How to fry crispy chips but not too brown?

How to fry crispy chips but not too brown? - Top view of crop unrecognizable cook frying halved brown and golden crunchy peanuts on old portable gas stove while holding handle of frying pan above colorful oilcloth on table

I recently got a mandoline slicer and started doing some potato chips. They come out great but I wish they were a bit less golden/brown. I tried removing them from the oil earlier but they come out not 100% crispy and a bit soft in the center.

Any tips to get 100% crispy chips but keeping them as white as possible?



Best Answer

Thickness is important and there are different strategies for dealing with different thicknesses. But if you're having a problem getting them dry and crisp in the center before the exterior browns too much, there are a few standard suggestions. In order of complexity/extra work:

  • Make sure you're frying at an optimal temperature. You might try varying a bit: going a little lower in temperature might allow the chips to finish cooking before they brown too much. But it could also make them greasy or soggy if you go too far, so this may not be ideal.
  • Rinse the raw chips in water before frying. This removes some of the surface starches that will lead to faster browning.
  • If you're willing to do even more work: After rinsing in cold water, drop the raw chips briefly in boiling water and cook briefly (for a couple minutes). Strain them or pull them out with a large spider before they begin to fall apart. Better yet, add a little vinegar (about 1 Tbsp. per quart) to your water, which will help the chips cook longer without falling apart and will remove even more surface starch. Let them cool and dry for a few minutes before frying.

For more details on the last two tips, see this article at Serious Eats (which contains photos of the results).




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Quick Answer about "How to fry crispy chips but not too brown?"

For crisp, firm fries, fry twice The second fry at a higher temperature browns and crisps the fries. Ideally, this is when the surface starch absorbs the last remaining bit of moisture, expands more, and seals the surface for crispness. You do need to have the cooking time for high-starch potatoes just right.

How do I stop my chips from going brown?

Skill level. Begin by cutting floury potatoes into chips that are about 1cm thick. Then soak them in a bowl of cold water. This prevents them from going brown and rinses off excess starch that could cause the chips to stick together.

Why do my homemade chips go brown?

The cold temperatures needed for long-term storage of potatoes cause the starch in spuds to break down into smaller sugar molecules. It's the reaction between these sugars and the extreme heat of deep frying that causes browning.

Why are my chips dark brown?

When you see dark brown chips it generally means they've been stored improperly or for too long. When stored badly the chip ends up with excess sugars, which react with amino acids when cooked and create a dark brown chip.

How do you make crispy fried chips?

Heat the oil over medium-low heat to 325 F. Cook the potatoes in the oil for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they're soft and a slightly golden color. Remove the fries from the oil using a wire mesh skimmer (sometimes called a spider spoon) and transfer them to the paper-lined pans to drain.



Crispy French Fries \u0026 Cheese Sauce




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Kelly L, Eren Li, icon0.com, Dayvison de Oliveira Silva