Why French Fries Taste Better At A Restaurant Than At Home
There's nothing quite as satisfying as biting into a hot, crispy, and salty french fry. Interestingly, there's scientific evidence to back up why we enjoy eating this type of crunchy food. According to Science ABC, it's typically an indication that food is fresh and the sound it makes has also been shown to be comforting to those eating it. This is why when you're trying to create restaurant-worthy fries at home it can be extra disappointing when you don't get that same crispiness.
This is likely because when you're whipping up your own version of the salty snack, you're using fresh cooking oil. Unfortunately, this isn't the ideal type for getting your desired texture. Eateries often use oil that's been used for a while, since the molecules bond easier with the food which produces that crunchy bite. However, it's also essential you don't let the oil cook too long or it can start to smoke and won't work either.
How to create crispy fries at home
Since you're not producing a massive amount of entrees like a restaurant does and likely can't keep enough oil on hand that's been partially used, there are other methods to create the perfect french fry at home. To get that crunchy on the outside and fluffy interior, you'll need to use Russet potatoes. This high-starch style of the tuber has lower moisture than other varieties making them much less likely to give you a soggy outcome.
Whether you decide to use peanut, canola, or safflower oil, the other key to the perfect crispy texture is frying them twice. While this may seem tedious and will take a bit longer, it's a crucial step. The first round is important to create a barrier on the potato's exterior as famed chef J. Kenji López-Alt explained in an article for Serious Eats. "Only after this thick outer layer has been sufficiently built up can the potato be fried a second time at a sufficiently high temperature to drive off the last remnants water, leaving the crisp, desiccated structure behind," he wrote.
So, the next time you make french fries at home remember to use Russet potatoes and fry them twice and you'll get that ideal hot and crunchy texture that you're looking for.