What flavor! These seasoned homemade fries go great with barbequed chicken. Actually, they go great with anything!
Ahhh…seasoned homemade fries! I love fries. I love them large and I love them small. Crispy, or soft, I love them all. Holy crap, this is starting to sound like a Dr. Seuss book I had as a kid. Although, chowing down on a batch of fries is also reminiscent of my youth, my tastes have matured. I need more action from fries; I need sophisticated flavors.
While restaurant or frozen fries are good, there’s something comforting about homemade fries. Maybe it’s because you can truly have them your way. These seasoned homemade fries are easy, have a spicy kick and can be cooked to your preference. Just be careful. These fries tend to disappear before dinner time.
If you’re a fry-and-ranch dressing dipper, these fries are perfect, but they’re just as good with ketchup. For an extra kick, add some cayenne pepper into the spice blend. Now we’re talkin’ sophisticated fries!
That’s all that’s needed. How easy can that be?
- 3 large Idaho potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning (Or make your own. See recipe below)
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
- cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
- Wash potatoes and slice lengthwise to desired thickness.
- Stack several slices of potato on top of one another. Slice into the actual fry.
- Fill a large bowl with water. Add the cut potatoes and rinse well. Drain and repeat with fresh water. We're trying to remove as much of the starch as possible. Drain once again and refill bowl with fresh water. Add the potatoes and allow them to soak for 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and whisk until well blended.
- Remove potatoes from water and allow to drain well.
- Spread potatoes out on paper towels and pat dry. Allow to air dry while you preheat an oven to 425 °F (218 °C ).
- Place potatoes in a large resealable freezer bag and add oil and spice blend. Shake bag well until potatoes are all evenly coated. Alternately, a large bowl may be used to toss the potatoes until evenly coated.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Parchment paper is optional, but if not using, some sticking may occur. Plus, you'll have a pan to clean.
- Evenly spread potatoes out in a single layer. Don't crowd if the desired results are crispy fries. Potatoes create steam as they cook. If crowded, they actually steam themselves and don't really crisp up well. A couple of baking sheets may be required if making a large batch.
- Bake fries for 15 minutes. Flip and cook for another 15 minutes.
- Continue this process until the fries have reached your preferred crispness. When close, check them each 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Season finished fries with salt, if desired.
- 1 tablespoon celery salt
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch ground dry mustard
- 1 pinch ground mace (may substitute a teensy pinch nutmeg)
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground cardamom
- 1 pinch ground allspice
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 pinch ground ginger
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Transfer to a container of some sort that has a tight-fitting lid, preferably a glass jar.
- Set aside in a cool, dark place and use within a couple of months for optimal flavor.
Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe courtesy of Top Secret Recipes Unlocked: All New Home Clones of America’s Favorite Brand-Name Foods by Todd Wilbur. ©2009 All rights reserved
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