The Crispiest, Butteriest Fried Potatoes Are An Architectural Marvel

Oh, potatoes — you'll never know how much you're loved. Most people like some variation of the spud, and how could you not? Potatoes are one of the most versatile foods in the world. From fries to mashed potatoes (which are made irresistibly good with brown butter) to funeral potatoes to baked potatoes to scalloped potatoes ... the list really could go on forever. And although some forms of the spud take a little while to prepare (looking at you, baked potatoes), most of them don't take more than an hour or two to make. But did you know there is a potato dish, with just a few ingredients, that takes 15 whole hours to prepare?

Maybe you've seen it online: The viral 15-hour potato that looks like a small cube of a bunch of thin layers of potatoes. And while it takes a long time (mostly for waiting around, not cooking), many people say the end result is worth it. The taste is likened to that of a french fry or potato chip, but it also has a slight meaty flavor due to the included animal fat, and the unique shape and texture are worth raving about.

Despite this dish taking over half a day to make, the ingredients are actually quite simple: potatoes, some sort of fat (duck fat, beef tallow, or ghee), spices (salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic), and oil for frying (whatever oil you like best should be fine). You can customize the seasoning however you want, just remember that whatever fat you use will also come with that particular flavor. 

To start, peel all your potatoes, then thinly slice them either using a knife or a mandolin. Next, melt your fat and mix in the salt, any spices you're adding, and the potatoes. After lining a loaf pan with parchment, layer the thin, coated potatoes one-by-one on top of each other, then bake for three hours or until tender Once they're cooked, you'll need to weigh the spuds down; either a pie weight or another loaf pan filled with canned goods will work. Then, place the tin in the fridge for at least 12 hours (up to 24 hours), and wait. Once the baked layers are firmly pressed together, flip the potatoes out of the mold and cut the loaf into cubes. Finally, fry them until golden brown. And voilà, you've made the infamous crispy, buttery 15-hour potatoes.

Once the potatoes are done, you could simply sprinkle with salt and enjoy plain or with ketchup or ranch. Or, if you want to treat them as a side dish, plate these cubes with a foolproof roasted chicken or with roast beef and gravy. If you want to serve these with a vegetarian meal, serve these alongside (or dipping them in) this basic three-bean vegetarian chili.

The question is, though: Are these potatoes worth 15 hours? The general consensus seems to be yes, and for good reason. Sure, you could simply make scalloped potatoes, and if you don't have half a day to wait around, you may choose that. But the potato slivers soaked in fat, plus the final step of deep-frying, makes these cubes uniquely crispy and deliciously greasy. Ultimately, these potatoes bring the "wow" factor and could make you the standout guest or host of any dinner party or gathering. 

It is worth noting that acclaimed James Beard Award-winning chef Thomas Keller has a similar recipe, a potato pavé, that takes anywhere from six hours to two days to make, though there are some distinct differences between the two potato dishes. Keller's potatoes are soaked in cream, not butter, and they are also not deep fried. Keller's does get layered with butter, though his Michelin Star-worthy version is more like a creamy, slightly crispy cubed scalloped potato cube, rather than a crunchy cube like the 15-hour potatoes.