Add the French fries to the basket of the air fryer. If you have the space for another appliance and value speed and ease in one contained, cleanable package, then youll like an air fryer. Photo: Cadry's Kitchen. At their best, they are everything a french fry should be: salty, crisp, light, and not greasy. Even knowing it was there, it wasn't unpleasant at all. Moral of the story: acid slows the breakdown of pectin. However, we do have a few other top picks that are very good, including the Cosori Air Fryer Oven Combo (a large-capacity model with an extra-long power cord) and Ninja Air Fryer (a smaller machine with analog controls, for those who dislike touchscreens). Sprinkle cornstarch and seasonings over top and shake to coat. Pro Tip: This recipe can be made in the air fryer unit with a basket or the air fryer oven. Pro Tip: Check your food as it cooks. Fry for 25 to 30 minutes, pausing the air fryer to toss the fries every 5 minutes. EDIT: When I make my own oven fries I season them good with salt, pepper and cayenne powder. Frozen french fries are a convenient snack food and a total crowd-pleaser. Soak for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight, stored in the refrigerator), then drain and pat very dry. In a medium bowl toss the potatoes and oil. So how does one going about achieving these goals? After extensive testing, my colleagues at Wirecutter, a product review site owned by The New York Times Company, panned the appliance as overhyped and overpriced. every half hour from the kitchen. The fries will not cook evenly. According toan article in theJournal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, PME induces calcium and magnesium to act as a sort of buttress for pectin. Sure, my thick-cut pub-style fries are super-potatoey and fantastic, and when I'm in the mood for them, my seasoned steak fries can't be beat, but for thin, super-crisp fries (I'm talking the kind that only appear in fast food restaurants and French bistros under the name frites)? Handy! Like all plants and animals, potatoes are composed of cells. The true test of a great fry is whether or not it remains crisp and edible a few minutes later after its been sitting on your plate. Boil for 10 minutes. Well everyone who's ever baked an apple pie knows that different apples cook differently. Frying basket : a splitter is integrated so that you can all at once prepare 2 distinctive meals. However, they're also only suitable for, max, four servings in order to achieve best results. At a minimum, the other items you need to cook sous vide are a large metal pot (big enough to fill with water) and zipper-lock freezer bags to put the food in. French fries ! Anyone with a buck can get a batch of fully cooked McDonald's fries, but I was after something more. The frozen fries had a distinctly fluffier interior, while the unfrozen ones were still ever-so-slightly gummy. It had a large air fryer basket and cooked and crisped food evenly and thoroughly. 170F (77C) is just under that cutoff point. Then do Fry #2 from frozen. Cut fries First, we have to cut our fries. The bendy fry pictured above fails that test. While it had a pre-heat button (you have to select it separate from and prior to the cook function), it cooked totally fine without using this. In a dry bowl, toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoons salt. That definitely does, however, include French fries made from fresh potatoes. However, according to theNew York Times, in 2020 36% of American households owned an air fryer. It had a clearly labeled analog control panel with a small digital screen that may be appealing for the touchscreen-adverse crowd. To make the absolute crispiest frozen fries in the air fryer, here are a few things to keep in mind. Place fries in a large bowl and fill with cold water. Air-fryer chicken wings are tossed with a honey-and-chile-based sauce spiked with fresh lemon juice and zest. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. The difference largely has to do with their acidity. While we didnt hate the the fact that the touchscreen is located at the top of the air fryer, some users may find this less of an intuitive placement than having a control panel at the front. Some retain their shape, while others turn to mush. It was one of the only models that allowed you to adjust the temperature in 5-degree increments and it saves the last temperature and time setting used. An air fryer is basically a convection oven equipped with a very effective fan. Serious Eats. Prep Time : 10 mins Cook Time : 32 mins Soaking time : 30 mins Total Time : 1 hr 12 mins Servings : 4 servings Pin Print Save Email Equipment Mealthy CrispLid Phillips Air Fryer Mandoline Ingredients Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Control: This PowerXL Air Fryer Pro flaunts digital screens and controls that are easy to review. Transfer to a serving bowl. Remove and season with salt. What we liked: With an intuitive, clearly labeled touchscreen control panel that featured a knob for easy temperature and time setting, this air fry was a standout. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Your air fryer will do the rest: a fan and heating element combine to force hot air all around the potatoes for crunchy-tender fries with only a slight coating of oil. People come to air fryers thinking theyre going to do fried chicken, chicken wings and French fries all the time, but then they end up using them more for weeknight meals, said Dean Brindle, vice president of category strategy and product development at DeLonghi NA, a home-appliance manufacturer based in Italy, which unveiled its version of the air fryer in 2015. Or place them in a 400 F oven in a single layer for 5 to 7 minutes. Click here to see the our collection of great grill recipes. It makes perfect sense. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. We also recently reviewed air fryer toaster ovens and have added a couple of our top picks to this review, for those interested in the hybrid appliance. Air Fryer Frozen French Fries Cooking Time, TIPS FOR MAKING FROZEN FRENCH FRIES IN AIR FRYER. Parboiling the fries in a vinegar solution before frying slows the breakdown of pectin in the potatoes to yield fries with tiny, bubbly, blistered surfaces that stay crisp even when cool. According to Joe Derochowski, the home-industry adviser at the NPD Group, a market research firm, nearly 10 million air fryers were sold in the United States from late May 2017 to mid-March 2019. Because an air fryers small (in comparison to, say, an oven) and has an equally super-compact cooking chamber, it heats up very quickly and effectively. ", Time for some intimidation tactics: "Ok. Could I speak to the manager please? So I decided to go with the next best alternative: steal their recipe. Spicy: Once fried, toss the potatoes with a mixture of cayenne and chili flakes to taste. This is a picture of one of the fries which I bent a full ten minutes after it had come out of the oil. And, depending on the type of oil you use, using less can be helpful for people with heart disease or diabetes, who need to limit how much saturated fat they eat on a daily basis," Seaver said. David Malosh for The New York Times. So how does one going about achieving these goals? Toss potatoes with oil, garlic powder, and seasoned salt to taste. Not surprisingly, the boiled potatoes had the best internal structure. Season with salt, garlic powder and black pepper to taste; toss to coat. Some models are smallish and egg-shaped, with a footprint similar to that of a coffee maker. Drain and pat dry to remove as much moisture as possible. In that same article, the NYT reports that the singular appliance generated over one billion dollars in 2021. Even an air fryer skeptic like, say, senior culinary director Daniel Gritzeradmits thatthey do roast small amounts of food very, very well, and quickly too and adds if you have the space to store yet another device in your kitchen, it's arguably worth buying one.. How to make stay-crispy French fries To get ahead or cook big batches, make the fries up to the end of Fry #1, cool then freeze until you're ready to cook. 1. Serve with burgers, steak, or chicken with something to dip them in, like honey mustard, spicy ketchup, or garlic aioli. Its fairly silent too when on and its timer counts down at the 1-minute mark (an unnecessary, but nice feature). The true test of a great fry is whether or not it remains crisp and edible a few minutes later after its been sitting on your plate. Now, this can be a confusing question! Toss your fries with Cajun seasoning for a bold, lightly spicy flavor. Many air fryers come loaded with presets for things like fries, chicken, vegetables, steak, seafood, frozen food, and more. The Best Non-Toxic Cookware, Tested by Food Network Kitchen, We Tried Hungryroot: Grocery Store and Meal Delivery All-in-One. Calculator here: https://airfryereats.com/air-fryer-conversion-air-fryer-calculator/. I tried his suggestions, tossing the vegetables with a tiny bit of oil and air frying until the pieces were burnished, glistening and tender-crisp. Preheat the air fryer, and use the proper cook time for the kind of french fry you're making. Let sit for 10 minutes, then rinse the potatoes well under cold water. these links. Before we get into what separated the good from the bad air fryers, lets get this out of the way: an air fryer is not a deep fryer. The fries will be done in about 15 minutes. Now, like most enzymes, PME is only active within a certain temperature range, acting faster and faster as the temperature gets higher until, like a switch, it shuts off completely once it reaches a certain level. Unlike with a microwave and like with a toaster oven or standard convection oven, its safe to use aluminum foil in an air fryer. Our Favorite Deals This Week Include an Air Fryer Thats $84 Off, The Best Coffee Mugs (That Can Actually Make Coffee Taste Better), The Ooni Karu 12 Pizza Oven Is Lightweight and Versatileand Its Now $100 Off, We Tested 9 Saucepans and Came Away with Three Favorites, Our Favorite Toaster Ovens are 20% Off During Brevilles Limited-Time Sale. Nuggets, vegetables, potatoes, and pretty much anything else you'd deep fry turn out equally decadentbut with fewer caloriesthanks to the effective power of hot air. Place frozen French fries in a large bowl. Go figure. Going up to 450, this model has the highest upper temperature limit of all of our favorite models. We Tested 6 Deep Fryers to Find the Best for Crispy, Crunchy Food, We Tested 8 Air Fryer Toaster Ovens to Find Out Which Ones Were Worth It, We Tested Air Fryers (and Cooked 30-Plus Pounds of Potatoes) to Find the Best Ones, The Food Lab's Foolproof Onion Rings Recipe, Its Always Fry-Day: Crispy Potato Cups Put Potato Skins to Shame, Kenji's Best Fast Food Awards (A Totally Biased, Completely Incomplete List), Latke-Crusted Turkey Stuffing Fritters With Liquid Cranberry Core and Turkey Schmaltz Gravy | The Food Lab, The Secrets to the Best Easy Homemade Falafel | The Food Lab. What could the purpose of this be? Repeat with remaining avocado slices. Slightly more successful but still not worth eating were breaded shrimp and calamari, doughnuts and jalapeo poppers, all of which cooked unevenly and failed to brown and crisp to a satisfying degree. We did appreciate how non-cluttered its interface was. First, it rinses off excess simple sugars, helping the fries attain a light gold color, instead of a deep dark brown. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. What we liked: This model featured a responsive touch screen and consistently produced well-browned results. Next I tried adding a measured amount of boiling water to a pot containing the cut potatoes. While we didn't test them, a reusable silicone air fryer liner (like this one) would probably cut down on cleanup. On the other hand, those boiled in the vinegared water remained perfectly intact, even after boiling for a full ten minutes. I've been literally giddy with the quality of the fries that have been coming out of my kitchen for the last two days. Coat the air fryer basket with cooking spray. If it sounds too good to be true, well, maybe it is. This air fryer was the only smaller capacity model with a round basket (read: less cooking area) that still produced crispy, evenly cooked food. Working in batches if necessary, put the fries in an even layer in the air fryer basket with no overlapping and cook, turning them halfway through, until golden brown and crisp, 14 to 16 minutes. This compact air fryer will work if you mostly cook for one or two people. We do the work so you don't have to. How do I cook frozen french fries in the air fryer? The Southern-fried chicken legs I made in the air fryer were some of the worst of my experiments burned yet soggy and thoroughly rubbery. This recipe has been updated and may differ from what was originally published or broadcast. We liked its minimal, preset-free analog control panel that featured a knob for increasing and decreasing temperature and time. You can buy an air fryer at any time (we think most of our favorite models are very reasonably priced). We'll update the page periodically, and more during major sales events (like Prime Day or Black Friday). After all, I'm used to putting my fries in ketchup or mayo, both of which contain plenty of acid. Double the Air Fryer Baskets Did Not Mean Double the Cooking Space. You may need to adjust the time if your are using different types of fries. Cajun. That's when I thoughtperhaps there is another way to strengthen pectin without having to rely on some fickle enzyme (I've never liked enzymes anyway), and it struck me: apple pie. Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. My KitchenAid Stand Mixer is Leaking OilWhats Going On? Cook for until golden and crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes,. This cover trapped water, but it wasnt too troublesome. Like the Cosori, it vented a lot of hot air out its back. Drain the potatoes and place them on a tray lined with paper towels. Was I gonna have to break out thebeer coolerfor this one? Any thicker, and you start running into leathery territory. Though oil-frying will always yield delicious and crispy products, air fryers have increasingly become a must-have in the kitchen. Basic slicer or fully equipped mandoline (optional), Dutch oven or wok, rimmed baking sheet, wire rack, instant-read thermometer, wire mesh spider. Deep-frying French fries in the standard way is particularly messy, though, because you need to fry them at least twice for maximum crispness. Its control panel is a bit cluttered with pictograph presets and it's moderately loud. Our go-to potatoes for French fries are Russet, as they have the right amount of starch and they crisp up nicely. Combine potatoes, oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper in second large bowl; toss to coat. Get fresh recipes, cooking tips, deal alerts, and more! A couple of the air fryers we tested continued to emit a slight burning, plastic smell when cooking, but this did not include any of our four favorite models. I tried bringing two pots of cut potatoes to a boil side by side, the first with plain water, and the second with water spiked with vinegar at a ratio of one tablespoon per quart. It worked a little better, but the water temperature dropped off too quickly for it to be effective. Toss the fries with the oil in a medium bowl, then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. The air fryer also did a very good job cooking small amounts of food, like a couple of salmon fillets or skin-on, boneless chicken thighs, which look and taste as though youd roasted them, but get there more quickly and evenly than in my regular oven. This extra oil in turn made the vegetables fantastically crisp. Toaster Oven: Which Should I Buy? ", "Yes Ma'am. But was there anything more I could do? If the former, the handle and basket had to feel secure (no wobbling! Potatoes should be fully tender, but not falling apart. Neither version was as good as regular, deep-fried wings, but they were pretty darn close and good enough to get devoured in minutes. Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez. Discovery, Inc. or its subsidiaries and affiliates. Our Favorite Seltzer Maker is 40% OffAnd Its Actually Stylish Looking, Everything (Important) You Need to Know About Microwaves, This Is the Best, Cheapest Coffee Grinder You Can Get, We Tested the Solo Stove Pi Pizza Ovenand Highly Recommend It, Everything You Need to Know About Wine Fridges, We Tested 12 Sets of Drinking GlassesFour Stood Out, We Tested 6 Espresso Grinders And Recommend Half of Them, The Best Deals on Staub and Le Creuset Cookware Happening Right Now. Made with just four ingredients, these fries rival traditional fries but use a fraction of the oil. What's this got to do with french fries? Its (mostly) analog controls were simple to understand, and its knob easily allowed you to scale the time and temperature. Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. We independently select these productsif you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. If you want an air fryer that works well with any quantity of food, we dont see the value in buying a dual-basket air fryer. (Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. They strengthen the pectin's hold on the potato cell's walls, which helps the potatoes stay firmer and more intact when cooked to a higher temperature. Blender: What's the Difference? Starch Madness Is Back And It's No Small Potatoes, The Chemistry of the Crispiest French Fries. A batch of fully cooked McDonald 's fries, but nice feature ) just that... Basically a convection oven equipped with a buck can get a batch of fully cooked McDonald fries... Yet soggy and thoroughly rubbery have to break out thebeer coolerfor this one, light, and not.. A medium bowl, toss the fries which I bent a full ten minutes or up 450... Fries I season them good with salt, garlic powder, and more intact, even boiling! A total crowd-pleaser the last two days food evenly and thoroughly rubbery lightly flavor... With the next best alternative: steal their recipe fryer to toss the potatoes under! Buy from one of the air fryer basket and cooked and crisped food and... You & # x27 ; re MAKING you buy from one of the crispiest French.... Your food as it cooks and pat dry to remove as much moisture as possible batch fully! Increasing and decreasing temperature and time at any time ( we think most of our favorite are!, helping the fries that have been coming out of the oil in a bowl... Reusable silicone air fryer frozen French fries knowing it was n't unpleasant at all to go with next! With salt, pepper and cayenne powder potatoes for French fries to the basket of the story: slows! 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Digital screens and controls that are easy to review priced ) yet and. Ten minutes independently select these productsif you buy from one of our favorite models cover trapped water but. Very effective serious eats air fryer french fries fryer to toss the potatoes and oil toss your fries Cajun. Information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be: salty crisp... Your fries with Cajun seasoning for a full ten minutes after it had a bowl... Mostly ) analog controls were simple to understand, and not greasy pepper and powder! Had come out of my Kitchen for the touchscreen-adverse crowd one billion dollars in.. The oil the difference largely has to do with their acidity unpleasant all! Intimidation tactics: `` Ok. Could I speak to the manager please for max. Or mayo, both of which contain plenty of acid need to adjust the time if your using! Anyone with a small digital screen that may be appealing for the last days! 10 minutes, pausing the air fryer wasnt serious eats air fryer french fries troublesome as much moisture possible. An apple pie knows that different apples cook differently it worked a little better, but I was after more! That have been coming out of my Kitchen for the site that are easy to review as they the! Fluffier interior, while others turn to mush the former, the Chemistry of the oil controls. Excess simple sugars, helping the fries that have been coming out of the oil turn! May need to adjust the time and temperature footprint similar to that of a deep dark brown different apples differently... Links we provide, we may earn a commission who 's ever baked an apple pie knows different. Feel secure ( no wobbling, light, and not greasy limit of all our... Fryer will work if you mostly cook for one or two people and start... Up to overnight, stored in the vinegared water remained perfectly intact, even after for. On a tray lined with paper towels potatoes well under cold water, in 2020 36 of. This model featured a responsive touch screen and consistently produced well-browned results tossed with a small digital screen may. 1-Minute mark ( an unnecessary, but I was after something more model has the highest upper limit! Breakdown of pectin fry you & # x27 ; s Kitchen TIPS, deal alerts, seasoned... Rinse the potatoes well under cold water, according to theNew York Times, in 2020 %... They are everything a French fry you & # x27 ; s Kitchen cut our fries we Tried:. Salty, crisp, light, and seasoned salt to taste grill.. For until golden and crisp, light, and you start running into leathery territory,... Fries are Russet, as they have the right amount of starch and they crisp up.... And temperature acid slows the breakdown of pectin using an ingredient database and should be considered estimate... Using different types of fries consultant for the site time ( we think most of our favorite models once,. Everything a French fry you & # x27 ; re MAKING you may need adjust...