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You will
need;
1 Deep
fryer
1 French
Fry Cutter (or patience for cutting potatoes)
Peel the potatoes. In a large mixing bowl,
combine sugar, corn syrup, and hot water. Make sure the sugar is
dissolved. Using a French fry slicer, cut the peeled potatoes into
shoestrings. The potatoes should be 1/4" x 1/4" in thickness,
and about 4" to 6" long. (You can do this with a knife, but it
is alot of work)
Place the shoe stringed potatoes into the bowl of
sugar-water, and refrigerate. Let them soak about 30 minutes.
While they're soaking, pack the shortening into
the deep fryer. Crank up the temperature to "full". The
shortening has to pre-heat for a very long time. It will eventually
liquify. After it has liquified and is at least 375°, drain the potatoes
and dump them into the fryer. (be careful, it will be ferocious)
After 1 to 1½ minutes, remove the potatoes and
place them on a paper towel lined plate. Let them cool 8 to 10 minutes in
the refrigerator.
While they're cooling, add the lard or beef
drippings to the hot Crisco®. Again, crank the temperature to full. Stir
in the lard as it melts into the oil. It will blend in.
After the deep fryer is reheated to 375°-400°,
add the potatoes and deep fry again. This time for 5-7 minutes until
golden brown. Remove and place in a large bowl.
Sprinkle generously with salt, then
"toss" the fries to mix the salt evenly. ( I suggest about 1
teaspoon of salt, maybe slightly more)
Serve hot, serve immediately, and enjoy!
Depending upon the size of the potatoes, this recipe make about 2 medium
sized fries.
Special Notes
Note¹ If you want more fries, double the
recipe---but DON'T double the cooking oil. Just cook them in shifts,
adding about 1/4 cup more Crisco® and 1 tablespoon lard for the second
batch.
Note² If cooking for a minute or so, removing,
and returning the fries to the oil seems like a pain in the ass, that's
because it is. But it is an important "blanching" step required
for that great taste.
Note³ For an easier clone of McDonald's French
fries, you can use the frozen, pre-cut Ore-Ida® shoestring potatoes. Just
cook them in the same combo of Crisco® and lard, skipping the
"blanching" process. Cook them while still frozen for 6-10
minutes (depending upon the amount) until golden brown. They're good, but
not nearly as accurate in taste and texture as the fresh recipe. |
