French Fry Question

[deskjockey]

The bar must be incredibly low in the US if you think it's better in the Netherlands; to be honest I consider the Netherlands somewhat of a culinary low point within Western Europe. As a food critic once described it: "The Dutch don't have a cuisine, they have food".
When it comes to potatoes most of the commercial stuff sold here in supermarkets, fast food joints, etc isn't much to write home about either.

If you want to talk about "local cuisine", I'd give a nod to that. What I found was a huge variety of excellently prepared options.

Personally, I'd prefer a meal on the first floor of just about any neighborhood apartment complex in Germany or the Netherlands where I have the most experience. German "bar food" was also generally excellent in my personal experience.

Sure, not every restaurant or food stall is an awesome one but, compared to the average "low-quality crap" that is served in the areas of the USA where I have lived was pretty bad until you got to a price beyond what most working-class people could afford on a regular basis.

In the USA, in my experience, your best bet for a good "normal" meal at a standard entre price will be an independent family-run place.

If I want a microwaved or boiled-in-the-bag option from Sysco from most restaurants, I would just go to Walmart and buy some frozen or canned crap and microwave it at home! If you love pasta made in saltless pasta water that is mushy, come to Texas! Want totally tasteless mashed potatoes that remind you of kindergarten classroom paste, Texas is a great place to visit! I could go on.

Texas has some awesome places to eat as well but, you have to search for them. True BBQ in Lockhart, Texas is legendary for example. Kolaches in the Hill Country from local "Mom and Pop" places are awesome as well.

The Netherlands may not be the best but, if I am in a new town with no prior experience for a meal, I would prefer to be in the Netherlands versus someplace like Dallas, Texas!

Friday, I'm driving about 350 miles each way for BBQ in Lockhart for my first real meal out post-COVID! Smoked "Plate Ribs" and brisket!

 

[deskjockey]

i know this thread is about french fries, but i tried this parboiled oven potato recipe recently, loved it, and wanted to share.

full write up: The Best Roast Potatoes | The Food Lab
recipe: The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes Ever Recipe

View attachment 147950

all that crispy stuff comes from parboiling them (in baking soda water, which breaks them down a little) and stirring them in a bowl to get a layer of mashed potatoes on the outside of each chunk:

View attachment 147951

Potatoes like that don't really fit my thoughts of French Fries or similar potatoes. However, they are super yummy when done well!

 

[MarcelNL]

that is no fair play, manufacturers of fries do the same thing...they add stuff to coat the outside so it apppears more crispy.

I'll give parboiling is water with some baking soda a go, but I'll stick to using decent taters (Maris Piper, Charlotte) and kidney fat for frying or duck fat for pan frying.

 

[MarcelNL]

The German 'Gut bürgerliche Küche" usually is a great choice!

 

[deskjockey]

...
I'll give parboiling is water with some baking soda a go, but I'll stick to using decent taters (Maris Piper, Charlotte) and kidney fat for frying or duck fat for pan frying.

What is this "Kidney fat" you referenced? I'm guessing it is a translation thing for me like "fat back" from a hog in the past (current hogs in the USA are superlean and pretty bland for the most part IMHO).

 

[MarcelNL]

fat found around the kidneys of (usually) cows, IMO the perfect frying fat.

 

[coxhaus]

i know this thread is about french fries, but i tried this parboiled oven potato recipe recently, loved it, and wanted to share.

full write up: The Best Roast Potatoes | The Food Lab
recipe: The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes Ever Recipe

View attachment 147950

all that crispy stuff comes from parboiling them (in baking soda water, which breaks them down a little) and stirring them in a bowl to get a layer of mashed potatoes on the outside of each chunk:

View attachment 147951

They look great. I may try those. I like using an oven as it seems easier than cooking oils.

I was up in Idaho a couple of years ago at a high-end steak house and the baked potato was one of the best tasting potatoes I have ever eaten. They used bacon fat and salt on the outside of the potato. I try to do the same thing here in Texas as I save bacon fat but they are not as good. I think the potato does not taste as good.

 

[deskjockey]

fat found around the kidneys of (usually) cows, IMO the perfect frying fat

I wonder if my local independent butcher can get me some of that. He is the only local butcher within the 50 mile radius I generally travel so, my options for butcher shops are really restricted. Heck, I even have trouble buying a whole brisket (at least one less than $250 or more) and I live in TEXAS, land of the smoked brisket!

 

[deskjockey]

They look great. I may try those. I like using an oven as it seems easier than cooking oils.

I was up in Idaho a couple of years ago at a high-end steak house and the baked potato was one of the best tasting potatoes I have ever eaten. They used bacon fat and salt on the outside of the potato. I try to do the same thing here in Texas as I save bacon fat but they are not as good.

View attachment 147963

I bet the difference is in the quality of the bacon.

I'm in East Texas and bacon quality IMHO is terrible. When I lived in Alabama I got wonderful bacon for about the same cost as the generic stuff in the plastic vacuum-sealed bag. The water, salts, and nitrate salts generally used kills what little flavor there is in a modern mass-market hog.

Like pasture-raised cattle that taste so much better, the same is true for hogs. Hogs raised in pens fed corn and food industry scraps are not where you go for good bacon, hams, pork chops, etc.

Look for independent producers, Google them to spot the frauds, and pay the ~25% premium for something exceptional IMHO. I'd rather eat a smaller pasture and grass-fed steak, than a larger cheaper one with yellow fat from a high-pressure feedlot. YMMV

 

[deskjockey]

...
I was up in Idaho a couple of years ago at a high-end steak house and the baked potato was one of the best tasting potatoes I have ever eaten. They used bacon fat and salt on the outside of the potato. I try to do the same thing here in Texas as I save bacon fat but they are not as good. I think the potato does not taste as good.

View attachment 147963

See if you can source some duck fat from a specialty store. It will be expensive so don't be shocked!

Next, I know Russets are the classic potato but, a waxy potato will taste much better. Coat them in a light Duck fat and Kosher salt and roast them. Mmmm ...

 

[Chips]

I bet the difference is in the quality of the bacon.

I'm in East Texas and bacon quality IMHO is terrible. When I lived in Alabama I got wonderful bacon for about the same cost as the generic stuff in the plastic vacuum-sealed bag. The water, salts, and nitrate salts generally used kills what little flavor there is in a modern mass-market hog.

Like pasture-raised cattle that taste so much better, the same is true for hogs. Hogs raised in pens fed corn and food industry scraps are not where you go for good bacon, hams, pork chops, etc.

Look for independent producers, Google them to spot the frauds, and pay the ~25% premium for something exceptional IMHO. I'd rather eat a smaller pasture and grass-fed steak, than a larger cheaper one with yellow fat from a high-pressure feedlot. YMMV

Any recommendations?

I threw out nearly an entire porchetta that I made last year because the pork belly had an awful strong taint of fishy flavors to it. I guessed maybe the feed was fish guts and scrap? Anyway, it was a major disappointment. I like to make my own bacon once in a while. That usually turns out pretty good.

 

[deskjockey]

Any recommendations?

What part of the world do you live in? I'm in East Texas and a big-time smoker, as in BBQ offset stick burner. I run a Shirley and an Evie Mae offset but, I'm also a Weber Smokey Mountain fanatic as well. Add a Kettle, Hibachi, Kamodo, ... in there as well but, I can only eat so much so some of those don't see much action.

Heritage Breeds are a good start but, it really depends on what is available locally or if you are going to ship it in. I am fortunate to have local sources for pasture-raised chickens, rabbits, lambs, hogs, and cattle.

A brief step onto the "soapbox", don't fall for marketing blather about open-range and similar terms. Opening the door to a chicken house with 50,000 or more chickens that won't ever cross the door threshold IS NOT FREE RANGE IMHO!

 

[coxhaus]

My wife had a picture of one of the potatoes we had up in Idaho Falls at a steak house in 2017. Here it is. The flavor was great. This is hers as I don't use sour cream.
I will look for waxy potatoes, not what that is though. I googled so I know now what a waxy potato is.

 

[deskjockey]

My wife had a picture of one of the potatoes we had up in Idaho Falls at a steak house in 2017. Here it is. The flavor was great. This is hers as I don't use sour cream.
I will look for waxy potatoes, not what that is though. I googled so I know now what a waxy potato is.
View attachment 147977

I don't know if the Aldi chain is local to you but, they have some 3# bags of waxy potatoes that are generally about 3" around for a 'good' price. They work really well in stews and roasted.

For big steakhouses, I think some of them do a light preboil in heavily salted water before they are oiled and salted and finished off in the oven.

For potatoes like that, the worst are the Russets that are "dry" and tasteless in the center or, the ones that are really soft and 'wet' in the middle.

I have done a few that I used a neutral oil (Canola I think) and then patted down with Kosher salt and baked off unwrapped with good results. Don't forget to take a fork and poke them a few times to avoid a steam explosion with potato all over your oven. Hitting the sweet spot between dry and wet (or slightly underdone) is a bit trial and error until you get it dialed in. They worked really well stuffed with various meats (brisket and bacon are really good) along with real BUTTER and sour cream with a good cheddar and some Jalapenos or Poblanos or similar peppers.

That being said, I generally only use Russets when I want a one to two-pound potato to make an impressive presentation on the plate. A 1+ pound baked Russet with a 1+ pound Porterhouse steak is pretty impressive for most people.

I must admit though, I did the 3# steak option and its huge potato and salad when I was in Amarillo at the Big Texan!

 

[deskjockey]

Is a one-pound baked Russet really just a large French Fry?

I seem to have drifted away from the OP's "French Fry Question" topic.

 

[Heckel7302]

i know this thread is about french fries, but i tried this parboiled oven potato recipe recently, loved it, and wanted to share.

full write up: The Best Roast Potatoes | The Food Lab
recipe: The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes Ever Recipe

View attachment 147950

all that crispy stuff comes from parboiling them (in baking soda water, which breaks them down a little) and stirring them in a bowl to get a layer of mashed potatoes on the outside of each chunk:

View attachment 147951

These are awesome. I make them all the time. Better than French fries IMO.

 

[Jovidah]

that is no fair play, manufacturers of fries do the same thing...they add stuff to coat the outside so it apppears more crispy.

I'll give parboiling is water with some baking soda a go, but I'll stick to using decent taters (Maris Piper, Charlotte) and kidney fat for frying or duck fat for pan frying.

Where are you getting the kidney fat? I've been trying to find it but unsuccesfully so far. All I found was the industrial yellow cardboard packages of Ossenwit but honestly when I tried them I found them rather dissapointing.

While I agree that coating the outside is kind of cheating, it does work wonders on sweet potatoes, that are otherwise quite a challenge to get properly crispy.
In general though I think too much potato recipes and discussions focus too much on texture alone, while ignoring flavor. One of the reasons I similarly favor Charlotte isn't because of the textures (not that it's lacking in that regard) but because of its flavor.

 

[Jovidah]

These are awesome. I make them all the time. Better than French fries IMO.

I'm inclined to agree; I think any preparations involving either a low and slow confit, or longer dry heat, that lead to significant evaporation, lead to a more flavorful end product that's far more interesting. Texture doesn't have to be any worse either with an oven product.
Whenever I'm (deep)-frying I've always favored cubes over fries as well. More practical and more surface area.

 

[MarcelNL]

online or any decent butcher should be able to supply kidney vet, agree that ossenwit is a meagre extract of such.
https://www.internetslagerij.nl/nie...RbnQB9-_SxaBVUmfyuRFwkARUC2LiZJhoCa9YQAvD_BwE
https://zorgnatuur.nl/vlees/biologisch-ossewit/
I tend to go for organic where I can and for fats and greases I go the extra mile as much chemical stuff is highly fat soluble

 

[MarcelNL]

I'm inclined to agree; I think any preparations involving either a low and slow confit, or longer dry heat, that lead to significant evaporation, lead to a more flavorful end product that's far more interesting. Texture doesn't have to be any worse either with an oven product.
Whenever I'm (deep)-frying I've always favored cubes over fries as well. More practical and more surface area.

cooking the taters in their skin helps to minimize water ingress too, or better; steaming them (I miss my steam oven...)

 

[MarcelNL]

I just ordered organic kidney fat here, as I remembered the fryer content needs to be changed.
https://www.kaasenworst.nl/?a_shop=guest-login

 

[Jovidah]

cooking the taters in their skin helps to minimize water ingress too, or better; steaming them (I miss my steam oven...)

These days i rarely peel potatoes anyway. Waste of both flavor and time. If i ever preboiled peeled potatoes in the past i'd at least throw the skins in the water.

 

[justjessi]

I've recently tried frying it with an air fryer and it's not bad at all. Although I think it's more like toasting than frying.