I’m so mad at myself. I figured out how to make homemade potato chips in such an easy, head-smackingly simple way, I’m going to make them all the time and gain a million pounds. It all started when I thought about the shallow-frying technique I used to make pita chips and tortilla chips; why wouldn’t that work for potato chips? Turns out it does, better than expected. If I wanted to, I could have a plateful of homemade chips in front of you in 15 minutes. Warning: this is a dangerous thing to know how to do. You’ll never stop wanting to do it.
There are only two tools necessary for homemade potato chips, and they’re tools you should have around anyway: a mandoline slicer and a thermometer.
I have the cheapest, crappiest mandoline slicer in the world. I think it was $15, but I don’t even remember where I bought it. It barely gets the job done, but it gets the job done. Here’s the job: take a baking potato (Russet Idaho) and drag it across your slicer so it makes circles. Those will be your chips.
The thinner you make them, the crispier they’ll be and the quicker they’ll fry, but even if you accidentally make a few thick ones, those are good too. The width is up to you. (And also, if you have a few imperfect circles, don’t worry. Those taste good when fried, as do most things.)
Put your potato circles in cold water:
Then get a wide skillet and pour in about an inch of oil. That’s all you’ll need, which is why this technique is so wonderful. You don’t waste a lot of oil and your risk of the oil bubbling over (the biggest danger, when frying) is minimal. Turn up the heat and place a probe thermometer or a frying thermometer in there to monitor the temperature: you’re gunning for 375.
Oh: have a rack on a baking sheet ready to go to drain the potato chips after frying. As the oil gets closer to the right temperature, pat your potato circles very dry with paper towels:
Then carefully lower them in.
That’s really all there is to it. Now you just wait for them to darken; it takes a few minutes. You can use a spider tool to flip them upside down every minute or so, but the main part is just waiting. Here’s what they look like as they darken:
Still white in spots, so let them go until they’re uniformly brown:
That looks about right. Now lift them out with your spider tool and immediately sprinkle with lots of salt.
Voila: homemade potato chips. It was really that easy.
Continue to fry in batches until you have all of the chips you want to eat. Then, if you want to be really decadent, make a dipping sauce with mayonnaise, some liquid from your sweet and spicy pickled peppers, and smoked paprika. It’s a snack fit for a king:
A very fat king. But a happy one too.
Homemade potato chips. Who knew?
I love making homemade potato chips using leftover slices from potato gratin. That way I feel less guilty about taking out the mandoline just for my own fatassery. Then again, I do end up with suspiciously thin gratins sometimes… (having reserved too many slices for chips)
My family makes a meal out of homemade potato chips by adding chili, cheese sour cream and whatever other toppings we have on hand.
What kind of oil do you use for frying? I usually use canola oil but I hate the way it smells, there is no vent in my kitchen!
Good question! I use Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil; if you’re not happy with those, Grapeseed Oil would be a good (though expensive) alternative.
You can also use zatoon oil. Hopefully it will be very useful for you.
Don’t use ANY kind of vegetable oil, except virgin coconut oil.
Only oil to use is peanut oul
Try peanut oil which has a high smoke point. This is cheap and there’s less chance of leaving oil smell in the kitchen. Also try infusing the oil with herbs like rosemary – use fresh and put them in at the same time as the chips. I salt the raw potato circles before frying which draws moisture out resulting in a crisper chip (also cooks more evenly and quickly) How: salt, let sit 15-30 mins then rinse and pat dry.
That looks like the same Martha Stewart mandoline I started with – mine was $10. I upgraded to this ceramic one – it is amazing; razor sharp, lightweight and easy to clean for only $20! I wonder if one could also do other veggie chips like beet and parsnip and sweet potato like this? Or taro – I love those taro chips.
http://www.amazon.com/Kyocera-CSN-202-RD-Adjustable-Mandoline-Slicer/dp/B000HZBXOA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1378861583&sr=8-1&keywords=ceramic+mandoline
Looks delicious. But, canola oil isn’t good. As of course you know, sunflower oil is made of sunflower seeds, olive oil is made of olives (which is the seed) etc. So, canola oil is made of canola seeds. Canola seeds have some harmful effects. That’s why my mom never use it. :/
I place mine in cold water with a spoon of salt and teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate leave them there while oil heat up 3/4 of the way remove them and place in an strainer to dry before dropping in oil, as my grandmother use to do it.
I like the idea of making veggie chips…bring on the tubers.
These chips look amazing. I always try to do it by hand and i cut it wayyyyyy to thick. The slicer is a great idea. nice post
I’ve got you beat. My mandolin was only $5 at Aldi’s. I use it often. I really should invest in a sturdier more expensive one, and I will, when this one breaks down.
I’ve got you beat. My mandolin was only $5 at Aldi’s. I use it often. I really should invest in a sturdier more expensive one, and I will, when this one breaks down.
I hate this recipe
it sucks so much
I used a veg peeler today and it worked great
How do you make them crisp? My chips are a bit soft.
challenge accepted. 15 minutes starts… Now!
Yum, I love chips. Ookly bookly I had them, they were bad.
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Problem health-wise here is that the veggie oil is awful for your body. Nothing wrong with a potato. So if you can use some lard or coconut oil then it’s a nice treat.