Move Aside Beef Tallow — This Underrated Fat Makes The Best French Fries

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When it comes to making french fries, there's a few different tiers to oil that'll give your fries flavor. Your standard vegetable oil is pretty neutral, which is why beef tallow is often recommended as a step up for its richer and, unsurprisingly, beefier taste. And some oils that might seem flavorful, like olive oil, are a bad idea because they burn too easily due to a low smoke point. But there may be a lesser-known option that's a cut above beef tallow: goose fat.

Somewhat more common in Europe, and particularly in French cuisine, goose fat is often recommended for roasting potatoes and other veggies. It helps food achieve a notably crisp exterior and can handle a relatively high cooking temperature while also imparting a richer, deeper flavor than plain old vegetable oils.

What does goose fat taste like? It's less meaty than bold beef tallow, with a hint of sweetness, so it arguably lets potatoes shine a bit more. But goose fat also helps for texture, giving potatoes a crispy golden exterior while the inside stays fluffy — a formidable contrast. There's room to debate whether tallow or goose fat is superior — some may prefer the bolder taste of tallow, but for perfectly balanced and rich potatoes, there's a strong argument for goose fat.

You don't need a deep fryer for goose-fat fries, as you can just melt the fat in a heavy pot and bring it up to typical frying temperature (don't go over 375 degrees Fahrenheit, the smoke point). You won't need gallons, as recipes suggest as little as a few tablespoons (depending on the volume of potatoes you're frying, of course), although some recommend more to fully immerse the potatoes. Other recipes suggest a mix of goose fat and vegetable oil so the fries can be immersed without becoming excessively rich from the goose fat.

In the United States, goose fat may be tough to find in your standard mainstream grocery stores, but some specialty stores may sell it. You can also find it on Amazon, such as Fatworks goose fat. But if you can't get your hands on it, duck fat may just be the ingredient your potatoes need instead. The two are comparable, adding a similarly rich, buttery flavor, although duck fat may have more distinctive meaty notes compared to semi-neutral goose fat. But it is arguably a little easier to find, whether in specialty grocery stores or some mainstream stores like Walmart or Publix (though it's unclear if it's stocked widely). Finally, there's no need to worry about using it all at once, as it can keep for months in the refrigerator.