Belgian Frites

(Warning: Long post!)

Belgium's best invention!

That's right. Well, next to Beer, Waffles and Chocolate, that is.

Nobody does them better than the guys in Belgium. The Dutch come close. But certainly not McDonald's or any other fast food joint here in the U.S. But back to the topic on hand. It's still common belief that the fries, or Frites, were invented by the French, hence the term "French Fries", but that was not the case. Others argue that the U.S. soldiers during WW1 coined the term because of the then French-speaking Army of Belgium.

But many Frites experts argue the name French Fry comes from the way it is cut...by "frenching" it meaning to cut it into elongated shapes and I tend to agree. Either way, Frites were born in Belgium out of a necessity according to this account:

"The inhabitants of Namur, Andenne, and Dinant, had the custom of fishing in the Meuse for small fish and frying, especially among the poor, but when the river was frozen and fishing became hazardous, they cut potatoes in the form of small fish and put them in a fryer".

So what makes the Belgian Frites so exceptionally good and addictive? What's the secret? It all starts with the type of potato, the preparation and the frying process.

In some parts of Belgium, making the perfect Frites is considered an art form and I must admit, there's more to them than just cutting up a few potatoes, throwing them in hot oil, dousing them with ketchup and devouring them. So, if you have ever taken on the task of trying to make exceptional Frites at home and they came out undercooked, soft, soggy and tasted more like oil rather than potato, keep reading.

First off, some interesting info and tips. Let's start with the size of the Frites. Potatoes for Belgian Frites should be cut to at least 3/8" (10 mm) but not larger than 1/2" (13mm). Cut them too thin (think Shoestrings or McDonald's) and they'll absorb a ton amount of oil and become fairly unhealthy. Speaking of unhealthy, Frites do not have to be unhealthy if prepared and cooked right. It all lies in the correct size of the Frites. However, they also shouldn't become one's only source of food. But they actually can be part of a balanced and healthy diet. Again...moderation, though, is key.

Anyway, what's the best potato type for Belgian Frites? In Belgium, the type of potato used is called Bintje, which has its origins in Holland. It has a very high solid content with a creamy, yellowish flesh. It is the potato of choice for making Frites. Unfortunately, here in the U.S., Bintje isn't widely known or even available so the next best thing are Yellow potatoes, or my personal favorite...the Idaho Russet Burbank No. 1.

Those potatoes are high in solids which makes them also high in starch but low in moisture and are therefor perfect for Belgian Frites. Now, they're not as good as Bintje but when prepared correctly, they can become excellent Frites. But since the Russet Burbank have a high amount of starch they are prone to clumping together during frying. I'll show you how to prevent that from happening.

One more thing to consider when making Frites is the oil and the two different frying temperatures. My choice of oil is a cholesterol-free vegetable/canola oil blend with a lowered saturated fat content and enriched with Omega-3 fatty acids. It's a much healthier option than let's say lard (rendered pork fat). Belgian Frites are double-fried, once at a lower temperature of 300°F and then again right before serving at the maximum temperature of 375°F. The reason for double-frying is simple: After the first frying the Frites are left to cool down which lets the excess liquid dry. When they are fried for a second time at a higher temperature, that initial fried exterior will turn into a sheath, preventing oil from seeping into them and giving the Frites a nice, crunchy outer shell and soft interior.

With that said, let's move on to the things we need to make exceptional Frites at home...

3 liters / 3.5 quarts of oil
5 lbs of Russet Burbank No.1 potatoes
Sea salt to taste

Besides that, we need a good deep fryer. Mine is an 1800-watt Waring which delivers great results, has a fast recovery time and keeps a steady temperature which is essential to making non-soggy Frites. But if you do a lot of frying otherwise, such as chicken wings, donuts, fish etc., and want to go all out on your next deep fryer purchase, I highly recommend the Krups High Performance DF. German engineering at its finest!

We also need a sharp kitchen knife, or better yet a French Fry cutter for even cutting results, a couple deep-enough baking pans or oven plates, a stainless steel bowl for tossing the finished Frites, a salad spinner (optional) and some paper or kitchen towels. The salad spinner is optional because you can dry the Frites in a baking pan lined with paper towels. I like to use the spinner mainly because it gets a bit more water out than just drying the Frites on a paper towel. But that's entirely up to you. Just make sure the Frites are dried well.

Okay, now on to the fun part. Start by peeling the potatoes and give them a quick rinse under cold water. If you're using a knife to cut the Frites, cut off a small piece of the side of the potato and place the cut side down for more stability. Then cut the potato into 3/8" to 1/2" slices and then into the same-width sticks. If you're using a Frites cutter, well that's pretty self-explanatory. Just push the potato through and you're done. A French fry cutter insures that all Frites are the same size which is very important. Too many discrepancies in the Frites' size and the outcome will be less than stellar because Frites of different thickness or length (6" max.) make it more difficult to cook evenly. So pay attention.

Once the potatoes are cut, place them in a large bowl and cover them with cold water. This washes out much of the starch, prevents clumping during the frying process and insures a fresh, crispy outcome.

Above (first pic, upper left) you can see how cloudy the water has become during the first rinse. That's the starch. I rinse my Frites three times until the water is completely clear (last pic, lower right). The other two pics are after the second and third rinse respectively. Line a large enough baking sheet with some paper towels and pat them dry. Make sure to get as much moisture off of the Frites as possible. That's where the salad spinner comes in really handy. If you have one, use it and then place the Frites onto the baking sheet. While doing so, pre-heat your deep fryer to 300°F, maybe 315°F but not higher than that.

Place a nice handful of Frites in the basket. Not more because the oil might cool down too much if your deep fryer isn't high enough in wattage. Frying in batches, each batch should take between 7-8 minutes.The Frites should have a somewhat yellow-golden color after the first fry and should be cooked through but not yet crispy. The inside should be fully cooked, soft and creamy in consistency and overall still a bit limp. Place them into the second paper towel-lined baking sheet or oven plate and let them 'sweat' and completely cool down. That takes at least 30 minutes. You can leave them out pre-cooked for up to four hours. They can theoretically be frozen at this point but they won't taste the same as fresh, hot, crispy Frites directly out of the Fryer.

Once you're ready to serve the Frites, raise the temperature of your Deep Fryer to 375°F, toss a serving amount of the Frites into the basket and give them a quick, hot bath for not more than 2 minutes or until they are crispy and golden brown.

I've seen many local restaurants trying to serve Frites using the double-frying method and most of them serve their Frites too crunchy and overcooked. They tend to have a deep brown color and taste somewhat dry. That's not what we're after.

After the Frites are fried the second time, and remember the two minute-rule!, shake off the excess oil, place them into a large stainless steel bowl, sprinkle generously with Sea salt and toss them until they're coated evenly. In Belgium, Frites are traditionally served in large paper cones, called "Cornet de Frites" and come with a wide array of different sauces, with the most popular being fresh Mayonnaise, Curry Ketchup, Sauce Andalouse, Aioli or Sauce Americaine. One of mine is Sauce Samurai, which is Mayo and Sambal Oelek.

But let me encourage you to try them first 'au naturel'. No sauce, no ketchup - just sea salt and that's it. You will notice the fresh potato flavor and not grease, will experience the outer crispness and the creamy, soft inside. And that's what makes the Belgian Frites superior to any other so-called "French Fries".

And there they are.

Homemade Belgian Frites! Just like from a "Fritkot" in Belgium.

Enjoy!

P.S.: Here's a nice video from a Fritkot in Antwerp, Belgium, called "Fritkot Max", one of the most famous Fritkots around. Gerda (great name!) talks about the second fry being 3-4 minutes but that only holds true for commercial fryers. What's more important is the way the Frites look after 2 minutes of the second frying stage in your home fryer.