
2. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened and golden brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to small bowl.
3. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes and pack down with spatula. Cook, without moving, until underside of potatoes is brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn potatoes, pack down again, and continue to cook until well browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring potatoes every few minutes, until crusty, 9 to 12 minutes. Stir in onion, garlic salt, basil, parsley, thyme, tarragon, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve.
Shel
This morning I followed a recipe from Cooks Illustrated, and finally got a nice, crispy outside, but the taters were still greasy and soggy.
Here's the recipe and technique I used. The only change was that I used a mixture of olive oil and butter in which to cook the potatoes. Any suggestions to get a less greasy and soggy result?
Test Kitchen Discoveries
Use medium-starch or waxy potatoes so that they retain their shape through cooking. Our favorites include Yukon Gold, all-purpose, and red potatoes.
Parcook the cubed potatoes--tossed with butter--in the microwave before frying them.
Sauté the onions separately and stir them into the potatoes just before serving. Cooking the onions with the potatoes detrimentally affects the crust.
For herb-flavored potatoes, add chopped fresh basil, parsley, thyme, and tarragon to the cooked potatoes. Dried herbs won't taste nearly as good as fresh.
Although we prefer the sweetness of Yukon Gold potatoes, other medium-starch or waxy potatoes, such as all-purpose or red-skinned potatoes, can be substituted. If you want to spice things up, add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (4 medium), scrubbed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion , chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1/2 teaspoon table salt
Ground black pepper
1. Arrange potatoes in large microwave-safe bowl, top with 1 tablespoon butter, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave on high until edges of potatoes begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes, shaking bowl (without removing plastic) to redistribute potatoes halfway through cooking.
2. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened and golden brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to small bowl.
3. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes and pack down with spatula. Cook, without moving, until underside of potatoes is brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn potatoes, pack down again, and continue to cook until well browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring potatoes every few minutes, until crusty, 9 to 12 minutes. Stir in onion, garlic salt, basil, parsley, thyme, tarragon, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve.
Shel