Which Chips (or Fries) Are the Best?

[CleverNickName]

In America at least, all fries except for "Homestyle" are cooked from frozen. If all those "How It's Made" videos are to be believed, all fries--regardless of their shape--are cut, cooked with steam, air-chilled, possibly breaded, sprayed with oil, flash frozen, and then shipped to the grocery store/warehouse/kitchen that ordered them. The term "homestyle" came about because they are cooked from fresh raw potatoes, "the way you would do it at home." Most kitchens aren't outfitted to wash, peel, chop, and cook thousands of fresh potatoes every day.

And I know it's 1000% true because I watched a video on the Internet.

 

[Thomas Shey]

Poutine is its own thing, imo. Like yeah the fries are important but all the other ingredients have to click as well.

Yeah, that's like wedge-cuts with cheddar and bacon bits. The potato is only doing some of the work.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

In America at least, all fries except for "Homestyle" are cooked from frozen. If all those "How It's Made" videos are to be believed, all fries--regardless of their shape--are cut, cooked with steam, possibly breaded, sprayed with oil, frozen, and then shipped to the grocery store/warehouse/kitchen that ordered them. The term "homestyle" came about because they are cooked from fresh, "the way you would do it at home." Most kitchens aren't outfitted to peel, chop, and cook thousands of fresh potatoes every day.

And I know it's 1000% true because I read it on the Internet.

In Canada at least, frozen fries are things you buy at the grocery store if you want to have a quick and convenient option. Fast food restaurants like McDonald's, KFC and the like or casual dining chains also use frozen fries. Any restaurant beyond that level is virtually guaranteed to prepare their fries from scratch. In this part of Canada at least, what we call chip stands/chip trucks/chip wagons (literally small vehicles equipped with deep fryers... but some are more permanent structures) are where it's at... fresh cut potatoes only here.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

In Canada at least, frozen fries are things you buy at the grocery store if you want to have a quick and convenient option. Fast food restaurants like McDonald's, KFC and the like or casual dining chains also use frozen fries. Any restaurant beyond that level is virtually guaranteed to prepare their fries from scratch. In this part of Canada at least, what we call chip stands/chip trucks/chip wagons (literally small vehicles equipped with deep fryers... but some are more permanent structures) are where it's at... fresh cut potatoes only here.

Having said that, hats off to McDonald's French fries. They are (surprisingly) amazing.

 

[CleverNickName]

Having said that, hats off to McDonald's French fries. They are (surprisingly) amazing.

I've heard them described as the most carefully-engineered food in history. Everything about them has been designed specifically to make them as irresistible as possible, from the size and temperature, to the texture and aroma.

 

[gnarlygninja]

In America at least, all fries except for "Homestyle" are cooked from frozen. If all those "How It's Made" videos are to be believed, all fries--regardless of their shape--are cut, cooked with steam, air-chilled, possibly breaded, sprayed with oil, flash frozen, and then shipped to the grocery store/warehouse/kitchen that ordered them. The term "homestyle" came about because they are cooked from fresh raw potatoes, "the way you would do it at home." Most kitchens aren't outfitted to wash, peel, chop, and cook thousands of fresh potatoes every day.

And I know it's 1000% true because I watched a video on the Internet.

Using fresh potatoes isn't necessarily an improvement. In n Out gets all their potatoes fresh, you can watch them cut and fry them. They're terrible. I've seen plenty of high end cooks (all the way up to 3 star Michelin places) talk about how they use frozen on account of how consistent the quality is.

 

[Gradine]

I feel like the traditional Fish & Chips "chip" is a steak fry. And steak fries (as well as Jo-Jos) are fries for people who prefer potatoes in general moreso than they like fries. Which is plenty fine but they definitely shouldn't be running away in a best fry contest.

The correct answer here btw is curly fries and frankly it's not even close.

Also btw In-n-Out has either incredible fries or terrible fries and there's nothing in-between, and it all depends on which chain you're at.

 

[billd91]

The usual problem with potatoes, other than the generic one with carbs, isn't the potato. A boiled potato has plenty of nutrients.

Its that most methods of preparing and serving them are dense with various fats, most of which aren't ideal.

Cooking them with their skins on will also reduce the amount of nutrition in their flesh lost to the cooking process. Vitamin C is particularly susceptible to being lost to cooking.

Chilling potatoes after cooking has been found to decrease the glycemic index by up to 25%.

 

[payn]

In America at least, all fries except for "Homestyle" are cooked from frozen. If all those "How It's Made" videos are to be believed, all fries--regardless of their shape--are cut, cooked with steam, air-chilled, possibly breaded, sprayed with oil, flash frozen, and then shipped to the grocery store/warehouse/kitchen that ordered them. The term "homestyle" came about because they are cooked from fresh raw potatoes, "the way you would do it at home." Most kitchens aren't outfitted to wash, peel, chop, and cook thousands of fresh potatoes every day.

And I know it's 1000% true because I watched a video on the Internet.

Skin on is an option you may have overlooked. Many places run them through a slicer and right into the oil.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

I've heard them described as the most carefully-engineered food in history. Everything about them has been designed specifically to make them as irresistible as possible, from the size and temperature, to the texture and aroma.

I believe it.