Crispy, golden, and perfectly seasoned—these deep-fried sweet potato fries are a must-try side dish. Once you taste them, you’ll never go back to oven-baked.
Cut potatoes. Using a sharp knife or French fry cutter, cut the sweet potatoes into 1/4 square strips.
Ice bath. Place them in a bowl of ice water. Place in the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours. After 2 hours, drain the water from the potatoes and pat them as dry as possible. They will be very cold, maybe even frozen.
The first fry. Set up the deep fryer according to the manufacturer's instructions and fill it with peanut oil. Preheat the deep fryer to 325℉. Place the potatoes in the basket. It's okay if they are crowded for the first fry. Submerge them in the oil and deep fry for about 5-7 minutes until they are softened and slightly darker, but still pale. Place on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
The second fry. Increase the heat in the deep fryer to 375℉. Fry the French fries a second time, in smaller batches, so they float freely in the oil and don't touch each other. 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 season with salt and paprika immediately. Serve as soon as possible.
Notes
Be careful when deep frying, especially using a Dutch oven. An electric deep fryer is much safer and gives better results.Use any seasoning you'd like!