Housemade Kettle Chips

you may want do them in-house. Try blanching them in oil at 300 cool down completely and then deep fry at 360 dont over fill basket or you won't get golden brown results

or use a Lamb-Weston product that was good,no labour, consistent results

http://www.lambweston.com/ProductsDetail.do?itemId=30H

Play with the following variables:

- Thickness - try slicing a little bit thicker than what you're doing.

- Temperature - lower temp - maybe 315 - 325 range.

- Age/Quality of oil - Oil that's broken down won't brown as nicely as can give off-flavors.

- Fullness of baskets/fryer.  Too little and the temperature starts high and stays high, which is good for some things, but taking advantage of a drop in temperature can be...advantageous.  

Personally, I go out of my way to avoid putting potatoes that are going to be deep-fried into water first.  I much prefer having a "dry" product going in, than one with water on it.  Draining only gets rid of so much.

Here is how we do these to order:

prep:

Slice the potatoes fairly thick 1/8" or a bit more, rinse well. 

Cook for about 3-5 minutes in 190 degree water that has been acidulated.  (you can get away with a shorter cooking time in boiling water but watch them closely you want them tender and pliable but obviously not mush)

Remove from water and place on racks to dry over a sheet pan in the walk in for at least an hour or  preferably overnight uncovered.

service:

Deep fry at 325 directly from the cooler for about 5 minutes.

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Methodology:

By rinsing the potatoes you remove excess starch that browns too quickly and can make the chips stick together.

By blanching them in acidulated water you are achieving a few things:

   1) foods with a lower Ph brown less fast than those with a higher Ph 

   2) the potatoes will not discolour when holding before frying

   3) the lower Ph will help to protect the pectin (structure of the chip)

   4) the par-cooking in water will rupture cell walls in the chip allowing the water in the chip to escape easier when frying in oil

   5) the par-cooking in water allows more of the starch to leach out of the chip before frying in oil (par cooking in oil locks the starch into the chip as starch won't disolve in oil)

By placing on racks in the walk-in you will quickly dry the surface of the chip which is essential to get a good "fry"

By cooking at a lower than normal temperature you will ensure that all the water is cooked out of the chip before the chip starts to take on too much colour.

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acidulated water = 2tbs white distilled vinegar (regular strength 5%) to 2 quarts water

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It sounds much more complicated than it really is.

Cut-em and wash them, par-boil them, then dry them and cook to service is the easier way to say it all. (just don't forget the vinegar... it is so important)

By Chips you mean...potato chips and not french fries, correct?

Why can't you fry them off before service at a lower temp?

They'll actually get crispier as they cool down.

if you can't do the 325 frying you will want to use a slightly thinner chip... the thicker the longer you need to cook out water thus the lower temp.

350 shouldn't be a problem... 

...just add more acid and pre-cook/cool a bit more

Remember there is no right / wrong... just many different ways of doing things to get a specific result.

Honestly there is no better site to help you get things done!

The amount of experience here is absolutely insane... *once you get by the occasional pissing matches....