Guy Fieri’s Secret Trick to Perfect French Fries With Just 4 Ingredients
Guy Fieri is one of Food Network’s most popular chefs. The Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives host knows how to amplify the simplest of dishes, including French fries, which he makes with one easy trick.
Guy Fieri’s French fries recipe requires russet potatoes
On his popular Food Network cooking show, Guy’s Big Bite, Fieri walks home cooks through some of his most famous recipes. And in one episode, the chef shared his secret to making his five-star, fan-favorite French fries.
Fieri starts by peeling four russet potatoes in the middle, leaving some skin on the ends. “Using the right potato and the right cooking method will result in the crispiest, fluffiest fry around,” he notes.
Fieri then cuts them into four thin slices, which he then slices again into large flat fries. Once the potatoes are cut, he places them in a bowl of water for at least 30 minutes to leach the starch out.
Guy Fieri’s recipe for French fries calls for double frying
After cutting the russet potatoes, Fieri then reveals his secret trick. He says that to get the most dynamite fries, he fries them in oil twice.
“The first time I cook these, I’m just cooking the potato,” the Food Network star says. “I’m not really going for a browning. That’s what is kind of misunderstood.”
Fieri suggests that many who cook fries at home often brown them from the start, which results in a soft, baked potato-like consistency in the middle. But he explains that a double-frying method helps take out most of the moisture, resulting in a crunchy, crispy French fry.
After the fries have soaked, Fieri takes them out of the water and places them on paper towels to dry them as much as possible. He then heats oil at approximately 315 to 330 degrees and carefully drops the fries in a few bunches at a time, frying each batch until they are soft and fully cooked.
Frying them the second time adds that golden crunch
Once the fries cook through, Fieri places them on a plate and turns up the heat on the oil. He suggests the oil should be about 350 to 360 the second time around.
He then places the fries in the oil, one batch at a time. “This is where that nice gold crunch is going to come in,” Fieri says.
Once lightly golden brown, he places the fries on a paper towel to soak up excess oil. And he suggests sprinkling them with salt while they’re still hot so that the salt melts in.
Home cooks can finish the fries off with their own garnishes, including fresh herbs, cheeses, and spices. And for a heartier version, they can also add Fieri’s Dragon’s Breath Chili. The chef likes to serve the chili over fries with a garnish of shredded cheddar cheese and chopped green onions.
