The Best French Fries Come Courtesy Of One Simple Technique

For the crispiest french fries, start frying them in cold oil. This way, they all start at the same temperature and heat evenly and slowly, retaining more natural moisture.

Meanwhile, when you drop cold potatoes into hot oil, they rapidly begin losing moisture and absorbing hot oil. The starch turns into a gelatinous coating that becomes mushy.

Letting fries sit in oil longer with the cold oil technique doesn't oversaturate them thanks to the gradual temperature change, giving them a crisp exterior and fluffy interior.

This method also shaves time and effort off the process — never mind that it erases the burn risks usually associated with dropping cold potatoes into boiling oil.