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The Best Potatoes For Chips?

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mastercraft | 22:59 Fri 02nd Jan 2015 | Food & Drink
38 Answers
Bought a new deep fryer today and chipped some left over Vivaldi spuds from Xmas... they were awful! I reckon I've chosen the wrong potato to chip as apposed to a rubbish deep fryer. King Ed's? Piper's?
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Maris Pipers the best or King Edwards. Fried in lard. Just like my Grandma used to make. Have revived this lately with a pan on the stove and a chip basket from Asda (cost £1). Lovely.
00:20 Sat 03rd Jan 2015
King Edward for me every time
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Osprey, Marfona or Saxon, all brilliant for chips or roasties.
In my opinion the deep fat fryer is the problem. After having tried several different ones with different oils and different potatoes I've resorted to the pan-on-the-hob and can now cook real chips again.
I'm assuming that you actually know how to cook chips and parboil them for at least 5 minutes first.
I have never heard of them being parboiled first, I have been eating home made chips for 50 years without parboiling!
Maris Piper are the ONLY spuds for chips.But there is far more to it than just putting them in the fryer. 1st you need to cut them all the same size about 1/4 inch sq. Next par boil them for 2 or 3 mins , drain them and allow to cool.
When cool you need to dry them . Next step is the 'blanch' them in the fryer set to 135 deg C. Remove from fryer and drain, now turn up the fryer to max 180 deg for the final step 'browning' this should take around 5 mins. They are cooked when they start to float on the surface of the oil.
You can freeze chips at the 'blanch' stage and use them later , I make a large batchs and freeze some.
The oil is important ground nut oil is the best.
You can not make chips in 'one hit' it is a 3 stage process. The par boil is vital as is cooling them down before frying.
Only experience can tell you when chips are 'blanched' correctly it varies according to the size and water content. The chips should be just starting to 'colour' but not brown.
Ratter if you have not par boiled chips you simply have not eaten chips!
Try it you will never cook them any other way again!
If I am doing them in a pro-kitchen I steam them at 100 deg instead of par boil, it is a lot quicker! plus we have 2 fryers one set to blanch and one to brown.
We cook divine chips and have eaten chips in many households, never known anybody to parboil them, I certainly wont be fussing around like that for a few chips lol.
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Thanks for your replies.
I've only heard of par boiling spuds for roasting not chipping, will have to try that.
Eddie, Piper's may be best, but 'nut' oil in a deep fryer? I want to live long enough to eat the chips!
Never parboiled chips in my life and don't know anyone that does. Always make sure the potatoes are as dry as possible, blanch them in hot fat, bring fat back up to temp and fry until cooked.

Maris Piper and King Edwards are excellent for chips.
Maris Pipers the best or King Edwards. Fried in lard. Just like my Grandma used to make. Have revived this lately with a pan on the stove and a chip basket from Asda (cost £1). Lovely.
Scroll down to 'Homemade Chips' for the best varieties:
https://www.lovepotatoes.co.uk/potato-varieties

If you're a perfectionist, get your thermometer out!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/thebestchipsyouhavee_93121
Another way which I know sounds like they'll be naff is to put your chips into cold oil. I seen Nigella do it and I assumed they'd come out greasy and soggy but no, the were nice and crispy.

I usually par boil as well.
It might be the deep fat fryer. I've yet to taste nice chips out of one of them. A good old fashioned chip basket is so much better. As for the kind of potatoes... well, that's always a personal choice isn't it? Most people would say King Eddie's or Maris( Crane) Pipers
No need to parboil and no need for deep fat fryers. Just cut chips, pop into oven in a very small amount of sunflower oil (and I mean just enough to coat them), turn after 10 mins, ready 10 mins later. Desiree are the best spuds.
I use Roosters.
There must be thousands of traditional"Chippies" in the UK,and I have never seen one where the chips were par boiled.


Maybe they taste better when eaten wrapped in paper. !!
Maris piper
Gawd, what a palavarall that sonds ^

Bag of frozen chips, cook.....done!

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