It can be really difficult to get your homemade sweet potato fries to come out actually crispy. More often than not, when you get crispy sweet potato fries from a restaurant, they are bought frozen in which they have undergone a transformation in a factory to be crisp when fried. A few important requirements to have good homemade sweet potato fries is to choose the right size sweet potato, give them a brief boil in a baking soda solution (turns the exterior of the potato starchy), toss them in a cornstarch batter and fry them for the right time at the right temperature. Note: best results will be had if using the weight measurement in grams when measuring the cornstarch. Here’s the recipe.
9 Cups Water (2041 Grams)
3 Tbsp. Kosher Salt (45 Grams)
1 ¼ tsp. Baking Soda (6 Grams)
4 Sweet Potatoes- oval shape best, avoid long skinny potatoes
¾ Cup Cornstarch-sift after measuring ( 75 Grams)
½ Cup Water (113 Grams)
As Needed Canola Oil for Frying
To Taste Fine Sea Salt to Season Fries after Frying
• Bring the water up to a boil in about a 10” wide pot, covered.
• Meanwhile, peel and cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Lay the cut side down and cut four equal wedges from each half. Use a radial style cutting procedure.
• When the water boils, add the salt and baking soda. Add the sweet potato wedges and return to a gentle boil. After about 1 minute of gentle boiling, begin checking for doneness. The center of the potato should still be very firm and raw, but the exterior should begin to look mushy.
• While the potatoes are cooking, sift the cornstarch into a small bowl. Add the water and whisk to combine. When the potatoes are cooked right, carefully drain and place into a large bowl. Rewhisk the cornstarch batter and evenly pour over the hot sweet potato wedges. Gently toss in the batter until the batter takes on a light orange color and becomes thicker.
• Heat a deep fryer half filled with canola oil to 330°f. Carefully take out the coated potatoes out one by one, let any excess batter drip off and fry in small batches (so as to not allow the oil temperature to reduce) for about 3 minutes, or until crisp and cooked through. Season with fine sea salt to taste. Repeat with the remaining potatoes and enjoy!
Lincoln Culinary Institute’s Website: www.lincolnculinary.com
