Would you like fries with that? If your name is Ben Reiser, the answer is unequivocally HELLS YEAH! Sure, he’ll eat any old fries in a pinch – but he deemed these the yummiest fries ever and it’s been our go-to recipe for years.
Making fries for the Reiser boys is admittedly a time-consuming endeavor. I went into labor and delivered Matthew in less time than it takes to peel, cut, soak, pre-fry, cool and final fry 16 potatoes. Because I’m a little OCD about the size and shape of my fries, I do the tedious upfront work, and then David takes over as Frymaster. It’s all worth it in the end, however, when you have piping hot, crispy taters to munch on alongside one of Grillmaster Dave’s mindbogglingly outrageous prime cheeseburgers. It’s an every-once-in-a-while Sunday treat to savor.
So whether you like ’em with the authentic condiment ““ homemade mayonnaise ““ or prefer “˜em American style, slathered in ketchup, these babies take the gold every time!
Belgian Fries
Ingredients
• Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes
• Frying oil (peanut or canola are our choices)
Directions
Peel the potatoes. Cut them in slices 3/8″³ thick and then cut them into fries of 3/8″³ square.
Put the in potatoes in cold water for a few minutes; this washes out much of the starch and tends to make them less sticky after the first frying and more crispy after the second. Dry the fries well with a towel or paper towel.
Heat the oil in a hot frying pan or deep fryer to a temperature of 320 °F. Put in a handful of fries – not more at once because the oil will cool down too much. Fry for 4-8 minutes (depending on the thickness and the kind of potatoes), stirring regularly to prevent sticking.
Transfer the fries to a large paper towel-lined bowl or baking sheet and let them cool down and sweat for at least 1/2 hour.
Finally heat the oil 375 °F and fry in batches for 2 minutes until crispy and golden brown. The fries will be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the way they should be!
Sprinkle with salt as soon as they come out of the fryer, and serve with your favorite condiment.