Mashed Potatoes Actually Make The Crispiest French Fries. Here's How It Works

Even those always looking for new ways to make legitimately crispy french fries at home might not have expected that humble bowl of mashed potatoes to be the trick to achieving the crunchiest results. This delicious cooking method comes from Japan. The country famous for its innovative food trends has a popular potato street food known as long fries. They are made by mashing potatoes and molding them into large fry-shaped pieces, then frying them off and serving them with dipping sauces and drizzles like kewpie mayo or ketchup. The resulting texture is an even crispier outside and fluffier inside, superior to the good ol' french fries we know and love.

Traditional fries typically rely on just raw potato sticks, but starting things off with mashed potatoes totally changes the final texture. Boiled potatoes have more gelatizined starches, so these stay soft and fluffy even when the outside is fried, crisp, and golden, ramping the contrast between the two textures. You'll end up with a large fry shape that has an entirely elevated consistency and luckily, there's no need to book a ticket to Japan to experience this yourself.

There are a few tips to turn mashed potatoes into the crispiest fries. First, choosing the right potato is key: russet potatoes are the traditional choice, but Yukon can also work. Russets have a high starch content (Yukons have medium), and will produce an almost gummy consistency when mashed. This quality isn't ideal for mashed potatoes, but in the case of making fries, it is actually very beneficial as it will help the dough stick together. You can mash them with a ricer, a potato masher, or even a food processor – the idea is just to make sure there are no lumps.

When it comes to cooking mashed potatoes and turning them into a pliable dough, moisture control is everything. After boiling the potatoes, a clever trick is returning them to the pot over low heat to cook off as much excess water as you can. Then add some potato starch or cornstarch to the mashed spuds and knead it into a dough. From there, you just have to roll it out into a large rectangle sheet and then slice it into long fry-like strips. Placing these strips in the freezer for a short time before frying will help them stay in one piece as they're fried. 

Unlike raw potatoes, mashed spuds are much easier to season and customize –- you can adjust how much salt, spice, and herbs you add or even lean into the Japanese theme by throwing some wasabi powder for a kick of heat. You'll end up with a classic fry shape that has an entirely elevated taste and texture, and maybe you'll never look at regular fries the same again.