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Mushy French Fries

14K views 49 replies 20 participants last post by  chefedb 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi!

At my Fast Food Outlet - I'm trying to stop using pre made frozen fries and start making my own. I've come across this recipe: I've adapted this recipe to my needs and i'm following the same procedure on slightly thicker fries. However, a recurring problem has been that the fries remain quite mushy from the center.

What can possibly be causing this? Could it be that i'm boiling the fries a bit too much in the first step? What's the general cause of mushy fries? Any help would be much appreciated. The recipe is copied for your reference:

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[h2]Ingredients[/h2]
  • 2 pounds russet potatoes (about 4 large), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch by 1/4-inch fries (keep potatoes stored in a bowl of water)
  • 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 quarts peanut oil

[h2]Procedures[/h2]

  1. 1

    Place potatoes and vinegar in saucepan and add 2 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes. Potatoes should be fully tender, but not falling apart. Drain and spread on paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheet. Allow to dry for five minutes.

  2. 2

    Meanwhile, heat oil in 5-quart Dutch oven or large wok over high heat to 400°F. Add 1/3 of fries to oil (oil temperature should drop to around 360°F). Cook for 50 seconds, agitating occasionally with wire mesh spider, then remove to second paper-towel lined rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining potatoes (working in two more batches), allowing oil to return to 400°F after each addition. Allow potatoes to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Continue with step 3, or for best results, freeze potatoes at least over night, or up to 2 months.

  3. 3

    Return oil to 400°F over high heat. Fry half of potatoes until crisp and light golden brown, about 3 1/2 minutes, adjusting heat to maintain at around 360°F. Drain in a bowl lined with paper towels and season immediately with kosher salt. Cooked fries can be kept hot and crisp on a wire rack set on a sheet tray in a 200°F oven while second batch is cooked. Serve immediately.
 
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#2 ·
What changes did you make? I always use a variation of this method, so I can tell you what I do differently:

Dont start the boiling in cold water, have the water at a rolling boil
Waiting five minutes before the first fry is not nearly enough. You want then cold and dry, at least three hours in a fridge
How much bigger are you cutting the fries? Steak house size fries are trickier with this method, unless you are using something like a circulator.
I dont think boiling less is the problem, you really want to push them as far as you can, very nearly falling apart. They should break with a light pinch. Shocking them in ice is critical, and the trickiest part of the procedure to be honest. Thats where you run the biggest risk of breaking.

Al
 
#3 · (Edited)
Thanks a lot for the reply!

I'll try by not starting off in cold water and will put them in running boiling water!
What changes did you make? I always use a variation of this method, so I can tell you what I do differently:
How much bigger are you cutting the fries? Steak house size fries are trickier with this method,
I'm tried everything from 1/4'' to 3/8'' with this recipe. Have had varying results. But mushiness generally tends to increase with the increase in size.
Shocking them in ice is critical, and the trickiest part of the procedure to be honest. Thats where you run the biggest risk of breaking.
When should i shock them in Ice? The recipe that i'm following doesn't state that :)

Can you suggest an alternate method for the fries? I don't want thick steakcut fries ... just slightly thicker then the 1/4'' Mc Donald type would be fine.
 
#4 ·
Interesting.  I've never boiled in water before, that doesn't get too much moisture?

The way I do it is to cut the fries, and keep them in cold water until I'm ready to fry so they don't oxidize.  Dry thoroughly, then par cook at 325F. 

I take them out and let them cool on a drying rack.  You can hold them at this state for a few hours if you need to.

Before serving, I fry a second time at 375-400F.
 
#9 ·
Use the ice to "stop" the cooking, and help set the starch in the potato. Carry over cooking in this method will leave you with a sheet pan of mashed potato. If you are not cooking the spuds to an extent where this is a concern, then you are not taking them far enough. I have played with this a lot and from my experience, if you dont cook them that much, there is no point and you would be better off saving the time and doing the conventional blanch in moderate oil, finish in hot method.

The triple cook, to my mind, gives you A+ fries. They are super crisp, and almost like mashed potato inside. They also stay crisp really well, so for any poutine, chili cheese fries type of thing, it works really well.

That said, the regular way of doing fries is still a great method. Unless you want to offer boutique fries, or expect small volumn, it might not be the best fit for our operation.

Al
 
#11 ·
In all of my professional cooking life I've never boiled fries in water.

I guess you learn something new everyday

Keep it simple,just as some of the above threads suggested for blanching fries in oil.

Cut your chips

Soak in cold water to remove starch

Blanch in 300F oil

cool on sheet pans in fridge

For service fry@350-375F

Season and serve
 
#12 ·
Paxil : that's a lot of work for fries and I have never in my life boiled potatoes just to make fries. Your mushy fries just might stem from being over cooked.

I make my fries the way Fred does , never a problem .

After you soak your fries make sure they are soaked good so all the starch is off , blanch in oil, second fry at 350-375.
 
#13 ·
Paxil : that's a lot of work for fries and I have never in my life boiled potatoes just to make fries. Your mushy fries just might stem from being over cooked.

I make my fries the way Fred does , never a problem .

After you soak your fries make sure they are soaked good so all the starch is off , blanch in oil, second fry at 350-375.
Yes it is a lot of work!

Just a question, how thick are the fries that you make this way?
I do about 50 lbs a day, cut, soak, rinse, drain, initial fry approx 8 min @ 325 soft no color just starting to firm, cool and fry to order @ 350-375
Same question to you as well Sir. How thick are the fries that you make this way :)?
 
#15 ·
I cook it the way I described probably 95% of the time.  Sometimes though, I want that simple dirty greasy fry that's kind of soggy.  That's also a perfect fry, but for reasons of nostalgia.  Cut, then drop it in at 350 the whole time.  Don't clean the skin too well, so it tastes a little dirty, like a potato should.
 
#16 ·
haha thanks.

For those asking about the use of boiling the potatoes with vinegar. It apparently helps the spice in crisping up better.

More from the guru, kenji here:

http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives...ake-perfect-mcdonalds-style-french-fries.html
The fries boiled in plain water disintegrated, making them nearly impossible to pick up. When I added them to the hot oil, they broke apart even further. On the other hand, those boiled in the vinegared water remained perfectly intact, even after boiling for a full ten minutes. When fried, they had fabulously crisp crusts with tiny, bubbly, blistered surfaces that stayed crisp even when they were completely cool.
 
#20 ·
Okay - so i did a few iterations. Mushiness isn't that big of a problem as the oil content/grease in the fries is!

I did a side by side comparison with ready made Mc Cain fries and my home made fries (in their final stage). Both were cooked in the same fryer, side by side. The homemade fries come out to be FAR more greasy and it seems like they've absorbed oil on the inside. What can i do to rectify this? 
 
#22 ·
it's the same. I'm now just putting them in hot/near boiling water rather then heating the water after placing the cut potatoes inside it. 

Perhaps before they were just as greasy but i hadn't done a side by side comparison with the pre frozen fries. Any idea how to make them less oily?
 
#24 ·
The thing about your frozen fries is that they probably get a water blanch too; the method is supposed to help crisp them up. But in my experience house made fries tend to go greasy fairly quickly.
Are you following the whole procedure there? Water blanch, chill, oil blanch, freeze, and final cook? How long are putting them in the water for?
 
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