Growing up we never ate out unless we were on a road trip or it was someone’s birthday. Looking back, I’m so grateful that my mom made everything homemade, but what kid doesn’t love a hot, crispy, fast food french fry? Heck, what adult doesn’t crave them every one in a while? My mom had to come up with a practical, cheap solution to us begging to go through the drive though, thus these homemade french fries were born!
Some of you may know this but I’m originally from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. It was family tradition to watch the Steelers play every Sunday during the season. I like football, but I think we all looked forward to the food. Every week my mom would make buffalo chicken salads, homemade Blue Cheese Dressing, and these thick french fries. A little known fact, if you’re from the steel city, you don’t eat french fries as a side dish. No, we put them on top of the salads! In fact, I didn’t realize this was abnormal until moving to Houston. I mean, why wouldn’t you want fries on your salad? 🙁
For these fries I like to use russet. They are at every grocery store, and they’re sturdy enough to hold together. I adapted my mom’s recipe to ensure these fries would be crispy, even though they’re baked. I found that soaking the cut fries in cold water and 1 tablespoon of sugar did the trick! Don’t worry, you won’t taste the sugar. This helps to break down the starch which will crisp them right up. After soaking, pat dry and toss with the oil and seasonings. Yep, it’s that easy 🙂
Whether you’re eating these as a side dish or on top of your salad, they’re guaranteed to be delicious. This recipe is super easy and made with staple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. I hope you like this recipe, and if you haven’t already, try them on top of your favorite salad!
Thick Cut French Fries
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
Optional ingredients:
- fresh chopped parsley
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scrub any remaining dirt on the potatoes and slice. Cut them in half lengthwise, then slice those into 3-4 fries depending on how thick they are.
- Add fries to a large bowl filled with cold water. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over the fries and let sit for 30 minutes. This will help remove some of the starch and make the fries crispy! After 30 minutes, drain and pat the fries until dry.
- In a large bowl toss the fries with ¼ cup of olive oil. Sprinkle in all of the seasoning and toss to evenly coat. Spread out in a single layer on a large sheet pan with sides and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, flip all of the fries and return to the oven for an additional 20 minutes. Top with parsley and Parmesan cheese and serve!
Charlie Bartari
Excellent! Great flavor and very crispy. I served them with my Juicy Lucy burgers. Delicious.
Emily
So glad you liked these Charlie! 🙂 I’ll have to try Juicy Lucy burgers, I’ve heard they’re delish!