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I Have Read That Potatoes Need To Be Cold Before Cutting To Make The Best French Fries At Home. Is That True?

Q:

Potatoes must be cold in order to make amazing fries. True or false?

A:

Refrigerating potatoes before cutting them into homemade French fry strips and frying is a big no-no. What happens to the potato when kept refrigerated at say 40° F or 4.5 degrees Celsius?  The fast food standard in the USA historically has been the Russet Burbank from Idaho, pictured below.

 

At 40 ° F, the starch in the potato starts to turn to sugar. So, you’ll end up with fries that turn dark or caramelize prematurely, before the French fry strips are fully cooked.

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