The Terrific Fries and Onion Rings at All Star Sandwich Bar

As of this year, we are fairly new fans of this hotspot. When their sandwiches and burgers are not too over- the- top with ingredients and sauces (as they can be), some pretty wonderful chow is to be had here. And despite those excesses, the hushpuppies, fries and onion rings are usually among the best we have had. From what we see when we eat there, there are very very few diners who don’t order the fries. Because i have a major curiosity about the inner workings of most things culinary, when we ate there today, I asked the chef to fill me in on the behind-the-scenes of fries and rings at All Star. wow, it’s a bit staggering.

They use ‘cowboy potatoes’ which have a lower starch content.They cut them and soak them overnight(to remove starch). Every morning, they drain,dry and blanch them in 300 degree oil. That cooks the inside. Then, to order, they flash-fry them at 360 degrees- to get the outside crisp.
How many lb. do you think they go through in a week? How ‘bout 1000??!!! gee,guys, that’s 3 50 lb sacks a day!!!

For their onion rings, they tenderize them/break down enzymes and remove bitterness in an overnight buttermilk bath. Then they are tossed in a seasoned cornmeal and fried to order.
How many per wk.? 450 lbs. That’s 2 30 lb. sacks a day.

Jiminy.

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All Star Sandwich Bar
1245 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139