The Greatest Solution to Cook dinner Frozen French Fries, In keeping with Our Exams

There are many meals I all the time make from scratch, figuring out that the trouble is value it. French fries aren’t included in that class. I not often ever begin with precise potatoes that I lower into uniform batons, soak in chilly water, blot dry, and cook dinner. As a substitute, I sometimes attain for a bag of fries from the freezer — conveniently prepped and able to go. 

Relying on my temper or what I’m serving the fries with, I’d bake, air-fry, or deep-fry them. However I’ve by no means systematically pitted one technique in opposition to the opposite, tasting them facet by facet to see which one delivers one of the best outcomes. Till now, that’s — and the outcomes shocked me. Learn on for my technique notes, the professionals and cons of every method, and the methods I’ll be cooking frozen fries any more.

A phrase about my technique

For the entire assessments, I used Ore-Ida Crispy Straight-Reduce Fries, which gained one of the best traditional class in our frozen french fry style take a look at. These fries aren’t super-skinny like a shoestring fry, not too chunky like a steak fry, however as a substitute a cheerful medium between these two kinds. I cooked a pound of fries for every take a look at, which was half of a bag. This quantity was perfect as a result of it didn’t overcrowd a sheet pan or an air fryer basket.

For the three oven strategies, I used the identical oven for cooking, with an oven thermometer inside to make sure the temperature was correct, and I cooked the fries on the identical heavy-duty half sheet pan. For the 2 air fryer assessments, I used a basket-style mannequin.
The flavour remained principally constant amongst all of the assessments, so the largest consider my scores was the feel. I enlisted the assistance of my sons, self-proclaimed french fry aficionados, who have been house from school after I examined. 

Baked on a preheated pan

Cook dinner time: 22 minutes
Whole time: 32 minutes (contains preheating time)
Score: 5/10

Technique: Following the logic that preheating a sheet pan earlier than including the meals works properly for roasted greens, I made a decision to do that technique for frozen french fries. I merely positioned my pan within the oven and set it to preheat to 425°F per the package deal directions. I then added the frozen fries to the new pan and set a timer for 22 minutes, the decrease finish of the package deal directions.

Outcomes: In contrast to roasted greens, frozen fries don’t profit from being cooked on a preheated pan. The fries’ exterior appeared a bit of powerful, as if the additional shock of warmth created a tricky pores and skin. And the extra the fries cooled, the harder and chewier that pores and skin turned. 

Execs: None, actually. This technique neither decreased the cook dinner time nor benefited the feel.

Cons: Except for the textural issues, this technique additionally requires further warning so that you don’t burn your self when including the fries to the new pan.

Microwave-thawed and baked

Cook dinner time: 16 minutes (contains microwave thawing time)
Whole time: 26 minutes (contains preheating time)
Score: 6/10

Technique: The thought with this technique is to hurry up the cooking course of by thawing the fries briefly within the microwave earlier than baking them. You organize the fries on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on HIGH for 90 seconds. And then you definately’re supposed to have the ability to lower the package deal directions’ baking time by about half, which might be 11 to 12 minutes.

Outcomes: I used my 1,100-watt microwave, and after 90 seconds on HIGH, the fries felt cool to the contact and appeared thawed. I positioned them in an oven heated to 425°F and checked them after 11 minutes, however they have been nonetheless very pale and limp. I ended up cooking them a further 4 minutes (quarter-hour complete) to realize a crispy texture. Though the outcomes of this technique have been higher than the earlier one, the fries nonetheless had some textural issues, ending up a bit limp with a barely powerful exterior.

Execs: This technique does pace up the cooking course of, shaving off about 6 minutes.

Cons: The fries find yourself barely powerful and never as crisp as different strategies.

Baked on an unheated pan

Cook dinner time: 24 minutes
Whole time: 34 minutes (contains preheating time)
Score: 7/10

Technique: The method right here is to easily observe the package deal instructions for oven-baking: Preheat the oven to 425°F, organize the fries in a single layer on a sheet pan, and bake for 22 to 24 minutes. I checked the fries at 22 minutes and cooked for one more couple of minutes to get them crispier.

Outcomes: Regardless of my stirring the fries after 12 minutes, they ended up a bit of inconsistently cooked — some acquired crunchy and extra browned than others. However total they’d a evenly crisped exterior and pleasantly fluffy inside. This was a surprisingly strong technique that requires no particular cooking tools or method.

Execs: This technique is simple, doesn’t require particular tools, and is generally hands-off.

Cons: The fries appeared clearly oven-baked — they lacked the distinct crispiness that the highest three strategies achieved.

Air-fried

Cook dinner time: 12 minutes
Whole time: 17 minutes (contains preheating time)
Score: 8/10

Technique: For this take a look at, I adopted the package deal directions. I preheated my air-fryer (a basket-style mannequin) at 400°F for five minutes. I then poured the fries into the basket and air-fried them for 12 minutes, shaking the basket after 5 minutes. The directions say to air-fry for 8 to 10 minutes, however I felt that the fries wanted a bit of longer and cooked them a further 2 minutes. 

Outcomes: The fries got here out with a great texture — medium crispiness on the surface and a light-weight and fluffy, baked potato–like inside. 

Execs: That is the quickest technique I examined and doesn’t contain the messy cleanup of deep-frying.

Cons: An air fryer is a chunk of specialty tools that many individuals don’t personal.

Roughed-up, microwaved, and air-fried

Cook dinner time: 20 minutes
Whole time: 21 minutes
Score: 10/10

Technique: I noticed this technique on Instagram and I used to be instantly intrigued. Regardless of the video recommending steak fries and microwaving meals in plastic, I attempted the method with the identical straight-cut fries I utilized in all my different assessments and opted for glass and ceramic choices for the microwave. I positioned the fries in a microwave-safe container (a glass bowl), coated them with water, and allow them to stand for 30 seconds. Then I drained the water, coated the container (with a microwave-safe plate), and shook aggressively to tough up the potatoes. Preserving the container coated, I microwaved on HIGH for five minutes. Then I transferred the potatoes to an air fryer basket and air-fried at 400°F for quarter-hour, shaking the basket a couple of times.

Outcomes: This technique was a recreation changer! I used to be blown away by the outcomes, which tied for first place. They have been a lifeless ringer for double-fried french fries with out the mess of frying. These fries have been extra deeply browned than any of the others and have been impressively and audibly crunchy, with a light-weight and fluffy inside. Maybe much more spectacular is that they stayed that crunchy as they cooled, sustaining their texture even at room temperature. And these fries would’ve been the only winner, had there not been one other technique that delivered equally spectacular, top-notch outcomes.

Execs: The feel you get from this technique is implausible and it doesn’t require you to deep-fry the meals.

Cons: It’s a course of, for positive, involving a number of steps, a microwave, and an air fryer, however the outcomes are value it.

Deep-fried

Cook dinner time: 8 minutes 
Whole time: 20 minutes (contains preheating time)
Score: 10/10

Technique: I went again to the package deal instructions for this take a look at, utilizing a Dutch oven for frying as a substitute of the electrical deep fryer that they recommend. I heated about 4 cups of canola oil in my pot to 375°F and cooked the fries in two batches in order to not overcrowd the pan and make the oil’s temperature plummet. I fried every batch for 4 minutes, then drained the fries on a paper towel–lined plate.

Outcomes: These fries are what you need and anticipate from french fries, with an iconic buttery taste and crisp outer shell. The feel wasn’t as crunchy as the opposite profitable technique, nevertheless it was splendidly crisp on the surface and pillowy inside. And though they have been deep-fried, these fries didn’t really feel greasy or depart an oily mouthfeel due to frying in batches so the oil’s temperature didn’t drop. These are the fries that you simply consider while you daydream about fries, which is why they share the highest spot with the opposite profitable method.

Execs: It’s a comparatively fast technique that achieves scrumptious, fast-food–sort texture and taste.

Cons: Deep-frying is messy and scorching oil splatters are harmful.

Last takeaways

If you’d like peak fast-food–model fries at house and don’t thoughts the cleanup, deep-frying provides you a fantastically crisp shell with a pillowy middle in about 20 minutes complete. However if you happen to’d reasonably keep away from a pot of oil, the rough-up, microwave, air-fry technique is a revelation: extra-deep browning, actual crunch, and spectacular endurance because the fries cool. For pace with minimal mess, easy air-frying is a powerful runner-up. Commonplace oven-baking works in a pinch, however skip the preheated-pan strategy — it toughens the outside with out including crispness.

Comply with two easy guidelines irrespective of the strategy: Don’t overcrowd, and shake or flip a couple of times for even browning. Try this and your frozen fries will style far nearer to the basket you’re craving.