Homemade French Fries (Frugal Food Thursday)

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French fries are so yummy... but so bad for you.

I'm not going to say that this recipe for Homemade French Fries is healthy, but it is slightly healthier.  First, I keep the skins on the potato, which adds some nutrients.  Second, there are no fillers or additives as there often are in commercial French fries.  And third, you can control how much salt these have.

Plus, they're so much cheaper than store-bought or restaurant-bought fries.  So when potatoes go on sale (often for really cheap at ALDI), buy some and indulge a little by making a batch.

You'll need to double-fry the fries - fry, then allow to cool a bit, then fry again.  This gets the inside of the fry fully cooked - the inside will continue to cook after you remove it from the oil.  If you fry them only once, when the outside of the fry is golden brown, the inside will still be raw. 

Here's the recipe:

HOMEMADE FRENCH FRIES

4 large baking potatoes, skins scrubbed well
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup canola oil
salt to taste

Slice the potatoes, with skins still on, into several 1/2" slices, and then cut each slice into 1/2" wide sticks.  Place in a large bowl and fill with water.  Add the sugar, mix, and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Remove the water from the bowl and dry the potato sticks well with paper towels.

In a large skillet, heat the oil to 325 degrees (use a candy thermometer to check the temperature).  Add some of the potato sticks, creating a single layer on the bottom of the skillet.  Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the fries start to become translucent.  Remove the fries and drain on a tray lined with paper towels. 

Add more oil if necessary and recheck the temperature.  Once it hits 325 degrees, fry the next batch of sticks.  Continue until all of the fries have been cooked once.

Add more oil if necessary and recheck the temperature.  Take some of the fries that were cooked once and fry again until golden brown.  Remove to a different tray lined with paper towels.  Continue until all fries have been cooked twice.

Add salt to taste.  Then eat before they get cold!

There are lots more easy and cheap recipes posted here at Frugal Follies.  Click here for the list!

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