Oven fries

Subject: Oven fries
Newsgroup: rec.food.cooking

From: cdonahey at freenet.columbus.oh.us (Cynthia Donahey)
Date: 26 Nov 1996 21:22:32 -0500
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I need general directions for oven fries. Mine stuck this first time, although they were tasty enough.

From: LizR (rliz at msg.ti.com)
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 1996 09:45:29 -0600
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Slice the potatoes to the desired width and put them in a bowl with some ice water (this also helps fried fries stay crispy - for some reason oven fries also taste better after this step)

Coat a cookie sheet with Pam or another cooking spray. Put the potatoes on the pan, spray some more Pam on top - helps them crisp up more. I usually put Mrs. Dash or another seasoning mix on at this point.

Cook at 400F - flip about every 15 minutes - they usually take about 30 minutes total but sometimes if it's damp outside it seems to take longer.

And, yes, they will stick some. I've tried numerous methods including a non-stick pan. They just like to stick!

From: Mary Ash (smile at ridgecrest.ca.us)
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 1996 12:50:32 -0800
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Soaking the potatoes in ice water helps remove some of the starch. Works great for both oven fried and regular french fries.

From: alewine at phoenix.net (Lara Alewine)
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 1996 21:59:25 GMT
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I like the cookbook that Oprah's chef, Rosie, put out. The oven fries are fabulous and they're really crispy. Her secret is to use eggwhites. What you do is this. Slice up some 'taters however you like them for french fries. ( I like the big chunky kind... no McYuck limp skinny things for me thank you very much) Then take 2 egg whites and add about 1 T. of seasoning. I use 1/2 Tony Chachare's Cajun seaonsing and half seasoned salt... or sometimes just all Old Bay Seasoning. Beat the seasoning into the egg whites. Don't fluff 'em. Just mix 'em up real good. Toss in your potatoes and mix to coat. Spray a cookie sheet very well with non-stick cooking spray. Place your fries on top so that they don't overlap. Try not to have too many bunched up. Use two sheets if you have to. Finally spray with n.s.c.s. again on top. Bake at a high heat. I think around 375 degrees to 400 degrees. Turn every 15 minutes. It takes 45-60 min. to bake depending on the size of your fries. Yummmm! The egg whites make them really crispy and they help to keep the seasoning on the fries. Guilt free!! (ok ok... unless you count salt!) Have fun and dive in!

From: 72066.1775 at compuserve.com (Angela M. Kitchen)
Date: Thu, 05 Dec 1996 17:52:57 GMT
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I'll dive in with my recipe from Eating Well

Preheat oven to 450F. Cut up potatoes to desired shape. throw in a bowl with 1 tsp olive oil, 1tsp salt and 1 tsp paprika. Toss fries to coat with oil. Spray baking sheet with oil (pam that sort of thing). put the fries on the sheet in one layer. Bake 20 min. Turn them over, bake another 10-15 min to desired crispyness.

Never stick!

From: chuck at cei.net (chuck groetzinger)
Date: Sat, 30 Nov 1996 12:18:48 GMT
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Whenever I make fries, whether in the deep-fryer, oven or hashbrowns on the stove, I always make sure to blanche the cutup potatoes first. If done carefully, you can throw them in the microwave on a medium setting, watching carefully until you get the time right. I also take and wash them in cold water prior to blanching to take out some of the starch. If blanching in microwave, don't pile up too many as they will stick together, especially if you cook them too long.

When you go to cook them in the oven, use PAM or some other spray on your baking sheet and also coat the fries with the spray. That will help crisp them up in the oven

From: paul.jordan at nzpca.org.nz (PAUL JORDAN)
Date: Tue, 03 Dec 96 07:17:00 +1200
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chuck groetzinger said...
>Whenever I make fries, whether in the deep-fryer, oven or hashbrowns
>on the stove, I always make sure to blanche the cutup potatoes first.

Hmmm Chuck, that's interesting. Never thought of blanching them. Would probably work for freezing as well. How long did you blanche them for?

Newsgroup: rec.food.veg.cooking
Subject: Oven fries

From: cdonahey at freenet.columbus.oh.us (Cynthia Donahey)
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 1996 02:18:18 GMT
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Please post some general instructions. Mine stuck a little bit this time, altough they were still good.

From: robwith at uoguelph.ca (Rob Witherspoon)
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 1996 13:44:41 GMT
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I toss them with a little oil (a tablespoon for a cookie sheet of fries) and also spray the cookie sheet well with cooking oil spray.

From: robwith at uoguelph.ca (Rob Witherspoon)
Date: Thu, 28 Nov 1996 14:09:11 GMT
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I should add that I set the timer and turn them every 5-10 minutes, I think this really helps prevent sticking.

From: gayleh at freenet.scri.fsu.edu (Gayle Harrison)
Date: Sat, 30 Nov 1996 03:48:53 GMT
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I've just read one of Dr. McDougall's books. One food he recommends is frozen hash brown potatoes. I was surprised to find that some brands are (as he said) just frozen potatoes with no added oil. He suggests "frying" them in a nonstick pan with a couple of teaspoons of water--or nothing. Well, I tried this and the potatoes stank! Literally and figuratively! However, I will admit that my pan is a cheap one and I really need to get a good nonstick pan. At any rate, I tried the other half of the bag of potatoes in the oven. I used a very small amount of the spray stuff on a nonstick cookie sheet. The potatoes weren't as good as fries, but we intend to always have a bag on hand from now on. They were really pretty good. Also, I have sliced up fresh potatoes and coated them as indicated, but this is much easier!!!!!

From: kellar at ziplink.net (Kevin Kellar)
Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 15:54:07 GMT
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Mix Olive Oil, Rosemary (hopefully fresh-I keep some in the freezer), Garlic and any combination of Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes/Yams, and Carrots you like (cut up into 1-1.5" cubes).

Broil away, turning once 2/3rds of the way through to brown all sides.

Newsgroups: rec.food.veg.cooking
Subject: Re: Oven fries
From: dmrovner at students.wisc.edu (Dorothea M. Rovner)
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 1996 14:12:18 GMT
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I think that's almost inevitable. No matter what I use -- cooking spray, greasing the pans, whatever -- they stick a bit. No matter. I use a spatula to get 'em off, and they taste fine.

What I do is wash and cut up the potatoes (no peeling), beat up a couple egg whites with some paprika, submerge the fries in the whites, and bake at 400 for 40 minutes on a well-sprayed cookie sheet.

(I really recommend the paprika. Throw the salt cellar away. *grin*)

From: Jenny (devilcar at hprcl192.mayfield.hp.com)
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 1996 17:04:39 GMT
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I use cooking spray on my fries. I go over the cookie sheet about 3-4 times with the spray and it doesn't stick too badly. Good luck!