I find a lot of great ideas on Pinterest… but pinning something doesn’t do anything unless I actually, you know, try the idea. So I thought it’d be fun to challenge myself to do at least one Pinterest experiment every week — and blog my results.
I can’t promise that I’ll always have a Pinterest Experiment post up each week, because you know how I sometimes get distracted or on blog tangents. 🙂 But I’m at least going to try. By the way, you can follow my Pinterest account here, if you’re interested.
I found this recipe for Baked Oven Fries on Pinterest. And since I’d gotten a great deal on potatoes recently, I had to try it.
The actual recipe was a little bit more time-consuming than I was envisioning. {I don’t know why I always picture whipping up things like this in less than 10 minutes.}
Truthfully, when I was making these, I was thinking to myself, “Why did I want to try this recipe??”
And without even finishing the recipe or tasting these fries, I decided I was not going to be making this recipe again. It’s just way too many steps for a cook like me who prefers 5-minute recipes whenever possible.
But I persevered and I’m so glad I did. Because we loved the finished product. Jesse was thoroughly impressed that I’d made French Fries from scratch (sadly, yes, I think this was a first for me!) and he proclaimed them very, very good.
So now, I’m kind of torn on my verdict. I mean, I really was hoping that they weren’t very good. But now that I know that they are, I’m not so sure that I’m going to say I’ll never made them again.
However, if any of you have an easier homemade French Fries recipe that is equally amazing that you want to send my way, I will love you for it.
Want to see what ideas I’m thinking of trying next? Check out my Recipes I Want to Try board and my Do It Yourself board for things I’m considering trying next.
Have you tried any ideas or recipes you’ve found on Pinterest this week? If so, how did they turn out for you?
Theresa says
I’m sure lots of people have already suggested it, but I never peel my potatoes for oven fries. The kids don’t seem to mind at all. I always peel for sweet potato fries though. 🙂
Jenny says
Crystal, The Pioneer Woman has the best potato wedge recipe that I have ever eaten. Not technically “french Fries” but I make them with anything I would usually make french fries for. She only scrubs the potatoes, and cuts them in eight wedges each potato, so it doesn’t take much time. She also cooks them on a seemingly high heat, but they always turn out wonderful!! Look it up on her site, and try it out. It’s good, I promise!
Crystal says
Thanks so much for the suggestion!
JuliB says
I love olive oil as much as the next person, but am concerned in using it with this recipe:
“When heated, olive oil is the most stable fat, which means it stands up well to high frying temperatures. Its high smoke point (410ºF or 210ºC) is well above the ideal temperature for frying food (356ºF or 180ºC). The digestibility of olive oil is not affected when it is heated, even when it is re-used several times for frying”
From http://www.internationaloliveoil.org/
Terie says
My recipe is very easy and quick. Just wash the potatoes thoroughly, slice into 8ths, leave the skin on for nutrients. Put in a bowl and drizzle olive oil, salt, pepper, or whatever other spices you want. Place single-layer on greased baking sheet. I bake at 400 for about 30 minutes, turning over once. They are wonderful!!
abby says
I’m sure everyone else has said it, but leave the skins. Healthier and MUCH faster. This is one of our favorite treats. Also try seasoned salt or cayenne if you like them a bit spicy.
Linda says
As they said, leave the skins on. And if cutting them was so time consuming buy a $10 french fry cutter and it is quick and easy. I now make my own fries ALL the time.
Gloria says
Baked fries never seemed to work out for me. So I tried making them fried and not peeled…saves time and they were awesome! See the post here: http://resourcefulgals.blogspot.com/2013/03/homemade-olive-oil-french-fries.html
Let me know if you like them!
Gloria
Elisabeth says
You need to invest in a french fry cutter! Northern Tool sells a pretty decent one: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200451268_200451268
Makes the prep time much more manageable!
becca says
I would recommend soaking these in salt water for a while. Worth the wait.
Sarah says
Just made my own version last night – we have these weekly and my husband and daughter love them to pieces.
Russet potatoes (1 per person)
Oil (preferably not Olive, since that doesn’t do well at high temps)
Salt & Pepper
Chili Powder
Paprika
Granulated Garlic (Powdered would be great too)
Scrub potatoes clean and slice into smallish sticks, coat with oil and season using above spices to your liking. Bake in a 425 oven for about 30 minutes. Sorry, my recipes are never precise. Haha. Adding a touch of chili powder is what I think really makes these extra yummy!
I don’t see the need to peel or soak them. They come out so yummy every time!
Hanna Copeland says
I use an apple slicer to slice my potatoes. Then soak them in warm water. Shake in a bag with oil and sea salt and garlic. Then put in the oven at 450 for 30 to 40 minutes.
Vicky says
Soaking and subseuuently drying is what helps the potatoes get extra crispy in the oven as it helps release some of the start in the potato. I don’t peel, but I do wedge, so for 10-15 min then oil and bake uncovered for 20-30 min. turning once. None of that cover, uncover stuff.
Gerry says
We like them this way, too … also tried parboiling them for a few minutes before baking. But it’s too time-consuming for a weeknight.
The next best thing we like is to cut the potatoes crinkle-style, a couple of days ahead, and leave them to soak for two days in the fridge. Then when you’re ready to cook, drain, toss with oil and bake 425-450. It’s not “as” good, but it gives a nice, yellow fry instead of that “baked fry” color/texture.
Amy says
I use a Pampered Chef crinkle cutter (I think it’s called a Garnisher) and it takes me only a couple minutes to cut all my potatoes. I cut each potato in half the long way with the cutter, and then slice each half into strips. If one seems too fat, I slice it in half again the long way until it is the right size- trying to keep things as uniform for even cooking as I can. The tool is easy to handle, cuts the hard potatoes easily and leaves a crinkle edge to grab all the ketchup with. I keep the skins on, too. I put them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and coat with olive oil and whatever seasonings I want. Then I bake them for roughly a half hour at 475, stirring every 10 minutes or so. They turn out delicious and don’t take hardly any time at all!
Siné says
My husband has been making this recipe for a few weeks. It is a keeper!
[email protected] says
I have a much simpler (and healthier) version for you: http://behealthybehappywellness.com/2013/01/my-version-of-french-fries/
This is the only way we eat fries now and we all LOVE them!
Kelly says
In my experience, whenever I try a Cook’s Illustrated recipe, it’s always amazing…and a huge pain 🙂 If I really want the absolute best blueberry muffins, or green beans, or whatever, I will force myself to do all the steps, and it’s always great. But usually I take one of their “extra” steps and ditch the rest, leaving me with an almost-as-good-but-less-fussy version of the recipe. So here, I might do the soaking but skip the foil-topped steaming part, for example.
Also, if yo used that steak knife for the job, that must have been awful 🙁 If you have an old chef’s knife or paring knife but it’s too dull, you might be able to find a grocery store that will sharpen it for free. One of the “fancy” grocery stores in our town will do it at the meat counter. It’s probably not a professional job, but it was free, and it helped a lot!
Kate says
Why did you peel them?
I do oven fries all the time – ok not daily but weekly. They are fast, easy and get better the longer you leave them in the oven.
carrie says
Growing up my mom used to make homemade fries a lot. Their is a machine you can buy to slice the potatoes into fries. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003TH4ZZC/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1364395970&sr=8-9&pi=SL75
Carol@simple_catholic says
I make baked oven fries fairly regularly but not like this. I just peel and cut the potatoes, toss with oil and salt and bake at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes on each side. Sometimes for a change I will sprinkle the finished fries with Italian Seasoning. It may sounds strange, but it tastes good!
Nancy Sue says
Thank you thank you thank you thank you!!! For hanging in there and finishing the recipe and sharing it with us. We WILL try this. Being a gluten-free family, organic and true gluten-free french fries are extremely expensive, and just yesterday I was going to start to look for recipes. FOUND IT! Whoo hoo! You really helped out our family and saved me oodles of time in my recipe search! Again,, repeated thank yous to you!
Dita says
These are one of my family’s favorite dishes for the weekend and we also do sweet potato fries! I peel and cut the potatoes the night before, say Friday night and cover in a bowl with cold water and put in fridge. This prevents the potatoes from getting brown spots. I peel them because scrubbing the potatoes takes just as long in my opinion and I feel I can’t quite get them clean enough…just me.
Toss the potatoes in olive oil, salt and pepper and add a dash of cayenne seasoning if you want a kick. preheat oven to 475 and I put parchment paper down on the cookie sheets (get at the dollar store) and bake for 30-45 minutes (depending on your oven), turn them once and they are perfect every time! For sweet potatoes we add a few teaspoons of ground cinnamon (so good for you) and if you want a little more sweetness add a few tablespoons of maple syrup and one tablespoon of canola or coconut oil. YUM and so healthy. My three year old daughter loves these!
Kim M says
If your family doesnt like the skins on, there are these “veggie peeler” gloves you can wear that you just roll the potato around in your gloved hand and it peels it like that. Then of course you could use the french fry cutter too 🙂 but homemade french fries are SOOOOOOO worth making!!!
Julie Calvert says
I made homemade fries last night. I agree with you all(no need to peel). I wash, cut bad spots, cut into chunks, place in a bag, toss with oil, salt, pepper, little red pepper, and bake on greased baking sheet. My family really likes them this way. It is a lot better than making fried “tators.”
Elizabeth says
It sounds close to just pan frying a potato other than a little less oil though I’m not 100% why you need to do all the soaking. I’m guessing because it is done in the oven and not in a pan? They sound good but I think I’ll just stick with slicing up potato rounds and tossing them in a pan to fry.
What you really need for a project like that though is like what they have at Penn Station to fresh cut the fries. I bet that alone would cut down on prep time. Also, I wonder what would canning do to it. Be nice if you could just pop open a lid, drain off the liquid, lay it out on your oiled/salted/peppered sheet and cook.
This is one blog I go over to about things like canning. I highly suggest her if you aren’t a reader already.
http://thewelcominghouse.blogspot.com/search/label/Home%20Canning
suzyhomemaker says
I agree with all the comments here. The only thing I would add is that I use bacon grease instead of oil.
Patty says
I have made a ton of homemade fries. There are only 3 of us so I don’t need to do a lot of cutting. However, after doing many versions I made this version last week and it was one of the best and I’ll do it again. I didn’t find it all that harder, but was doing other cooking while they soaked and steamed. Cutting up potatoes happens a couple of times a week for about 5 years (my son is 7 and has only had frozen fries a couple of times) so I probably don’t notice the time it takes. I do think the soaking and aluminum foil made a difference for the crispy on the outside factor. My son keeps asking for them so they will be a regular item – however I think any homemade french fry is pretty good!!!
Margery H. says
Yes, I agree with many other commenters. I make these all the time, but I just scrub and don’t peel. I also do not soak. My kids actually prefer these to other fries b/c they are not so greasy! It takes about 10 minutes of prep time.
Jenevieve says
I have made this homemade ricotta cheese several times already, and it has turned out great every time! It’s quick and easy, and I have actually made it lighter using skim milk and it still came out great. Cheap, easy, and very tasty…I’m sold!
http://pinterest.com/pin/47147127321185966/
dawn says
We love oven taters! I wash and cut the potatoes up – fries, wedges, chunks, however you like. I put them in a bowl with some olive oil and any seasoning we want, put a lid on the bowl and shake them to coat. dump taters on a cookie sheet. bake and/or broil to desired doneness, stirring/flipping occasionally for even cooking. We like them well done.
Jami @ An Oregon Cottage says
I had to laugh when I saw the recipe was from Cook’s Illus. as they often take simple recipes and make them more complicated in the name of science. 🙂 I just do like the others have said: toss unpeeled, cut spuds with olive oil and seasonings, throw them on a lined pan and bake at a high temp til crisp – awesome and 5 minutes prep!
JuliB says
CI gives the reasons for why they do what they do. More complicated or not, I find their explanations fascinating and well-worth the read.
Allie says
Those fries look delicious! Our recipe has morphed from peeled wedges to unpeeled 1/4-1/2 inch thick rounds. The reason for the change was to save time, but we quickly realized that the potato rounds were perfect topping holders…melted cheddar cheese and salsa; mozzarella and pizza sauce; roast beef and horseradish sauce…you get the idea. Topping the little buggers completely negates the time saved by skipping the peeling and slicing but they always taste delicious!!!
me says
My husband makes fried potatos every sunday morning for our breakfast. he either uses the mandolin to slice and then fry or uses the nicer dicer to make the fries. we never peel—that’s where the fiber is anyways.
Brandy says
I have made this recipe twice. I underestimated the time it would take, and dinner was really late the first time I made these. They were SO yummy that I did it again. I will use the recipe again for sure, just not on a weekly basis. the potato cutter will be something I look in to!
Anne says
I made a quick version of fries and I did not peel them, cut them in French fry shape, rinsed them in a colander, and tossed them with oil, salt, pepper, and some white sugar, and then baked, probably at around 400 or 425.They were fantastic. The sugar was very important.
Milk Allergy Mom says
I made these periodically and just did recently with a white potato and sweet potato mix because I didn’t have enough of one kind. 😉 Turned out pretty well and will be an upcoming blog post. I bet you make them again. 🙂
Melanie says
Wash, don’t peel, and use a potato cutting tool. I have a “Perfect Fries” (a gift, I wouldn’t have bought it myself) and it actually works really well, and really fast!
Carrie says
As some others have suggested, you need to get a french fry cutter if you’re going to be making french fries a lot. My mother-in-law gave me one and it really makes it easier! While I’m peeling and cutting the potatoes, I put a pot of water on to boil. When it’s at a rolling boil I dump the fries in and cook them quickly for about 3 minutes. Then I drain them, coat them with oil, and sprinkle them with salt, pepper and garlic. Then I bake at 450 until they are nice and crispy. So delicious!
Tara H says
We had Loaded Baked Potato and Chicken Casserole for supper tonight. I found it on Pinterest. It was really good! However, my kids (who normally eat spicy stuff just fine) said it was too spicy. It did have a kick, but we adults liked it a lot!
Here’s the link
http://www.quickneasyrecipes.net/loaded-baked-potato-chicken-casserole/
Amy f;) says
I jsut made my first homefries today at lunch!
I scrubbed and sliced the potatoes but didn’t peel them.
I soaked them in sugared water for …a while …when I was preparing the rest of the meal adn kid-wrangling. I oiled the baking sheets and tried to shake off the water before I tossed the potatoes onto the pan. It was my husband’s lunch break for work so I was in a hurry and baked them hot at 425 with a little salt. Some of them had a funny texture, but most came out nicely and it didn’t seem like it took me too long.
Juli says
This French fry cutter would save you some serious Time. It’s easy to use and even fun. You can even use it for zucchini and squash.
http://www.pamperedchef.biz/julirailsback?page=products-detail&categoryId=90&productId=38319&itemId=2419
Michelle Murphy says
I make fries from acorn squash. We like them better than potato fries. It does take a long time, but it is an easy way to eat more veggies. 🙂
Tracy @ usingtimewisely.com says
Wow . . . you have some great ideas here. I deep fry our French fries. I have a Fry Daddy which I fill partway with vegetable oil – any oil will do.
Hubby washes, peels, and slices the potatoes. I then fill the Fry Daddy basket with potatoes, leave them in the hot oil for about 3 minutes, drain, and add to serving bowl. I then sprinkle with salt or season salt.
Good luck!
Roxanne says
Your family enjoyed these fries because you spent took your time and followed the recipe. 🙂 It wasn’t wasted time.
I definitely agree with other posters not to peel the potatoes. But do not skip the soaking and patting dry. That is an important part in getting a crispy oven fry.
Emily says
I also leave the skin on when I make fries. I also pinned this idea for easier french-fry making:
http://goodenessgracious.com/2011/11/cutting-up-potatoes-super-fast.html
Basically, you use an apple slicer to make them. I haven’t tried it yet (I only have to make enough for two people, so it doesn’t me long), but it sounds like a good idea!
Alli Swords says
I have no idea if this was mentioned…just too many posts to read. To speed up cooking time, I first wash the skins really well. Then microwave a whole batch of them until soft enough to cut, but not mushy (like ready to eat). Then I cut them, sometimes so they are circular (which is even easier). Then I spray them with olive oil cooking spray, sprinkle some garlic salt and put them on a sprayed pan. Since they are already partially cooked, I put them on 350 with whatever else I am cooking:) YUM!!!
Kristine says
We love this recipe. Some things deserve extra time in the kitchen. This is one of them!
Kristie@SimplySavvyRecipes says
My family LOVES baked french fries!! I leave the skins on also to make it a tad more healthier and much easier 🙂 I soak them in a salt water brine, coat them with a few tablespoons of olive oil and season them with a seasoning mix I have mixed up and keep on hand (recipe on blog along witht the baked french fry recipe). I am pretty sure my kids would eat these every night 🙂
Linda says
This recipe doesn’t seem THAT time consuming…especially with such great results! Years ago, my father-in-law made what he called “Ice-cubed” potatoes. He thick sliced potatoes in rounds & soaked them in ice water…then dipped them in butter, put them on a baking pan w/salt & pepper & baked them. Everyone loved them…but none of us(including him) did not know why the recipe called for the ice water soak. Now the “light dawns!”
Kristi says
My family loves seasoned baked potato wedges from http://www.tammysrecipes.com. I have cut them in wedges or even small chunks, and they turn out great. It takes me about 10 minutes to have them oven ready.
Nancy says
I made two recipes off of Pinterest this evening. Banana split cookies and Red Lobter cheesy biscuit bread. They are included in the following post.
http://intheblack.areavoices.com/2013/03/26/watching-expiration-dates/
Sarah says
These are really good, and easy too!
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/un-fried-french-fries-74520.aspx
Charlene @ A Virtuous Woman says
I like to make home made potato chips by using a mandolin slicer–and yes, scrub, don’t peel, the potatoes! And if you use them right away, I wouldn’t think you’d need to soak them.
[email protected] says
I never peel mine. The skin has iron, along with a few other great nutrients, and is soft and no-big-deal once you bake them. When I make mine I soak them for about 30 minutes in salt water, then I sprinkle whatever seasoning I want on them once they’re on the pan (paprika fries are a favorite in my home) and bake ’em, no covering and uncovering, nothing like that. I make homemade fries all the time so maybe I’m just used to it, but they never feel like a time-consuming thing to me if I start them soaking as I’m working on the next part of dinner or finishing up something else! =]
Chelsea says
We love oven baked fries around here! To make it easier on myself- I do the peeling and cutting the night before and let the potatoes soak in the refrigerator until I’m ready to use them. This definitely makes it feel like it takes a lot less time since it’s broken up.
Also- while I have found I prefer the soak because it makes them crunchier, I have also found I don’t think it’s pertinent to do the pre-heating of the oil, covering, uncovering, etc. I just coat the fries with oil and seasoning in a mixing bowl, lay them flat on a sheet, and bake them for about 45 minutes.
The baking time is long, and the prep work can be a pain- but breaking up the prep makes it better. And we love them so much that it’s totally worth it to us!
Lyn says
leave the skin on – coat with egg whites (if you like crispy outsides) or spray with Pam. Season with salt, pepper to taste. bake 400 for 20, flip, repeat and bake. yummy!
Becky says
We make homemade french fries all the time with very few steps involved. I’ve heard that soaking the potatoes in water first helps make the fries crispy. I’ve never done that though and still like the amount of crispiness in the way I make them.
Preheat your oven to 425. Leave the skins on the potatoes & cut them into wedges. (The smaller you cut them the less time they will take to cook or the crispier they will get.) Toss potato wedges with olive oil, sea salt, fresh ground pepper & paprika. Spread them out on a cookie sheet or baking stone. (I use a baking stone that I leave it in the oven while it preheats.) Flip the wedges after about 15 minutes. Continue to cook until they are a crispy as you like them to be. About 30 minutes total cooking time. Enjoy!
Bev says
I was reading this and thinking – what was so hard? Then I clicked on over to the recipe and understood. For one, I don’t soak my potatoes and not sure why one would. Then, I leave the skins on – I can’t imagine peeling potatoes every time we have fries!
Here is how I do it: Wash potatoes, cut in thin strips, coat with 2T olive oil, shake on seasoning salt, layer on baking pan and bake for 12-15 minutes (until crisp) at 425.
Crystal says
Yes, it just seemed like there were some extra steps in there that added extra time and effort! But I was *trying* really hard to follow the recipe exactly so that I’d actually know how it turned out without my normal revisions and skipping of steps. 😉
Thanks for the shortcuts!
Amy f;) says
I appreciate that you made a point to FOLLOW the recipe exactly- from one chronic recipe-adjuster to another 🙂 Everyonceinawhile I make myself follow the recipe exactly too:)
Crystal says
😉
Cynthia M. says
I agree, don’t bother peeling. Also other blogs that have reference to this recipe say to only soak for 10-20 minutes not 30. Hope this helps….
Julie C says
Soak your potatoes in very warm almost hot water to loosen any dirt; have children scrub with a brush (they’ll enjoy that part). Have children put the potatoes through the apple/corer and pop into a colander when they’re done; next the children rinse the potatoes and let them drain. Now children put the potatoes on a cookie sheet. You put oil on them and toss them around to coat the potatoes; children put freshly ground salt and pepper on the potatoes and you put them in the oven.
Every great recipe includes your children doing 75% of the work so they learn to do it independently when they are old enough. 😉
Crystal says
Great suggestions! 🙂
Heather says
I have the cookbook that this recipe comes from and it has a lot of great recipes. But it’s not the kind of cookbook you turn to when you are in a hurry. It’s one to use when you really want the best version of a recipe. I have made these fries and they were fabulous. Haven’t done it again though – I have small children. Usually I just partially peel, dump in pan, drizzle oil on, mix around, season, and bake. Good enough but nothing to get excited about. But I do intend to make this fabulous recipe again – sometime!
Kathy says
I don’t soak or peel my potatoes. I cut them, spray the pan and potatoes with a quick coat of spray olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic, season salt, herbs, whatever we are in the mood for that day. Bake in a 425 degree oven until golden. Very quick and easy. We don’t buy frozen potatoes any more.
CarlyW says
I could be wrong, but every time I made anything potato related (especially in quantities large enough for my family), I got worn out by the peeling/slicing more than the soaking/roasting. If that’s the case for you, too, you need a better knife, or sharpen your knife if you already have a nice one. My husband got me a nice chef’s knife for Christmas, and it’s made my life SO much easier. Of course, the idea of spending over $100 on a knife seems silly, but now I can not only cut potatoes, but sweet potatoes, in no time flat.
Stephanie says
I didn’t look into the recipe but looking at the pictures I’m wondering if the time consuming part is peeling and slicing the potatoes. We used our apple slicer to to make quick work of the slicing and the apple peeler/corer/slicer and only make them peel it (not having it core or slice it). Makes quick work of it.
Melodie says
Try using a potato fries slicer and try using a potato that can keep the skins on, like a red potato. You can also boil to the point of crisp tender before slicing into fries and popping them in the oven too. Then they bake faster with less likelihood of burning.
Sharon says
We always make fries in the oven. But it doesn’t seem so complicated. Cut the potatoes up. If you cut them a little smaller they take less time to cook. I don’t bother with any of that pat dry stuff. By the time you cut them up they are usually good. Put them in a bowl, pour a few tablespoons of oil in, stir them, salt, stir some more, maybe a little more salt. (If you use melted butter they are even better.) Spread on a greased baking pan. Bake until they are a little golden, use a spatula to flip them around. (They stick if you don’t let them cook long enough.) Put the spatula on the pan so you scrape them up. (For some reason I can do this and my husband can’t.) Don’t try to turn each piece individually. Then finish baking them on the other side. I just keep my eye on them so I don’t have exact times. Sometimes they are more brown on one side than the other but they always taste great to us.
Carol says
Where is the recipe?
Crystal says
It’s linked at the top of the post. Or here: http://www.annies-eats.com/2010/02/25/baked-oven-fries/
Abby @ Mother on a Mission says
I’ve made these, and even posted my own take on them. The steps aren’t necessarily hard, just a lot more time consuming than I’m usually willing to take on.
We don’t often eat frozen french fries, but when we do I like to jazz them up a little. I usually toss them in olive oil and seasonings; our favorites are garlic and Parmesan or seasoning salt.
Adding a few ingredients to frozen fries definitely isn’t going to produce anything like this recipe. It’s just nice to have a go-to on a busy weeknight.
Barbara Rowley says
Google Pioneer Womans” crash hot potatoes. ” Way easy and super super yummy!! you will not be disappointed
Abby @ Mother on a Mission says
I love those potatoes! They were a huge hit in our house!
Brianna says
I agree. I always leave the skins on.
Stephanie says
I too, am lazy about making homemade fries. Instead of cutting the conventional way, I slice them like potato chips, and it seems a lot faster. Then I toss them in a bowl in olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Then I spread on a cookie sheet and I don’t even bother to turn them while they’re baking.
They turn out like a cross between potato chips and fries, depending on how long you bake them. We like them this way and you can also try it on sweet potatoes.
Cheryl says
I agree, this is too much work. This is how I do it:
Cut up the potatoes. Put in plastic bag or saved bag from cereal box. Dribble 1 T. oil in on potatoes, shake to distribute oil, sprinkle on seasonings. Preheat oven to 450, put potatoes on pan and bake 10-15 min. Turn with spatula and bake 10-15 more minutes. We like “boccinelli sauce”: 1 T mayo mixed with 2 T. catsup.
Emily says
My roommate taught me how to make fries while we were studying abroad. It would be a stretch to call this a recipe, but it’s a simple technique that produces delicious results.
Steps:
1. wash potatoes (do not peal)
2. cut into fry shaped pieces
3. heat about a half inch of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat
4. add potatoes, turning from time to time
5. as they turn gold brown remove from skillet onto paper towels
5. salt and enjoy
Brittany says
Did you cut all of those by hand?! Props to you girl! Since you guys liked them maybe a french fry cutter would make it a little less time consuming?
Jennifer says
Invest in a French Fry Cutter. Pampered Chef sells one- worth the investment- however you can find one cheaper at Target or Walmart. One potato takes seconds to cut and each comes out perfectly even!
An alternative recipe: http://www.food.com/recipe/cinnamon-sweet-potato-fries-432961
It is a great sweet potato recipe- however I substituted regular white potatoes and left out the cinnamon. The parchment paper allows for less oil with the non-stick feature.
Arlene mullen says
I have a potato cutter that you just stick the potatoe in and pull back a handle and it pushes the potatoe through this thing that cuts them length wise either thin or thick. I do like 10 potatoes in about 5 mins
suz says
cut them the other way circles like chips that goes a lot faster if you don’t have gadgets
The Bargain Shopper Lady says
I got an old fashioned potato cutter at an antique sale for $4. It is a great investment and I love it!
angi@schneiderpeeps says
We make baked fries often and I *think* the secret is a really hot oven and oil coating the fries. All the other steps may produce a fry that is more like what you would get in a restuarant but I don’t think the difference is worth all the extra work.
Here’s what I do… scrub the potatoes (or get a child to do it for me), cut them into wedges (or get an older child to do it for me)- I cut mine a little thicker than you did. Spray a baking sheet with spray oil. Lay out the potato wedges on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt (and maybe even pepper). Bake at 475 until done. You can flip them over if you want but we usually have a really crunchy side and a not so crunchy side.
By the way, I never peel potatoes…for any reason…I’m just too lazy and my family really doesn’t care.
BetsyD says
As others have said, I never peel mine and I use my Pampered Chef potato cutter (wedger) to make absolutely easy work of cutting the potatoes….takes like two seconds. (Not trying to toot my biz horn here, but have one if you are interested.) Spread them out on cookie sheet, mix in some olive oil, sprinkle a little salt and pop in the oven. The whole process takes all of five minutes of prep and you are right, they are oh so good!
Claudia says
Yes, I agree with Lara, you can leave the skin on. I’ve also tried these and they were very good. http://pinterest.com/pin/251568329156470528/
Beth says
To speed things along, you can skip the soaking step and all of the covering/uncovering. Just slice, sprinkle with salt or seasoning, and bake in the oven for half and hour at 425. This will leave them soft on the inside, crispy on the outside. I also often leave the peels on the potatoes, depending on my mood.
A french fry cutter is also a helpful tool for making thinner, more uniform fries. I bought a Progresso brand cutter a few years back using a gardening catalog coupon you posted here on your blog (maybe Garden’s Alive?). My family has really enjoyed it as it came with 2 sized blades (thick and shoestring). We haven’t bought frozen potatoes in over 5 years.
Need A Nap2 says
We also had a potato cutter growing up, makes it a lot quicker. Recently I made this recipe, I just cut “cubes” of the potatoes but it was for just me and my husband so it did go really quickly.
http://www.littlehouseliving.com/olive-oil-oven-baked-potatoes.html
I added “seasoned salt” generic for the Lawry’s one. 🙂
Need A Nap2 says
and I left the skin on though her pictures look like she cut it off. Also my potatoes were really close to being bad (had to cut a few spots even) so the potatoes were softer and easier to cut. I think that can make a big difference too, how “tough” are the potatoes?!
Stacey says
We skip the soaking, too: cut, toss in a big bowl with oil and seasonings, then lay out on cookie (not baking) sheets. Then salt them and bake at 425 until done.
Jocelyn says
I agree – I just scrub my potatoes but don’t peel them and skip the soaking (unless I’m prepping them to bake later). I put some oil or cooking spray on the pan, then spray more cooking spray on top & sprinkle with Lawry’s or whatever spices I feel like adding. My family loves them! I do this with sweet potatoes, too – my kids love the “orange french fries!”
Crystal says
I love all of these great ideas; thank you!
Carrie says
I never heard of soaking them — I wonder what it is supposed to do?
I always considered home fries a relatively quick recipe. Yes to a bigger knife, yes to leaving the peels on, and I don’t usually turn them either, just stir them around a bit while baking to keep them from sticking to the pan.
Ellen says
I haven’t read all the comments yet, so apologies if someone answered already. Soaking potatoes pulls out some of the starch. I can’t remember where I learned this, but I’m pretty sure starch traps water in the potatoes so they get soggy. I also heard somewhere that pulling out the starch brings sugars to the surface of the potato, and more sugars on the surface mean more of the yummy golden brown deliciousness on the outside.
And PLEASE get a big cutting board and a good knife! I’m scared for your fingers!
Crystal says
I have a great cutting board, I just forget to use it! 🙂 And I am forever cutting myself if I use good, sharp knives, so I’ve just stuck to my knife set knives for pretty much all kitchen projects in order to save my fingers!
jeanie says
I make potatoes like that all the time, but I never peel them. We like the peels and that would probably save you some time.
Danielle says
Maybe a good compromise would be to scrub but not peel them next time? That has to cut out at least 50% of the work.
Lara says
Leave the skin on! They are easier and healthier!
WilliamB says
Yes, skin on – exactly what I was thinking.
For how to slice efficiently, watch the slicing bit of this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aum0J394BNw.
Jacques Pepin is an amazing chef and amazingly good teacher. In the first part of this video he shows how to efficiently cut taters for french fries. See how he slices then stacks then slices again.
Megan says
This is great advice and – in addition – please, Please, PLEASE invest in a proper chef’s knife. You can get a decent model at a big box store for under $20 and you will be amazed at how much faster you can slice and chop. Plus it is much safer than using a paring knife. I can’t imagine doing all of this work using the steak knife shown in the photo above. Trust me, it will make your life so much easier and you won’t know how you lived without it 🙂
Anna says
Amen!
Myrna says
I could use a tutorial on knives. I can’t believe a good one is under $20.
Anna says
Cool video. I’ll watch more from Chef Pepin!
Claire says
Make this SUPER quick: invest in a mandolin. I have one that was very inexpensive and I can change it to a thick or a thin cut. It is SO quick (2 minutes per potato, tops). Also: don’t worry about making fry shapes. Just leave the potatoes circular-shaped and they’ll look like chips. No big deal. I make sweet potato chips like this, and we love them! Also, the thinner the slice, the less time to crisp up.
Rebecca says
I second that too. We don’t buy fries in a bag – I always cut up my own. They taste so much better. I just put them in a bag with oil and get them coated, then sprinkle kosher salt and they are good to go.
Crystal says
Thanks so much for the suggestions — and the video!