I have been using a 90 count russet burbank for my fries. They have not held their crispiness long enough for me to deliver a crispy fry at the table.  I spoke with my purveyor and they recommended I try a 60 count Idaho russet burbank.  I was surprised I had to buy such a large potato to accomplish this. I was thinking of cutting them in half before putting them through our cutter.  Can you confirm that a bigger potato will produce a crispier fry (with proper blanching at 325°F and re-frying at 350°F)?

The potato size won’t make a difference.  Each potato plant has about 8-12 potatoes on it, various sizes. There are several key factors in getting a crispy fry.  French fry machine temperatures, blanching/ finish frying and not overfilling baskets are some of the non-potato related things I always check first. Then there is the solids or starch content of the potato, the sugar accumulation (based on storing at temps above 40°F).   The following documents might prove helpful in checking for possible issues:

• Fresh French Fry Wall Chart (pdf)
• How To Prepare French Fries

Or visit our How To section for All Things French Fried Potatoes.