Frying potatoes in cast iron: sticking!
I've tried frying potatoes (generally cubed small, like 1/4") in my cast iron pan but they frequently stick very badly. Badly enough so I've got to resort to scraping with a metal spatula. The pan is not like 50 years old and perfectly well-seasoned or anything, but I have no trouble with any other kind of food sticking.
They generally come out ok but just not very brown and crispy, as you would like fried potatoes to be.
Anyone have any advice? Temperature ranges to try to improve the results?
Best Answer
Preheat the pan for longer than you expect, then preheat the oil as well. Cast iron takes a long time to heat up. With some foods you can get away with not preheating so it may seem silly to just let the pan sit on the burner with nothing else happening, but the potatoes will test your patience because of how much they can stick to pans.
Once you add the potatoes to the hot pan with hot oil, let them sit. They will go thru a stage of raw -> starting to cook -> cooked and starting to brown but sticking -> deliciously brown and movable from the pan.
Pictures about "Frying potatoes in cast iron: sticking!"
Quick Answer about "Frying potatoes in cast iron: sticking!"
Make sure the skillet is clean. If there is anything stuck on the bottom of the skillet when you try to start cooking crispy potatoes they will stick. If the pan is well seasoned this shouldn't be a problem. Do not use a lid.How do you keep fried potatoes from sticking to cast iron?
I always recommend a heavy cast iron skillet for this recipe because it can handle the heat required to get those potatoes golden brown. A heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet will work as well, just make sure it's one that can handle a higher heat level.Is cast iron good for frying potatoes?
Prior to cooking, add about a teaspoon of oil to your skillet and heat it gradually on the stovetop or in the oven to help reduce sticking. After cooking, allow the cookware to cool, then use a pan scraper to remove stuck-on food, scrub with a nylon brush or nonscratch pad, hand dry, and add a generous layer of oil.How do you keep food from sticking to cast iron?
First, in a process known as gelatinization, the starch granules absorb moisture, swell up, and leach sticky glue, which causes the fries to stick together, as well as to the bottom and sides of your pan.Crispy fried potatoes in a cast iron skillet without sticking!
More answers regarding frying potatoes in cast iron: sticking!
Answer 2
If potatoes are the only food that sticks, you probably have too much starch on the surface.
- Choose firm-cooking potatoes over mealy ones
- wash the cubes before frying
- use sufficient oil
- try freezing them, with or without double-frying
Do this in addition to MeltedPez's excellent advice on proper heat and stirring.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Milan, Engin Akyurt, Sebastian Coman Photography, Lukas