Why blanch handcut fries?

Why blanch handcut fries? - Burger With Fries on Brown Wooden Chopping Board

I work at a restaurant. Im a potential management candidate. One of my first projects is researching hand cut fries in an effort to transition from pre-cut fries to making our fries in house. I guess my question is a little more specific than why the process is done but rather would the process differ based on the type of potato used, say prep for russet burbank vs yukon gold?

thanks guys.



Best Answer

When I was working as a cook, we did this to cook the potatoes enough so that we would have a better result after deep frying. Deep frying alone can make for a fry that is not always cooked through to the center. If you blanche, or par-boil, the potatoes ahead of time, some advantages are these.

  • Frying goes more quickly, because the potatoes are partially cooked
  • The fries are more evenly cooked, because you don’t have to rely on the deep fryer to do all the cooking

Probably not an thorough list of advantages, but these are the biggies.

If you go to hand cut fires, make sure cut the size you go with is consistent. This make of a better deep frying experience.

You can also deep fry potatoes at a low temperature (300 degrees F) for some time as an alternative to blanching.




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Should you blanch fries before frying?

Before all that, though, the secret is to briefly poach them in boiling water (or "blanch" them) before they go into the hot oil. This ensures that the fries are cooked all the way through before getting crisped up in the fryer.

Is it better to blanch fries?

Fresh fries are best blanched. Get a crispier finished fry by blanching potatoes in hot oil to precook before peak periods and then finish in a final fry before serving. Fries are completely cooked during the blanching stage at a lower temperature to allow the potato to cook slowly without becoming golden brown.

What does blanching do to potatoes?

1. Set up a blanching station. The key to freezing potatoes, like other vegetables, is to blanch them first. This quick dip into scalding water will deactivate the enzymes that cause spoiling, as well as the loss of flavor and nutrients.

How long should you blanch french fries?

Working in small batches, fry the potatoes until they go from shiny to matte, 3 to 5 minutes (this is also called blanching). Drain well on paper towels.



How to Make Fresh Cut Fries




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