The Simple Technique That Gives You The Best French Fries

There are many dishes that are simply best when made at home — chicken noodle soup, for example, or a crispy, gooey grilled cheese. In general, though, french fries aren't among them. They're too often disappointingly soggy and flavorless. But that's all about to change with one radically simple frying technique that will turn those drab home-cooked spuds into the best, crispiest french fries you've ever had.

Just as you should always start boiling potatoes in a pot of cold water, you should start frying your french fries in cold oil. It sounds contrary to conventional wisdom; you've probably always preheated your oil when deep-frying anything. But there's science behind starting with cold liquid. Root vegetables, like potatoes, have a significant amount of starch in them. When you put cold potatoes into boiling water, that starch turns into a gelatinous coating. It becomes mushy, falls away from the potato, and leaves the inside still left to cook.

When you start your fries in cold oil, they all start at the same temperature, and because they heat evenly and slowly, they retain more of their natural moisture. When you drop your cold potatoes into hot oil, meanwhile, they rapidly begin losing moisture and absorbing hot oil. But because of the gradual temperature change, letting your fries sit in oil longer with this technique doesn't oversaturate them. Once the oil comes to a boil and your french fries reach the perfect golden brown, they will have that desired crispness on the outside and restaurant-quality interior fluffiness.

Starting with cold oil not only makes for the best fries, it also has the added benefit of shaving time and effort off the process — never mind that it erases the burn risks usually associated with dropping cold potatoes into boiling oil. Together, it's easy to see why it's the ideal method.

There are a few things to keep in mind, however, to make sure this technique works for you. First, start by using the right potato. Russets are ideal for fries, as they're low in moisture and high in starch, helping to create that perfect crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside texture. Yukon golds work, too.

Also, while it may be tempting to stir your spuds in the oil, resist. The fries will have started to cook even before the oil is boiling, and they'll be soft and delicate. When you stir them, you risk breaking them into pieces. Just let them be, keep an eye on them, and remove them when they reach that delicious golden-brown color.

Here's one more bonus: This technique works with a variety of oils, whether you use vegetable, canola, or even beef tallow to cook your french fries. In fact, using the cold-frying method gives you more opportunity to introduce flavor. Consider, for example, adding a few cloves of garlic to the cold oil. Cooking the cloves slowly releases the garlic's sweetness and will help slowly infuse that flavor into the fries as the garlic cooks, but without scorching it.