Title: Classic French Fries
Categories: None
Yield: 4 Servings

4 lg Russet potatoes; (Idaho)
-peeled and cut into 1/4"
-by 1/4" thick lengths --
-reserve nonuniform pieces
-for other uses
2 qt Peanut oil
4 tb Bacon fat; (optional)
-strained
To taste salt and pepper

1. Rinse cut fries in large bowl under cold running water until water
turns from milky colored to clear. Cover with at least 1 inch of water,
then cover with ice. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes (Can be refrigerated
up to 3 days ahead.)
2. In 5-quart pot or Dutch oven fitted with clip-on-the-pot candy
thermometer, or in large electric fryer, heat oil over medium-low heat to
325 degrees. As oil heats, add bacon grease. Oil will bubble up when you
add fries, so be sure you have a least 3 inches of room at top of cooking
pot.
3. Pour off ice and water, quickly wrap potatoes in a clean tea towel, and
thoroughly pat dry. Increase heat to medium-high and add fries, a handful
at a time, to hot oil. (Do no overfill.) Fry, stirring with Chinese skimmer
or large-hole slotted spoon, until potatoes are limp and soft and start to
turn from white to blond, 6 to 8 minutes. (Oil temperature will drop 50 to
60 degrees during this frying.) Use skimmer or slotted spoon to transfer
fries to brown paper bag to drain; let rest at least 10 minutes (can stand
at room temperature up to 2 hours or be wrapped in paper towels, sealed in
zipper-lock bag, and frozen up to 1 month).
4. When ready to serve fries, reheat oil to 350 degrees. Using paper bag
as a funnel, pour potatoes into hot oil. Discard bag and set up second
paper bag. Fry potatoes, stirring fairly constantly, until golden brown and
puffed, about 1 minute. Transfer to paper bag and drain again. Season to
taste with salt and pepper, or other seasoned salt. Serve immediately.
Recipe By : Cook's Illlustrated July/August 1996 Fred Thomas

Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #294

Date: Mon, 11 Nov 1996 17:27:41 +0000

From: Marilyn Thomson

NOTES : For those who like it, flavoring the oil with a few tablespoon of
bacon grease adds a subtle, meaty flavor to the fries. Their texture,
however, is not affected if the bacon grease is omitted. Once you've peeled
the potatoes, you can use a mandolin or V-slicer, rather than cut them by
hand. To prepare steak fries, cut the potatoes 1/3" to 1/2" thick, and
increase the cooking time to 10 to 12 minutes during the initial frying and
just a few seconds longer in the final fry.