The best (and worst) potatoes for crispy, comforting homemade fries
For homemade fries, which are sautéed in butter until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the variety of potato matters a lot.
“potatoes? Waxy potatoes aren't very good for home fries If you've ever eaten one of those little red potatoes, you'd notice they have a smooth and creamy texture, often referred to as”
Homemade fries, chips, or breakfast potatoes: whatever you call them, you've probably eaten them as a side dish with bacon and eggs. They're cubes of potato that are sautéed in a pan and fried in butter until crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, much like regular French fries.
They seem simple: just cut potatoes into cubes or chunks, fry them, and serve them with salt, pepper, and ketchup. But the combination of crispy exterior and soft interior has its pitfalls. If the cubes aren't parboiled, the potatoes end up hard, almost raw, and bland. Slightly flattening them exposes more surface area to the heat, resulting in a crispier exterior. It takes a precise combination of heat and seasoning.
Not just any potato will do, and it's best to choose a variety with high starch content. Starch gives potatoes their soft texture and, because it can absorb liquids, results in a crispier final product. High-starch varieties include Russet, Yukon, and Idaho.
Russet, Yukon, and Idaho potatoes are ideal for home frying: they absorb butter, have a very soft and creamy interior, and maintain a crispy, golden exterior. Their only drawback is that they can fall apart if overcooked, although the flavor isn't affected.
Waxy potatoes, like New Russet or Red Bliss, aren't as good for frying. They have less starch and more moisture, and they retain more structure when heated. If you fry cubes of Russet and Red Bliss in separate pans, the Russet tend to fall apart a bit, while the Red Bliss maintain their shape and texture. Red Bliss results in a firm, waxy, not creamy, texture.
That's why small potatoes, with less starch, work well in roasts or boiled dishes, while those with a lot of starch offer the creamy texture of french fries, hash browns, and homemade fries.
