Air Fried French Fries
I think it’s well established that America loves French fries, in fact America consumes 4.5 billion pounds of these fried strips of potatoes every year.
Normally when you think of making French fries at home, you think of deep frying, and this poses many issues. It’s messy, If you overfill the pot, then the oil could overflow and you’ll have to deal with a mess of hot cooking oil, you might have to deal with oil splattering onto your countertop and, even worse, yourself, and even if you did everything right you’ll still have a big pot of oil, which you can’t pour down the sink as it can clog your pipes.
It is reasons like that that I often forget the frying and turn to one of my favorite toys, the air fryer. I have developed a method for air frying French fries that, believe it or not, gets them crispier than if you were to deep fry them. If you don’t believe me, then you’ll have to try this method yourself.
The classic way to make French fries is with a double-frying method, frying the potato strips once at 300 degrees F to get them cooked through, draining them, then frying them a second time at around 350 until they’re golden brown. The result: French fries that are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
My logic is this: if that method can work for deep frying, then I see no reason why it can’t work for air frying. Not only is the air frying process cleaner and just as easy, but it uses way less oil, so, in a way, it makes the French fries healthier.
I will note that, depending on the size of your air fryer, this method might only work for about 2-3 portions of fries, so if you’re looking to feed your family of 4+, then this method might not be for you. For me, who lives alone, this method is perfect.
Air Fried French Fries
Serves: 2-3
Time: 1/2 hour, plus an hour soak
3 Russet potatoes
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
Kosher Salt
Cut the potatoes into even-sized batons. (I generally go for 1/2-inch thick, but you can make them thicker or thinner if you want, but remember that the potatoes will shrink a bit during cooking.) Place the potato strips into a container, cover them with cold water, then let them soak for at least an hour to remove the excess starch.
Preheat your air fryer to 300 degrees F according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Drain the potatoes, then either pat them dry with a few layers of paper towels or give them a whirl in a salad spinner. Toss the potatoes with the oil and a large pinch of salt, then dump into the air fryer basket and cook for 15-20 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the potatoes are tender.
The potatoes may get a little bit brown on the edges, but that’s nothing to worry about. Also, another advantage of air frying is you can salt the potatoes before cooking and it won’t wash away, unlike with deep frying.
Once tender, remove the potatoes from the fryer and let them cool completely.
Increase the heat to 350. Place the potatoes back into the fryer, then cook for another 10-15 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the potatoes are golden brown on all sides. Serve immediately.
(Tip: When the potatoes are done, you can then top them with things like cheese, garlic powder, or Italian herbs. I do suggest waiting until the potatoes are cooked before you do that as those toppings will burn otherwise.)
Admittedly, this method does take a bit longer than if you were to deep fry, but considering the fact that you don’t have to deal with a pot of hot oil afterward, I say it is worth the effort. Plus, you can do the first few steps of getting the fries mostly cooked hours ahead of time then air fry them again to get them crispy right before dinnertime.
Not only are these air-fried fries fluffy and light, but the outside became incredibly crispy, and this proves that the air fryer really is the future of cooking today.
