French Fries, Poutine, Pommes Frittes

fireftr18 · 03-01-17, 08:22 PM

Our friends in England are the experts on this. They call them chips, and they are the best I ever had. Maybe they can give us all some advice. I think beer or ale is involved.

Gargamel · 03-02-17, 12:56 AM

I made fries tonight. Chopped up a couple potatoes, leaving the skin on, dumped them in the fryer at 350f for 6 minutes. Bammo. Fries. You can cut them thinner or thicker for crispiness, or cook them a little longer for a crisper shell. Let them drain for a few minutes, then salt as desired.

You mentioned poutine in the title, but no made no mention of it in the post. Poutine is not another name for fries, but a complete dish. It is a Canadian delicacy. In college we used to drive the 20 minutes to the Messina Bridge in New York and cross over the Seaway to a truck stop just for the Poutine and beer, Neither of which we could obtain legally in the US. Of course, customs never believed us that we just ran over the border on a friday night just for dinner, got searched for alcohol quite a few times, but we were smart enough not to have anything. Now the trips to Montreal.......

Skybird · 03-02-17, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gargamel

I made fries tonight. Chopped up a couple potatoes, leaving the skin on, dumped them in the fryer at 350f for 6 minutes. Bammo. Fries. You can cut them thinner or thicker for crispiness, or cook them a little longer for a crisper shell. Let them drain for a few minutes, then salt as desired.

You mentioned poutine in the title, but no made no mention of it in the post. Poutine is not another name for fries, but a complete dish. It is a Canadian delicacy. In college we used to drive the 20 minutes to the Messina Bridge in New York and cross over the Seaway to a truck stop just for the Poutine and beer, Neither of which we could obtain legally in the US. Of course, customs never believed us that we just ran over the border on a friday night just for dinner, got searched for alcohol quite a few times, but we were smart enough not to have anything. Now the trips to Montreal.......

I learned about poutine in Cologne where I had some business dates in the past three m onths. There is one restaurant that specialises in poutine and they practically do not serve anythign else.

If you happen to be in Cologne or Düsseldorf or Aachen, and like poutine or fries, go there, the ambient atmosphere and looks of the place is very nice and if you like poutine, it should be heaven. Personally, these heavy sauces and cheese and plenty of ingredients over the fries - its not really my thing. Too hefty. I prefer the classic German way: white salt, and mayonnaise or ketchup, period.

Learn more:
http://frittenwerk.com/

In principle the classic base form of Poutine Quebec is fries, cubes of fresh (wet) Mozarella cheese on top of it, and then dark gravy. You either like it, or you don't. I hear that canadians are crazy for it, but I cannot understand that.

Of course, plenty of variation possible. The link I gave shows some imiges of various poutines they serve in these restaurants. Looking they do good.

Gargamel · 03-02-17, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fireftr18

Our friends in England are the experts on this. They call them chips, and they are the best I ever had. Maybe they can give us all some advice. I think beer or ale is involved.

I never saw a difference between English Chips and a good hoem cut fry. They're just thick fries.

Spent a month in England many years ago, and took my girl out to a nice restaurant right off Piccadilly Circus. We were really weirded out as the hostess kept coming around, asking if we wanted more "complimentary French Fries". It was just a plate of standard shoe string fries.

I was also weirded out by the beds had no sheets, just duvets. No phones in the hotel rooms (and we were just across the river from Parliament). And that you need to look right when crossing the street.

Reece · 03-02-17, 01:40 AM

Potato wedges are nice!!

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/...-potato-wedges

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/oven...4-a75d505472d0

Obltn Strand · 03-02-17, 05:08 AM

Cook the potato pieces first in boiling water so that they become flaky. Take them outside/put in refrigerator/sink in cold water in open minigrip bag and allow to cool. This is to remove moisture and moisture is your enemy. Cut temperature by 20-30 degrees with both frying times and also cool them down after first frying time.

Skybird · 03-02-17, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Obltn Strand

Cook the potato pieces first in boiling water so that they become flaky. Take them outside/put in refrigerator/sink in cold water in open minigrip bag and allow to cool. This is to remove moisture and moisture is your enemy. Cut temperature by 20-30 degrees with both frying times and also cool them down after first frying time.

You mean the second frying at LOWER temperature than the first blanching? Practically everybody says its right the other way around?!

Well, quite counter-intuitive, but I make a mental note of that.

Jimbuna · 03-02-17, 08:21 AM

Chips, one of the easiest foods to cook but I suppose not if you're experiencing problems...

Skybird · 03-02-17, 09:15 AM

If it would be working so reliably as in your videos, I would not ask in this thread, Jim.

First video btw pretty much is like we would do "Bratkartoffeln" in Germany: pan, plenty of fat or oil, just at the very end maybe ad some cut onion and garlic, white salt and black pepper, I also add rosmary and thyme.

I did more research the past hour, and one thing I learned is that I base on a wrong asusmnption sicne 50 years

, and obviously many understand it wrong as well: for some reason I always thought floury potatoes have lots of starch and firm potatoes have less. My mother also fell for this error, as well as my neighbour and friends of mine. It is exactly the other way around, and if I ever would have given it a second thought, this absolutely makes perfect sense. Where should the solid structure of firm ones come from, if not from more starch? But one tries hard to get starch out of it before frying, you wash the cut potatoes, you let them water some time, just to clean off the starch. So - I now go and get myself some soft, floury potatoes (which I usually avoid) with less starch.

I also read a tip that indeed you boil them before frying - and that you should use not just water, but also some vinegar in it. There is some chemistry magic going on with the vinegar, and the slices/cuts/sticks after 5-10 minutes should get cooled in cold water and then dried again before frying.

The experimenting monster has been awakened. I either succeed until I make perfect Fritten - or I vomit myself to death. This now is a fight for life and survival.

Kocht sonst die tollsten Sachen, aber schafft keine simplen Fritten - ich blamier mich ja bis auf die Knochen...

Obltn Strand · 03-02-17, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybird

You mean the second frying at LOWER temperature than the first blanching? Practically everybody says its right the other way around?!

Well, quite counter-intuitive, but I make a mental note of that.

No no no no cut temperatures during BOTH times

soak-rinse-boil-cool-fry-cool-fry-serve...

Catfish · 03-02-17, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gargamel

I never saw a difference between English Chips and a good hoem cut fry. They're just thick fries.

Yep, same here. Easy to make those at home. But Skybird asked for the perfect »pommes frites«, and this seems to be an art form lol
No really, it is not easy. Best results yet were with frozen pre-fabricated ones, directly put into the oven.
I will try to follow Oltn Strand's tips next time.

OT

Quote:

[...] was also weirded out by the beds had no sheets, just duvets. No phones in the hotel rooms (and we were just across the river from Parliament). And that you need to look right when crossing the street.

"Reisen bildet". We were always surprised about England

From 70-year old music apparatus 'machines' in the hotel apartment to the aforementioned sheets and duvets, to putting loads of Kardamon on a sweet continental(?) pudding. Prices were very high though, for dining as for hotel or "Bed and breakfast". Foreign restaurants were good and cheaper though (and indian ones always excellent). The smell that developed in the 1300 Triumph Herald we drove around was awful, but cannot be blamed on the english cuisine. No pork pie is being made with the expectation to last for ten or more weeks in warm and wet conditions under the driver's seat, obviously forgotten by its previous owner. And of course we had our share of near-misses on those pesky roundabouts when looking for the wrong direction

But it was always great, from nice people to interesting experiences of all kinds, very positive. I am sure we had some germn lunatic bonus though.

from a friend of mine: "I take it that after brexit, and when things go on, we will be able to visit England in say 15 years with an entry fee, to visit an island that has turned into being a museum"

03-01-17, 08:22 PM	#1
fireftr18 Ocean Warrior Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Kentucky Posts: 2,528 Downloads: 77 Uploads: 0	Our friends in England are the experts on this. They call them chips, and they are the best I ever had. Maybe they can give us all some advice. I think beer or ale is involved. __________________ Of all the forms of Martial Arts, Karaoke causes the most pain!

03-02-17, 12:56 AM	#2
Gargamel Lucky Sailor Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Rome Posts: 4,273 Downloads: 81 Uploads: 0	I made fries tonight. Chopped up a couple potatoes, leaving the skin on, dumped them in the fryer at 350f for 6 minutes. Bammo. Fries. You can cut them thinner or thicker for crispiness, or cook them a little longer for a crisper shell. Let them drain for a few minutes, then salt as desired. You mentioned poutine in the title, but no made no mention of it in the post. Poutine is not another name for fries, but a complete dish. It is a Canadian delicacy. In college we used to drive the 20 minutes to the Messina Bridge in New York and cross over the Seaway to a truck stop just for the Poutine and beer, Neither of which we could obtain legally in the US. Of course, customs never believed us that we just ran over the border on a friday night just for dinner, got searched for alcohol quite a few times, but we were smart enough not to have anything. Now the trips to Montreal....... __________________ Luck is a residue of Design.

03-02-17, 01:40 AM	#5
Reece CINC Pacific Fleet Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Down Under Posts: 34,815 Downloads: 171 Uploads: 0	Potato wedges are nice!! https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/...-potato-wedges http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/oven...4-a75d505472d0 __________________ *Sub captains go down with their ship!*

03-02-17, 05:08 AM	#6
Obltn Strand Commodore Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Helsinki, Finland Posts: 614 Downloads: 135 Uploads: 0	Cook the potato pieces first in boiling water so that they become flaky. Take them outside/put in refrigerator/sink in cold water in open minigrip bag and allow to cool. This is to remove moisture and moisture is your enemy. Cut temperature by 20-30 degrees with both frying times and also cool them down after first frying time. __________________ Himmel, sukeltakaa!

03-02-17, 08:21 AM	#8
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,992 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Chips, one of the easiest foods to cook but I suppose not if you're experiencing problems... __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

03-02-17, 09:15 AM	#9
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,718 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	If it would be working so reliably as in your videos, I would not ask in this thread, Jim. First video btw pretty much is like we would do "Bratkartoffeln" in Germany: pan, plenty of fat or oil, just at the very end maybe ad some cut onion and garlic, white salt and black pepper, I also add rosmary and thyme. I did more research the past hour, and one thing I learned is that I base on a wrong asusmnption sicne 50 years , and obviously many understand it wrong as well: for some reason I always thought floury potatoes have lots of starch and firm potatoes have less. My mother also fell for this error, as well as my neighbour and friends of mine. It is exactly the other way around, and if I ever would have given it a second thought, this absolutely makes perfect sense. Where should the solid structure of firm ones come from, if not from more starch? But one tries hard to get starch out of it before frying, you wash the cut potatoes, you let them water some time, just to clean off the starch. So - I now go and get myself some soft, floury potatoes (which I usually avoid) with less starch. I also read a tip that indeed you boil them before frying - and that you should use not just water, but also some vinegar in it. There is some chemistry magic going on with the vinegar, and the slices/cuts/sticks after 5-10 minutes should get cooled in cold water and then dried again before frying. The experimenting monster has been awakened. I either succeed until I make perfect Fritten - or I vomit myself to death. This now is a fight for life and survival. Kocht sonst die tollsten Sachen, aber schafft keine simplen Fritten - ich blamier mich ja bis auf die Knochen... __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.