Need help from the Brits

[booklover]

Someone who is British will know what I'm talking about. In the U.K., you often get this side of potatoes with pub fare. They are crusty and crisp and I've tried to duplicate them over and over and can't seem to. Do any of you Brits out there know how this Yank can duplicate this?

[Shinsan]

I presume you are asking about 'chips': Those wonderful large-cut fries that are crisp on the outside, and aren't saturated with oil on the inside, like those dull, bland stringy things called 'French Fries' that rely on a ton of salt for taste.

'Chip' your potatoes into generous bite-sized pieces and deep fry them in quality vegetable oil until they are a light golden colour. Take them out of the fryer and drain them well, allowing them to cool some. After draining, drop them back into the fryer and cook until they are a deep golden colour.

If the chips are thick, and the oil is really hot, you can get away with a single cooking, but I was told by a fish shop owner that the double method is best. Of course, he might only be pre-cooking them to save time when the customers come in, but it could be worth trying.

[Tracy Rimmer]

It depends on whether you're talking about "chips" or "roasties". For chips, follow Shinshan's advice above. For "roasties", I use red potatoes, or russets. Peel, and par-boil in salted water until JUST barely (but not quite) done. You want the outside a bit soft, but the middle still uncooked. Have a pan of oil heating in the oven to about 450F, and then drop the par-boiled potatoes into the hot oil gently with a long-handled slotted spoon. Roll them around a bit, and turn a couple times during cooking. Let them cook for about 30 minutes, or until the insides test done with a fork and the outsides are toasty brown.

Serve with brown gravy. Mmmmmmm.....

[Bonnie L]

Originally Posted by Shinsan

'Chip' your potatoes into generous bite-sized pieces and deep fry them in quality vegetable oil until they are a light golden colour. Take them out of the fryer and drain them well, allowing them to cool some. After draining, drop them back into the fryer and cook until they are a deep golden colour.

I do that, but use half butter for the taste. I just call them "pan fried potatoes". Maybe I'll start calling them "Brit chips" or something.

Sometimes I boil the whole taters, then peel, slice & fry. I also use unpeeled, leftover baked potatoes.

[booklover]

Originally Posted by Tracy Rimmer

It depends on whether you're talking about "chips" or "roasties". For chips, follow Shinshan's advice above. For "roasties", I use red potatoes, or russets. Peel, and par-boil in salted water until JUST barely (but not quite) done. You want the outside a bit soft, but the middle still uncooked. Have a pan of oil heating in the oven to about 450F, and then drop the par-boiled potatoes into the hot oil gently with a long-handled slotted spoon. Roll them around a bit, and turn a couple times during cooking. Let them cook for about 30 minutes, or until the insides test done with a fork and the outsides are toasty brown.

Serve with brown gravy. Mmmmmmm.....

YES! This is it. Roasties. I didn't know the name for them. (Not chips, but thank you shinsan.) Thanks a million, Tracy! I'd get these roasties and then simple boiled potatoes as well, and I enjoyed both, but the roasties... the texture just was something I wasn't sure how to do at home.

[Tracy Rimmer]

You're welcome

It's really important to have your oil HOT when you put the hot par-boiled potato in. Otherwise, they'll soak up oil and just be... well, oily

The par-boiling part, then hitting that hot, hot oil, is what gives you that crunchy outside texture.

[texican]

I sometimes like to dip mine in water and flour (lightly battered) and then fry them up till they're golden... crispy crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside...
(Granny use to call them German fried taters... mmmmm)

[ladycat]

Originally Posted by Shinsan

'Chip' your potatoes into generous bite-sized pieces and deep fry them in quality vegetable oil until they are a light golden colour. Take them out of the fryer and drain them well, allowing them to cool some. After draining, drop them back into the fryer and cook until they are a deep golden colour.

Those are called "twice fried potatoes" here.

Originally Posted by Tracy Rimmer

For "roasties", I use red potatoes, or russets. Peel, and par-boil in salted water until JUST barely (but not quite) done. You want the outside a bit soft, but the middle still uncooked. Have a pan of oil heating in the oven to about 450F, and then drop the par-boiled potatoes into the hot oil gently with a long-handled slotted spoon. Roll them around a bit, and turn a couple times during cooking. Let them cook for about 30 minutes, or until the insides test done with a fork and the outsides are toasty brown.

Serve with brown gravy. Mmmmmmm.....

I don't know what those are called here, but my mother fixed them a lot when I was a kid and we were all nuts about them.

[HOTW]

My mum doesn't parboil them She just uses white potaotes, cut up and heat the oil in a metal roasting pan in a 375 degree oven then toss in the potatoes coat with oil then salt them, cook . pull out and flip them several times til done,,its a look and see type of cooking!

[Tracy Rimmer]

Originally Posted by HOTW

My mum doesn't parboil them She just uses white potaotes, cut up and heat the oil in a metal roasting pan in a 375 degree oven then toss in the potatoes coat with oil then salt them, cook . pull out and flip them several times til done,,its a look and see type of cooking!

You can do them that way -- but they then seem to get a browned "skin" rather than the trademark "crunchy coating" that we like around here. They also take a LOT longer to cook fully in the oven -- and we're not nearly patient enough to wait for them

[Shinsan]

Thanks Tracy, I'm going to just have to try the "Roasties ": They sound really good!

Anybody here use an electric deep fryer rather than using the stove-top?
Been thinking of getting one for Chi, but don't know if they are any good.
(Of course, the salesperson says they're very good! )

[culpeper]

You've been given good advice, but one thing is lacking, and that's the variety of potato you need to get that fluffy inside, and crispy outside. Using the wrong potato can give disappointing results.

I can't really help you, because the potatoes you get in your part of the world aren't likely to be the same as in my part of the world. But you can get information from a greengrocer about different potatoes - there are waxy ones, and mashing ones and all sorts. Makes life difficult, but it's worth the effort.

Here's one UK site which might help:

http://www.potatoesforcaterers.co.uk/varieties.asp

Not so helpful, but still useful, is this site for American potatoes (I'm sure you can do your own Googling for further information):

http://www.professorshouse.com/food-...varieties.aspx

[pigeonracer2k]

You need to try Roast beef ( with English mustard ), roast potatoes, carrots mashed up with swede and that other English favorite, for with a roast lunch, Yorkshire puddings.
Any left over Yorkshires can be eaten as a sweet with golden syrup and a little sugar on tham.
Almost makes me homesick!

[booklover]

I did them last night, Tracy and they were PERFECT!!!!! Oh, I'm in heaven now. Thank you again!

[Ann-NWIowa]

Tracey -- how much oil in the roasting pan?

[Tracy Rimmer]

Basically, Ann, enough to come about 3/4 the way up the potatoes when they're in there. A little less than a third the depth of an average open baking pan, I guess -- but be careful putting them in. Putting them in gently with a slotted spoon, is the best way I've found to avoid burns and slopping.

If you let the oil cool then strain it into a canning jar, you can refrigerate and reuse it.

[Shinsan]

Originally Posted by pigeonracer2k

You need to try Roast beef (with English mustard), roast potatoes, carrots mashed up with swede and that other English favorite, for with a roast lunch, Yorkshire puddings.

Now my mouth is watering! (Two things I'd add to that would be roast parsnips and some horseradish cream.)

Chi had heard me talk about Yorkshire puddings, and one day at work found a magazine with the recipe. When she arrived home she couldn't remember the ammounts of this or that of the ingredients, but decided to make some up anyway. Without a word of a lie, she turned out the best Yorkshire pud that I've ever had, and I've had a few. Some gals are just natural born cooks.
(Very lucky me!)

[HOTW]

Originally Posted by Tracy Rimmer

You can do them that way -- but they then seem to get a browned "skin" rather than the trademark "crunchy coating" that we like around here. They also take a LOT longer to cook fully in the oven -- and we're not nearly patient enough to wait for them

Yeap I know we kids are still trying our own experiments to get it right she always does but that's her and she's as british as they come..right dwon to the upper "crust" accent!