Home made potato chips

Anyone have a recipe?

Well you need a deep Kettle. You want it deep because the steam produced is going to cause a violent rise in the bubbling oil level and will spill out if it is too shallow. Peanut Oil is a good oil to use. Fill the Kettle about 1/4th with oil, and stick a thermometer in. It should be enough oil that it will allow the amount of a batch of chips to be submerged. Heat the oil and when it reaches around 380 °F, you just drop in a lot of thinly sliced potatoes, skin and all. When you slice them, it is important that you immediately send them to the oil because they will oxidize and turn brown.

All purpose potatoes are your best bet. Don't use Russet as they don't have the right composition. Most chip makers use Atlantic (which btw I am growing this year , among others). Deep fry until the oil settles (your temperature will drop significantly...which I forgot to mention have you potatoes at room temp before slicing) and the chips float (you can gauge at this point if you would like them brown or on the white side, but be warned that once they start to turn brown it seems to happen fast, and if you go too long they'll get burned and bitter). Fish them out with a wire mesh spoon, or slotted spoon. I use a cooling rack set on top of a sheet pan to cool. Sprinkle liberally with Sea Salt immediately. They keep best in a brown paper bag closed tightly.

It is worth it for the fun of it, but definitely not from an economic standpoint imho. I may make some again with my Atlantic's this year for kicks. I make 'chips' out of Jerusalem Artichoke and man are they superb!

I also run the sliced potatoes under very hot water to sort of blanch them. It also rinses off some of the excess starch for a better cooking chip.

My girlfriend and I really enjoy Sweet Potato Chips. We just slice them thin and throw them in the deep fryer when we are havin a fish fry.




Travis

Zoebisch is right, the right potato makes all of the difference. A faculty member in my Dept. breeds potatoes (emphasis on disease resistance) and has an automated chip processesing machine. You have to make sure the disease resistant potato also tastes good. A couple of years ago we had a potato chip day and got the low down on chip making, from the potato side, not the cooking side. The chip makers use only fresh potatoes for 9 months of the year. The prime chip potato does not store very well (compared to others as far as maintaining suitability for chip making). The season starts with fresh potatoes coming in from Florida and the follows the harvest North up through Maine as the potatoes mature. During the time between the last potato harvest in the Fall and the first in the Spring, the chip manufacturers use a different potato variety (blanking on the name) that stores better, but doesn't have as good of a flavor.

We had available for tasting VERY fresh chips made with both varieties and there was a definite difference in the taste of the two

Use a mandoline to slice the potatoes really thin. Soak them in water to remove excess starch. That will help them fry up crisper. Never store the potatoes in the refrigerator. The starches will convert to sugars and potatoes will burn.

Short Drive said:

I also run the sliced potatoes under very hot water to sort of blanch them. It also rinses off some of the excess starch for a better cooking chip.

Click to expand...

You can also dip them in a lemon juice/water mix and it'll work a little better then the hot water by itself...

i soak my slices for 24 hours.....same thing with french fries

OIL really doesnt matter just keep on stiring & then put them on a paper bag to soak up the excess oil.