Did you know that the best oven fries are more about technique than seasonings. Yes, seasoning is important, but for the best texture and taste, it is all about the how to part. At least in my opinion it is.
I love oven fries and have been making them for years. Yes, I keep a bag or two of those famous frozen fries in my freezer for simple meals like homemade chili cheese fries or taco fries, or for a quick side dish for hot dogs or hamburgers, but homemade oven fries are the best.
And the simple trick to get the best oven fries is to soak them in water before cooking. Yes, it is that simple.
I peel and slice the potatoes and place them in a bowl of water for several hours. Drain the water off, rinse, pat dry, season as usually, and bake at about 400 for 25-40 minutes depending on the size of the fries.
Soaking the potatoes in water helps remove some of the starch from the potatoes and allows them to crisp up better when cooking. In general I find it just gives the potatoes a much better texture. Or at least my family thinks so.
One of the things I love about this trick is that it not only gives me the best oven fries, but it lets me do the time consuming part of peeling and cutting ahead without the potatoes turning brown.
The soaking in the water part helps not only to remove some of the starch, but it also keeps them from turning brown like it does when I make them ahead for mashed potatoes. I love being able to do things ahead in order to save time at dinner.
After I soak the potatoes, I rinse and drain them. I simply coat them with a few tablespoons of oil and sprinkle with salt or I season them with the homemade version of Paula Deen’s Seasoning or Emeril’s Seasoning. You do need to make sure they are well drained or patted dry so that the oil and seasonings will stick better.
Do you ever make homemade oven fries or french fries? What tips do you have for making them?
Do you soak frozen fries, too, or just homemade ones?
I don’t soak the frozen ones, just the homemade ones.
Every time I try to make potatoes in the oven, they stick so bad they are ruined. What am I doing wrong? Wrong oil? Wrong pan? Thanks! I just love your recipes!
Mine usually stick some and more if I bake them in a glass pan. I would guess you need more oil and maybe stir/flip them a few times while baking them.
Lynn, do you put the soaking tators in the fridge? I’m trying this soaking method now and just put the bowl in the fridge. Thanks for sharing all your tips!
I really doesn’t matter. If I am just soaking them a couple hours I have left them out. If it is going to be all day or most of the day I usually refrigerate them.
thanks Lynn ~ I would Not have done all that peeling and cutting up at dinner time and the hubby wouldn’t have gotten any tators if I hadn’t learned your water tip! I’ll be doing oven fries more frequently now. Love ’em!
thanks for the tip! cant wait to try it!
What a great tip! I’ve switched to oven fries after a tummy seriously upset over deep-fried lunch and have been experimenting to see what the perfect recipe would be. Very yummy so far, so now I’ll have to add this tip into the mix and see the difference 🙂
I have done this soaking method with my homemade French fries before frying them and it makes the best fries!!
They are soft on the inside but crunchy on the outside. Yum!