Here’s the deal: there is ONE correct way to make homemade deep-fried French fries. You have to deep fry them—twice. And before that, you have to soak them in ice water for hours. I know! It’s ridiculous. But yes, it’s worth the trouble. And for a mere couple of dollars’ worth of potatoes, you’ll have a pile of golden brown, crispy fries.

tray of french fries of piece of parchment.

Don’t skip that first lower temperature fry. This is what actually cooks the potatoes and makes them soft. The second fry crisps them up.

That ice-cold soak is important. The cold water pulls out excess starch, and the less starch, the more crispiness. If you skip it your fries will be soggy.

I actually find this to be an advantage because I can prep them early in the day and let them chill in the fridge. This means any time you’re frying anything, it’s hardly any more work to have fries on the side. You already have the deep fryer ready to go, which is by far the hardest part! We serve these almost weekly with buttermilk chicken tenders.

Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need

We all know potatoes and salt are about as frugal as it gets! Simply cutting out pre-made frozen fries will help you cut your grocery budget. Just remember that russet potatoes purchased in a bag are usually less than buying them per pound. Costco sells a big 25-pound bag that’s a great deal.

ingredients on blue and white tea towel.

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Equipment

French fry cutter optional
Vegetable scrub brush
A deep fryer! (While you can use a Dutch oven, a deep fryer makes temperature control much easier and safer. Without a deep fryer, you’ll need a large pot and a thermometer. It can definitely be done, but it’s more work and a mess.)

Ingredients

3 Russet potatoes, scrubbed clean (these are the best potatoes for fries)
1 quart peanut oil for frying (this has the high smoke point that we need. You can try vegetable or canola too, but not olive oil.)
salt

If you’d like to double or triple this recipe, you can make adjustments in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

How to Make Deep-Fried French Fries

Step One: Cut Potatoes

Using a sharp knife or French fry cutter, cut the potatoes into ¼ square strips. If you’d rather not slice the potatoes, you can cut them into thicker wedges and make deep-fried potato wedges instead!

knife slicing potato into strips by hand.

Step Two: Ice Bath

Place them in a bowl of ice water. Place in the refrigerator and allow to chill for at least 2 hours, up to 12 hours.

Step Three: Prep Oil

Set up the deep fryer according to the manufacturer’s instructions and fill with peanut oil. Preheat the deep fryer to 325℉.

Step Four: First Fry

Drain the water from the potatoes and pat them as dry as possible. They will be very cold, maybe even frozen. Place the potatoes in the basket. It’s okay if they are crowded for the first fry. Submerge into the oil and deep fry for about 5-7 minutes until they are softened and slightly darker, but still pale. Place on paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain.

Step Five: Second Fry

Increase heat in deep fryer to 375℉. Fry the French fries a second time, this time in smaller batches so that they float freely in the oil. Fry for only 2-4 minutes, or until they have reached the desired level of brownness and crispness. Drain on paper-towel-lined baking sheets, and salt immediately. Serve as soon as possible.

deep fryer basket with partially cooked fries.

Serving & Storing

Let’s be honest – these are best served immediately. While you can reheat leftovers in an air fryer with decent results, fresh is definitely best.

I serve them with just everything fried, since all you need to do is turn the heat up to a higher temperature: chicken tenders, beer battered shrimp, and homemade buffalo wings. But of course there’s nothing like the classic burger and fries.

If you need to hold them for a few minutes, keep them in a warm oven (200°F) on a rack instead of a plate to maintain crispiness.

Adjusting to Your Taste

These are a yummy blank canvas. Here are some ways to make them your own

Seasoning

My favorite, extra sea salt and tons of black pepper
Add a blend of onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika
Toss with Old Bay seasoning
Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning for some kick
Try garlic and parmesan while they’re still hot
Top with shredded cheese and crumbled bacon, then pop under the broiler for 60 seconds.

Dipping Sauces

Add a drizzle of homemade ranch dressing
Fry sauce! A simple blend of ketchup, mayo, and a little relish