Fried Potatoes

Fried potatoes have added a lot of texture to meals in my house because they are so good if you do them right. Now I have tried many different ways to make to make fried potatoes over the years and there are a few important things to note.  

1. The best potatoes to fry are from the Russet family.

2. The more moisture you can extract the better crunch you will have.

3. Keep your potato peels on until you are ready to fry.

What you need-

• Microwave or Oven
• 2 Russet Potatoes
• 15 inch skillet
• 1/4 of Vegetable Oil

The first thing you must do is pre-cook your potatoes.  The microwave is the fastest way to prep your spuds.  Jab your potatoes a few times and microwave them till they are soft.  My favorite way is to bake them for about 60 minutes at 425 degrees in the oven. I will wrap each potato in tinfoil and bake them till they are done.  The nice thing with this is that you now have precooked potatoes that you can use for soup, fried potatoes, and mashed potatoes.  You can even freeze them and use them when you need them.

Once your potatoes have cooled they will have expelled a lot of moisture.  Moisture is your enemy and will prevent your potatoes from having that crunchy delightful texture. Using a very sharp thin blade knife cut your potatoes into half-inch cubes.  Get your skillet ready and add your oil. Set your burner to medium heat.  Once the oil has reached about 250 degrees start adding your potatoes.  Make sure you give each potato plenty of space. If you skillet is smaller don't stuff your skillet. Once you add the potatoes do not touch them- check on them in about 5 minutes. Turn ONE over and view the crust. If it looks golden brown starting flipping your potatoes.  Tongs work well if you have patience.  At this point you can add chopped onions,  peppers, or mushrooms.  Cook the potatoes to your desired crunchiness.   Add salt and pepper to taste.