The Salt Trick That Makes Homemade Fries Taste Just Like Fast Food Spuds

If you're a fast food fry aficionado, perhaps you've attempted to recreate your favorite shoestring or crinkle cut spuds. You may have thoroughly researched the specific potato varieties used to make McDonald's fries or figured out how to make legitimately crispy french fries at home after several test batches. In any case, it's no secret that saltiness is a major part of the satisfaction equation. And yet, despite your best efforts, you may have still been frustrated to find a pile of salt at the bottom of your dish after finishing a bland batch of homemade fries.

So, how do these fast food joints manage to make salt stick to fries? The trick is shockingly simple. It's not about having specialty ingredients or equipment — it's just about timing. The second they come out of the fryer is the optimal time to hit your spuds with a shower of salt, as the hot oil helps the fries absorb and hold onto this critical seasoning.

This fresh-from-the-fryer moment is your best chance of getting salt to stick to your french fries while they're still piping hot and slick with oil. It's the same principle as getting seasoning to adhere to your popcorn; you'll have better luck when it's fresh and buttery, because the hot liquid helps prevent flavorings like powdered spices and grains of salt from simply falling off.

If you're baking or air-frying your potatoes instead of frying them, don't worry, you don't have to sacrifice salty goodness. As needed, you can toss or brush the fries with oil, or use a store-bought oil spray after they've finished cooking — just be sure to apply the liquid immediately so they're still hot. From there, you can add your seasoning to taste. One upside of this tip is that it isn't limited only to salt. If you have a favorite french fry seasoning blend, prefer a little kick of cayenne or smoky ancho chili powder, enjoy a contrasting sweet sprinkle of brown sugar, or like to amp up the savoriness with a blizzard of parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast, the same rule applies. 

Every true fry lover knows that there is no sadder state of affairs than an under-salted pile of crispy taters. So, if you've dreamt of learning how to make fries that taste just like McDonald's right at home, take this sound advice and always salt them swiftly.