Homemade Potato Chips
Have you ever had the problem where you stick your hand in a ‘tater chip sack and it’s empty? Well if you’re at our house, it’s probably because the beagle got in your stash!
Folks, there’s nothing that beats that flavor of a homemade potato chip. But what’s the main thing you’ve got to have in a ‘tater chip? Crispness! I’ve done a lot of research on how to get a good crisp fried potato chip and in this recipe I’m sharing some of the easy tricks to get you there.
Choose the Right ‘Tater!
Folks, for this recipe I like to use a Russet potato. They are a hearty potato that hold up well in and I’ve found are the best for frying. Be sure you leave the peel on there because it will help them keep their shape when you start frying them.
Don’t worry folks… I didn’t just take up a new instrument. I’m talking a mandolin slicer. You’ve got to cut these fellers up thinly. You can’t really cut them up thin enough and uniform with a knife. I’ve seen folk use a cheese slicer, but I think the mandolin is the best method because it will get them thin and even through the whole potato. Be sure you also use the thin slice slide of it.
Soak them fellers in ice water
As you slice the ‘taters, let them set in some ice water for about 30 minutes. That’s going to help draw out that starch which will make them crispy.
Rinse until the water is clear
After they have set in that ice bath, you need to rinse them a few times. Place those taters in a bowl with fresh tap water and stir them around. Drain the water and rinse again in clean water. I like to do this about 2 to 3 times, or until that water is clear. That’s helping rinse more of that starch off.
Blanch Time
Add the rinsed potatoes to a pot with water and vinegar and give them a boiling for about 3 minutes. This is an important step because it really gets any of that excess starch out and you guessed it… make them ‘taters CRIPSY! When they have blanched well, they’ll turn from an opaque to more of a translucent.
Pat Dry
When you drain them from the water, pat the potatoes dry with a cloth towel. The next step is frying and you don’t want to add a wet ‘tater to hot grease because that’s when you’ll get a big splattering of hot oil.
Fry Time
Get yourself a deep fryer or cast iron Dutch oven to fry in. You need a high temperature oil like peanut and heat to 375 degrees F. This is important! Use a thermometer to make sure you keep this consistent temperature the entire time you’re frying. It has to be a little hotter than the typical frying temp. of 350 because we need to fry them a little faster so they don’t get soggy.
It’ll take about 3 minutes, or until they are golden brown and hard to the touch.
Season Up!
strain them from the grease and place on a paper towel or wire rack. IMMEDIATELY season them, so that seasoning will stick. We’ve used several different blend and one we really like is our Mesquite Seasoning here.
Some other suggestions:
Garlic Mix: 2 teaspoons garlic powder and 2 teaspoons onion salt
Ranch Mix: 1 Ranch packet and sea salt to taste
Chili Mix: 2 teaspoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon onion salt, 1 teaspoon ground mustard
Dill Mix: Dried dill to taste and sea salt to taste.
So now the question is… how are you going to season yours?
That’s it folks- a pretty easy recipe, with a classic homemade flavor and a variety of seasoning ideas to make these your own.
We accidentally left them out on the counter overnight and I was surprised they were still crispy the next morning. But I do recommend if you’re going to store them, to put them in a paper sack.
If you’d like to see us fry these along the Red River check out the video below and we’ll see you next week for another recipe!
Homemade Potato Chips - Cowboy Kent Rollins
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- Oil for frying peanut, canola, etc
Instructions
- Rinse the potatoes well.Using a mandolin or cheese slicer, slice the potatoes thinly and place in a large bowl. Cover with water and a couple handfuls of ice. Let soak 30 minutes.
- Drain the water from the potatoes. Add more water to the potatoes and stir around to rinse. Drain the water and repeat. Continue rinsing until the water is clear.
- In a medium saucepan add the 4 cups of water and vinegar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Add the potatoes in batches and cook for 3 minutes to blanch (the potatoes will turn from an opaque white to a clearer white). Strain from the water and place on a cloth towel. Lightly pat to dry both sides. Repeat with the remaining potatoes.
- Add about 3 inches deep of oil into a deep fryer or Dutch oven. Heat to 375 degrees F.
- Add the potatoes, in batches, to the oil. Fry for about 3 to 4 minutes, flipping occasionally or until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Strain the potatoes from the oil and place on a wire rack or paper towel. Season immediately with desired seasonings (recipes below). Let cool completely before serving. Tip: Can be stored in a sealed paper sack for a few days. Be sure to continually check your oil temperature to ensure it stay around 375 degrees F.