Ask Dr. Potato | Search results for: "blanching" ( × clear results )

Q: How long will the blanched (in oil) fries last in the cooler? What would piece of equipment would you recommend for a spin dry!

Q: What is the main reason for blanching potatoes for fresh cut fries?

Q: Can I do the first blanch for fresh cut russet fries in the oven?

Q: How do I blanch fries before frying them to make the best fresh cut fries?

Q: I run a small diner and we are looking to use homemade French fries as opposed to the frozen variety. I have seen all of the suggestions about blanching. I have two, two bay Fryolators. I am a 24 hours operation and we have very little time when the fryers are freed up, especially to blanch the volume we need. On an average week, we go through 500lbs of French fries. What other suggestions do you have in order to improve our quality and efficiency?

Q: 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)?

Q: In cooking school, after blanching our French fries, we left them in the refrigerator (or even the freezer) before the final fry. How does refrigerating a blanched French fry create a better final product?

Q: How do we prevent potatoes that we planted from turning black when frying or cooking  (not when peeling)?

Q: I want you to look at the picture below of an order of fries our table received recently on one of my road trips. Let me know if you see anything unusual and if this happens at your restaurant:

Q: I have a hamburger stand I just opened this summer and I was using fresh Idaho Russet Burbank potatoes for my fries. The supplier I use just sent me a Russet Norkotah variety. The cartons still say Idaho, can I use them for my fries? They seem to be frying up a little darker.