Ok, I LOVE french fries! As a child my grandmother – or Mémère as I called her – would often cook me french fries, since she was french I had assume that the reason they were so good was because she was French! As I grew up and found out that french fries were infact, not a french dish, you could imagine my disappointment, but obviously didn’t change how good they were.
Fries was also one of my first words. Yes, probably something I shouldn’t have been eating to the point where I learned the world that early on in life, but hey it was the 80’s, they didn’t know any better! Ugh.. I’m getting old..
As much as I love home made french fries that are fried they of course aren’t the healthiest thing to prepare for your family. Baking fries is definitely a healthier option and if cooked correctly, can come out just as crispy and delicious as if they were fried! Adding some garlic seasoning that has a kick to it that is going to make these fries so delicious and irresistible, you’ll wish you made a double batch!
The trick to getting them crispy is getting as much moisture and starch out as possible, then baking at a high temperature. You want to keep any steam to a minimum, and too much starch just makes them get gummy and gross.
The spicy garlic salt is so simple yet adds so much flavor to these fries. A little chili powder and cayenne just enough to give them a little heat but not too overwhelming.
Make sure you soak the potatoes instantly after cutting. This will remove excess starches and help give you a crispier fry. Soak for at least 30 minutes, but overnight in the fridge is ideal. So prepping the day before, or on a Sunday would allow you to have delicious fries in 30 minutes on a weekday!
Getting your oven nice and hot is key, it helps keep the environment dry to get the fries nice and crispy. Make sure you flip about halfway through so you get your fries evenly cooked and crispy!