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Ingredients
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For the fries
For sweet potato fries (optional)
For finishing (optional)
Method
For the fries
- 1
Prepare potatoes
Wash and peel (optional) the russet potatoes. Cut them into even sticks about 1/4–1/2 inch thick for regular fries. Place cut fries in a large bowl of cold water.
- 2
Rinse and soak
Rinse the cut potatoes in cold water until the water runs clearer to remove surface starch. Then cover with cold water and soak for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours) in the refrigerator. This yields crisper fries.
- 3
Dry thoroughly
Drain the soaked potatoes and spread them on clean kitchen towels or paper towels. Pat completely dry—excess surface moisture causes oil spatter and soggy fries.
- 4
Heat oil
Pour 3–4 cups of oil into a heavy pot or deep fryer, leaving at least 3 inches headspace. Heat oil to 325°F (160°C) for the first blanching fry. If you don't have a thermometer, heat until a small piece of potato sizzles gently and sinks slowly.
- 5
First fry (blanch)
Working in small batches (to avoid crowding), fry the dried potato sticks for 3–4 minutes until them become pale and limp but not browned. Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer fries to a paper towel–lined tray to drain and cool.
- 6
Increase heat
Raise the oil temperature to 375°F (190°C) for the final crisping fry.
- 7
Second fry (crisp)
Fry the blanched fries in small batches for 2–3 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on fresh paper towels.
- 8
Season
Immediately sprinkle sea salt and freshly ground black pepper evenly over the hot fries so it sticks. Toss gently to distribute.
- 9
For sweet potato fries (optional)
- 10
Prepare sweet potatoes
Wash and peel sweet potatoes (peeling optional). Cut into 1/4–1/2 inch sticks, trying to keep pieces even for uniform cooking.
- 11
Rinse and dry
Rinse the cut sweet potatoes and dry thoroughly with towels to remove surface starch and moisture.
- 12
Heat oil
Heat oil in a deep pot or fryer to 350°F (175°C). Sweet potatoes are best fried slightly cooler than russets to avoid burning sugars.
- 13
Fry sweet potatoes
Fry in small batches for 3–4 minutes until edges start to color and they are cooked through but not deeply browned. Remove to paper towels to drain.
- 14
Crisp finish
Optionally return to 375°F (190°C) and fry 1–2 minutes more to crisp, watching carefully so they don't darken too much.
- 15
Season and serve
Season immediately with sea salt and smoked paprika if using. Serve hot with dipping sauce.