Fried potato chips question

PinkandYellow

Tue, Sep 07 2010, 11:58 am

I'd like to slice sweet potatoes and/or reg potatoes and fry them (like french fries, I guess) to make sweet potato 'chips'. Question is- if I'm making a large volume, can I use a pot and deep fry them like that, all at once, or at least in larger shifts? cuz if I use a reg frying pan my legs will fall off and it'll take hours, to do this many.

louche

Tue, Sep 07 2010, 12:17 pm

You can deep fry sweet potatoes, but even so you have to do it in batches. Dumping in too many at once lowers the temperature of the oil and gives you an oil sponge instead of the crisp-on-the-outside-soft-but-not-oil-soaked-on-the-inside texture you want.

PinkandYellow

Tue, Sep 07 2010, 1:03 pm

do you mind giving me step by step instructions, please? usually I bake them but for y't I'm frying to make it yummier and more special. also, whats the best way to slice the sweet potatoes? I have trouble so usually like to microwave for a few min first to make it easier. is that ok?

Mommastuff

Tue, Sep 07 2010, 1:11 pm

for thin slices, you can use a peeler

Tamiri

Tue, Sep 07 2010, 2:43 pm

Another option is to dredge them in oil, spread them on a baking sheet, and "fry" them in the oven. They will be delicious and you can make a lot at a time like that.

PinkandYellow

Tue, Sep 07 2010, 3:25 pm

Tamiri wrote:

Another option is to dredge them in oil, spread them on a baking sheet, and "fry" them in the oven. They will be delicious and you can make a lot at a time like that.

how long would you bake it for? would they really cook through like that?

louche

Tue, Sep 07 2010, 3:39 pm

Tamiri wrote:

Another option is to dredge them in oil, spread them on a baking sheet, and "fry" them in the oven. They will be delicious and you can make a lot at a time like that.

that's what I do. You're limited only by the size of your oven and you don't have to stand there and watch it all the time. OTOH it does heat up your kitchen.

Nuking for a few minutes before frying is not only fine, it's a great idea and guarantees that you won't have any half-raw chips.

I never deep-fry. Reusing frying oil is unhealthy due to the formation of toxic compounds when heating the oil. The more you use the oil, the more these toxins build up. So I wouldn't reuse the oil, and to use a quart or so of oil--I use olive oil, and that would come out to about $5 when I buy a 3-liter tin on sale-- just to fry up a batch of whatever is a huge waste of both oil and money.

However, if you're dead-set on deep frying, cut up the taties the way you always do. The smaller you cut them, the faster they cook. Pour the oil an inch deep or more into a nice HEAVY pot; cover and heat till it sizzles when you dip a piece of potato into it. Make sure your taties are nice and dry, then carefully SLIDE them into the oil--a big slotted spoon is good for this. Slide in only a few at a time so that the oil can heat up again before you slide in the next few. Don't overcrowd--the pieces must have room to move around.

Watch carefully so you don't oveheat the oil--if it starts to smoke, TURN DOWN THE FLAME. When your first batch is golden, remove with a slotted spoon and slide in the next batch. It's easier if you have a basket or strainer with a handle that will fit across the top of the pot; then you can just lower the whole thing in and lift it all out at once, which is how they do it in fast food places. But a slotted spoon works, too.

Drain on absorbent paper and enjoy.

louche

Tue, Sep 07 2010, 3:42 pm

Baking depends on your oven. Mine is horrible and the taters take an hour to bake through. This is not normal, though--I think around 20-30 minutes is normal. If you nuke the spuds first or cut them small it'll be faster.

Tamiri

Tue, Sep 07 2010, 3:57 pm

PinkandYellow wrote:

Tamiri wrote:

Another option is to dredge them in oil, spread them on a baking sheet, and "fry" them in the oven. They will be delicious and you can make a lot at a time like that.

how long would you bake it for? would they really cook through like that?

I did beet chips today on 425F. I did a lot of sweet potatoes over Pesach, probably at 425F I don't remember.

Mommy3.5

Sun, Sep 12 2010, 9:47 am

louche wrote:

Sweet potatoes and potatoes take a long time to bake in any oven. A minimum of 45 minutes.