Hot take: frozen fries in the air fryer are way better than fresh cut ones

I did a side by side test last night with a bag of store bought frozen fries and some fresh russets I cut myself. The frozen ones came out crispier on the outside and fluffier inside after 15 minutes at 400 degrees. My fresh ones were either soggy or burnt at the edges. Has anyone else found this, or did I just mess up my potato prep?

3 comments

3 Comments

richard_anderson15d ago

Yeah, the frozen ones always win for me too. They just get that perfect texture every single time. My homemade attempts always end up a disappointment.

mia_hart9015d ago

Read an article in a cooking magazine about this exact thing. They said frozen fries are blanched in hot oil before freezing. That pre cooks the inside so it gets fluffy. Fresh potatoes have way more moisture. You have to soak them for like an hour and dry them super well. Even then, it's hard to beat the factory process. Your test sounds totally normal to me.

white.blair15d ago

Totally makes sense. Tried making fresh fries once and they came out soggy no matter what. Soaked them overnight and used a whole roll of paper towels drying them, still not right. The factory just has it down to a science.