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Making French fries for a crowd can oftentimes be overwhelming. Many recipes require hours of preparation and cooking, which can make it feel impossible to enjoy time with your guests. However, these nine tips can reduce any stress and make cooking French fries stress free!
To make french fries quickly for a crowd one may use several methods of frying including an air fryer, cast iron skillet, griddle, or microwave. other helpful strategies include preparing the potatoes ahead of time, not waiting for the oil to reach an exact temperature, and even buying frozen French fries.
With the nine simple tips below, you will be able to make French fries quickly without any stress!
Cook them in an air fryer
Cooking your French fries in an air fryer makes the cooking process quick and easy.
The first step to cook your French fries in an air fryer is preheating the air fryer to three hundred eighty degrees Fahrenheit, then spraying it with a nonstick cooking spray in order to prevent the potatoes from sticking to the bottom of the basket.
The second step is cutting the potato in half lengthwise. Cut the potatoes into one fourth inch slices, or to your desire. If you are wanting potato wedge style fries, then cut them into thicker slices. However, if you are wanting shoestring style fries, then cut them into thinner slices. The size of your slices depends on your preference of French fry.
Once you have sliced your French fries into your size of preference, the third step is placing them in the water and washing them. Next, remove them from the water and place them on paper towels in order to dry.
The fourth step is adding any desired seasoning such as garlic powder, salt, or pepper to your potato slices, and then placing them into the air fryer. Cook the French fries for eight minutes, flip them, and then cook them for another eight minutes.
Once the French fries are finished cooking in the air fryer, they should be crisp and golden brown.
The entire process of cooking the French fries in the air fryer will take only about twenty minutes, which is perfect when cooking for a group with a limited amount of time available!
Cook them in a cast iron skillet
A cast iron skillet is a classic way to cook your French fries. This method takes a minimal amount of time, and will ensure success.
The first step for cooking French fries in a cast iron skillet is heating the oil on high.
While heating the oil in the cast iron skillet, slice the potatoes to your size of preference. However keep in mind that the thinner they are, the less time they will take to cook and the crispier they will be.
After the oil has been heated, add the potato slices. In order to ensure even heating, add about half of a potato to the cast iron skillet at one time. Fry the potato slices for about five minutes, or until they are a light golden brown and crispy.
The fourth step is removing the French fries from the oil and placing them on a paper towel. Allow the excess oil to drain from the French fries, and then add any desired seasoning.
When cooking your French fries in a cast iron skillet, the process will only take you fifteen minutes. This will give you plenty of time to enjoy yourself with your guests, outside of the kitchen.
Cook them on a griddle
Cooking your French fries on a griddle is a great time saver when you are trying to cook for a large group. Cooking French fries on a griddle allows you to cook many at one time, making this technique both simple and time efficient.
In order to cook your French fries on the griddle, first you must wash the potatoes in order to remove any excess dirt.
The second step is slicing the potatoes into your size of choice. For thicker fries, make the slices wider. For thinner, crispier fries, make the slices more narrow.
The third step is putting the potato slices into a pot of water, fully emerging them within the water. Add a teaspoon of salt to the water in order to enhance the flavor. Next, allow the water to come to a rapid boil and then allow them to simmer for five minutes.
The fourth step is draining the water and then adding oil and salt to your French fries. Next, lightly add a layer of oil onto the griddle. Place the French fries on the griddle and allow them to cook for ten minutes. After ten minutes, flip them and allow the other side to cook for ten minutes.
The fifth step is taking them off the griddle and adding the desired seasoning to your French fries.
By cooking your French fries on the griddle, the entire process will only take you thirty minutes.
Cook them in the microwave
Cooking French fries in the microwave is a quick and easy way to make them. The only trick however, is ensuring they are fully cooked in the middle and crispy on the outside.
To do so, the first step is cutting the potato lengthwise. Season the potato slices with the desired seasoning, and place them on a microwave safe plate.
The second step is microwaving the French fries for two and a half minutes, flipping them, and cooking them for another two and half minutes.
Once they have cooked for about five minutes, they are ready to be served. The entire process should only take ten minutes.
Get help
Getting help when cooking your French fries is one simple and quick way to increase the speed. During preparation is when extra hands will become beneficial. You can have multiple people doing the jobs that usually you would be doing on your own.
While one person is washing and scrubbing the potatoes in order to remove the dirt, another person can be peeling them. While one person is slicing the potatoes, another person can be in charge of rinsing and drying them. While one person is frying the potatoes into the French fries, another person can be seasoning them.
By asking others for help, it will reduce the amount of time the entire process entails. In addition, asking your guests for help will make it more of a communal experience, which you and your guests will appreciate. It will allow you to spend time with your guests even while you are cooking.
Prepare ahead of time
Preparing ahead of time is a great way to ensure speed while making French fries.
One of the best ways to prepare ahead of time is by slicing and soaking the potatoes before beginning the cooking process. Slice the potatoes and place them in water in the refrigerator. The potato slices can stay in the refrigerator for up to three days. This can save a tremendous amount of time.
By preparing the potato slices ahead of time, the taste and texture will not be impacted. They will still cook the same as if they were soaked and sliced that same day. The only difference is, the preparation time will be significantly quicker by preparing ahead of time.
Only fry them once
Many recipes suggest frying French fries not once, but two times. These recipes suggest that in order to receive delicious, crispy French fries, they must be fried twice.
However, using a single-fry method can result in just as delicious, crispy fries as the double-fry method if done correctly. In addition, frying the French fries once means they take half the time to cook.
The first step in making French fries without frying them twice is slicing the potatoes. Next, place the potato slices on a paper towel and remove the excess moisture.
The second step is pouring oil into a pan on the stove. Place the potato slices onto the pan, and turn the heat to medium high.
The third step is allowing the oil to heat up and cook the French fry. Once one side is golden brown, flip the French fry and cook the other side. Once they are finished cooking, place them on a paper towel to remove the excess oil.
Once they are fully cooked, they are ready to be served! By using this technique rather than the double-fry technique, it can result in the same French fry but it will take only half the time.
Do not wait for an exact temperature
Many suggest that there is an exact temperature at which you should cook your French fries. Experts argue whether that temperature is three hundred, three hundred fifty, or four hundred degrees. Some even go as far to say that you must buy a thermometer to ensure the ideal temperature
However the truth is, there is no exact temperature that will always result in the perfect French fry. Once the temperature of the oil has reached around three hundred degrees, start cooking. This will save time as you are not struggling to achieve an exact temperature, and it will result in French fries that are just as delicious.
Buy them frozen
One of the quickest ways to make French fries for a large group, is to buy frozen ones. This will allow you to entirely skip the preparation process, which will therefore allow you to spend an ample amount of time with your guests.
Many fear buying frozen French fries, as they have a perceived notion that they will not taste the same as they would if they were homemade. However, there are many techniques that you can use to fool your guests into thinking that they have been made from scratch.
In order to make frozen French fries taste as if they were homemade, add any combination of ingredients such as garlic, Parmesan cheese, paprika, chili powder, oil, or rosemary. By adding such ingredients before placing them in the oven, your guests will never know the difference!