Old Bay Fries Recipe

Prepare potatoes

Wash and peel the russet potatoes (peeling optional). Cut each potato into 1/3"–1/2" thick fries for classic shoestring-to-steak-cut balance. Aim for uniform size so they cook evenly.

Place cut fries in a large bowl and cover with cold water plus 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Soak for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours, to remove surface starch and help them crisp.

After soaking, drain the potatoes and rinse briefly under cold running water. Spread the fries on clean kitchen towels or paper towels and pat very dry. Moisture will make the batter and oil spit and reduce crispiness.

Mix dry ingredients

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, 2 tsp Old Bay, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper in a medium bowl until homogenous.

Add beer

Pour 1 cup of very cold beer into the dry mix and stir gently just until combined. Do not overmix—the batter should be slightly lumpy. If you want a lighter batter, fold in 4 ice cubes briefly to chill the batter and make it extra bubbly; discard ice before using if melted.

Rest batter in refrigerator for 10 minutes while heating oil. The batter should be thick enough to coat a fry but still run off slowly.

Heat oil

In a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer, pour enough neutral oil to reach about 2–3 inches deep (approximately 2 cups for a medium pot). Heat oil to 325°F (160°C) for the first blanching step. Use a thermometer to maintain temperature.

Blanch fries (first fry)

Working in batches (do not overcrowd), fry the dried potato sticks at 325°F for 3–4 minutes until they are just starting to soften and turn barely color. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon and drain on a rack or paper towels. Allow to cool for 5–10 minutes. This step cooks the interior without browning.

Increase oil temperature

Raise the oil temperature to 375°F (190°C) for the final crisping and for frying battered fries.

Batter and fry

Working one batch at a time, toss a portion of the blanched fries in the beer batter so they are evenly coated. Allow excess batter to drip off for 1–2 seconds, then carefully lower battered fries into the hot 375°F oil. Fry for 2–4 minutes until the batter is golden-brown and crisp. Use long tongs or a spider to turn and separate fries so they cook evenly. Remove to a rack or paper towels to drain.

For extra-crispy texture, you may also fry unbattered fries at 375°F for 2–3 minutes in batches after batter frying; this double-fry of plain fries is optional and will increase crispiness.

Season and serve

While fries are still hot, sprinkle with finishing salt (about 1/2 tsp total) and 1 tsp extra Old Bay seasoning. Toss gently to coat evenly. Serve immediately so the batter remains crisp.