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A hand dipping homemade french fries into a white cup of ketchup.
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Homemade French Fries

Learn the secret to making the best homemade french fries from russet potatoes right at home! These are easy to make ahead of time and fry or bake in the oven for a quick snack or side dish idea!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 377kcal
Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

  • 10 large russet potatoes peeled and rinsed
  • 2 quarts vegetable oil can sub canola oil
  • Salt
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Slice the potatoes into ½ inch thick sticks. Using a French fry cutter makes this much easier.
  • Soak the potato slices in cold water for a minimum of one hour, and up to overnight. The longer, the better as this process removes the starch which makes for extra crispy fries.
  • Rinse the fries twice with cold water.
  • Lay the fries on paper towels or a clean dishcloth and pat them as dry as possible.
  • Heat oil in a deep fryer or dutch oven to 300° F. You’ll need to fry in about six batches, begin with a quart of oil and add more as needed. Frying too many at once makes them less crispy.
  • Use a slotted spoon to add the potatoes to the oil and fry for about 5-6 minutes. The oil should bubble lightly, we’re only heating the potatoes, we don’t want them to crisp yet.
  • Place the cooked potatoes on a paper towel lined plate and fry the rest of the remaining batches.
  • Increase the heat to 400° F and fry each batch a second time until they are crisp and golden-brown, about 5 minutes or so.
  • Remove them and place them on dry paper towels. Sprinkle with salt as soon as they come out.
  • Serve with ketchup or fry sauce and enjoy!

Notes

Baking Instructions: 
  • Soak the fries in cold water for at least 1 hour or overnight and pat completely dry.
  • Toss with up to 1/2 cup vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Place the fries in a single layer on a baking sheet at 400° F in the lower-third of the oven for 15-20 minutes.
  • Remove, toss, place in a single layer, and bake for 10 more minutes or until brown and crispy.
How To Store and Reheat Leftovers:
-Let any leftover fries cool completely and store them in a Freezer bag in the fridge, removing as much air from the bag as possible. 
-To reheat, bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. They reheat very well. 
Using a candy/deep frying thermometer makes it easy to tell when the oil is ready.
Serve these with my nacho cheese sauce, French fry seasoning, OR my 10 minute Brown Gravy to make some Poutine!