Beer-battered fries
Serves: 4
Ingredients
• 4 large potatoes, Agria or russet
• Neutral oil for frying (beef tallow, lard, ghee, refined olive oil)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika (smoked or sweet)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup cold lager, pilsner, or pale ale
• To season: flaky salt. Optional: grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, malt vinegar, or aioli
Method
1. Prepare the potatoes: Peel or scrub, then cut into fries about 1 cm thick. Soak in cold water for 30 minutes (or overnight in the fridge). Drain and dry with paper towels.
2. Heat the oil: Heat the oil to about 160oC.
3. Make the batter: Whisk together the dry ingredients. Slowly whisk in the cold beer until just combined. A few small lumps are fine, but don’t overmix.
4. First fry to blanch: Fry the potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes until tender but not browned. Remove and drain on a rack or paper towels.
5. Coat and second fry to crisp: Increase the oil temperature to 190°C, dip the fries in the batter, allowing the excess to drip off. Fry in small batches for 3 to 5 minutes until deep golden and crispy.
6. Season and serve: Sprinkle with flaky salt immediately after frying. Serve hot with your favourite sauce.
Crisp tips
Use very cold beer for a lighter batter. For an extra-crunchy coating, replace 2 tablespoons of the flour with additional cornstarch.
Short cut: Skip all the potato prep by using a bag of precut freezer chips from a local company like Makikihi Fries.
