Home Fries - what do they mean to you?

[Morning Glory]

Home fries isn't a term used in the UK. As far as I can tell, they are what are called 'fried potatoes' in the UK but we also have a product (frozen) called 'Home Style Chips', versions of which are produced by most frozen food companies. They are chips (fries) lightly coated in some sort of herbs/spices to give a crispy finish and they are cooked in the oven from frozen.

Looking up the term this is what I get as a definition of 'home fries':

Merriam-Webster:
Potatoes that have usually been parboiled, sliced, and then fried - called also home fried potatoes (US)

Collins Dictionary:
Raw or boiled potatoes, sliced and fried in a frying pan.

Wikipedia:
Main ingredients: Potatoes, vegetable oil or butter (bell peppers) (onions) (salt) (black pepper)

Alternative names: Home fries (US), house fries (US), American fries (US), fried potatoes (UK and regional US) or bistro potatoes (southeastern US) are a type of basic potato dish made by pan- or skillet-frying chunked, sliced, wedged or diced potatoes that are sometimes unpeeled and may have been par-cooked by boiling, baking, steaming, or microwaving. They are sometimes served as a substitute for hash browns.
In North America, home fries are popular as a breakfast side dish.

What do home fries (fried potatoes in UK) mean to you? How do you cook them - do you par-boil them first? What shape do you cut them?

 

[GadgetGuy]

I like to use a little bit of paprika to make them kind of red & it adds flavor to them.

 

[Morning Glory]

I like to use a little bit of paprika to make them kind of red & it adds flavor to them.

The 'home style' frozen chips (fries) sold in the UK generally use paprika in the coating. It does add a good colour and flavour.

 

[Herbie]

Do you cook then in the oven (like I would wedges) or skillet/frying pan as I cook fried potatoes (ready boiled - leftovers)?

 

[rascal]

I make my own chips/ fries. I use agria potatoes and I slice into about 6mm/ 1/4 inch strips. Soak in water to remove some of the starch. Dry then fry in my deep frier, until nearly ready. Then remove and let cool until ready to serve. Then recook until crisp. Lightly salted. I've never bought store bought prepared chips. You don't get better than home made. I do however buy store bought sweet tatter fries, just heat up in the oven. They are seasonal.

Russ

 

[Morning Glory]

Do you cook then in the oven (like I would wedges) or skillet/frying pan as I cook fried potatoes (ready boiled - leftovers)?

Not sure who this question is for...

 

[Morning Glory]

I make my own chips/ fries. I use agria potatoes and I slice into about 6mm/ 1/4 inch strips. Soak in water to remove some of the starch. Dry then fry in my deep frier, until nearly ready. Then remove and let cool until ready to serve. Then recook until crisp. Lightly salted. I've never bought store bought prepared chips. You don't get better than home made. I do however buy store bought sweet tatter fries, just heat up in the oven. They are seasonal.

I think you are talking about crisps (known as chips in the US), rather than potato fries or fried potato.

Crisps (chips in US) - deep fried.



Chips (Fries in US) - deep fried. The sort served with 'Fish and Chips'



Home Fries (Fried potatoes in UK) - which are not deep fried and may come in different shapes:



Oven Chips and/or Potato Wedges - baked in the oven. Often chunkier than deep-fried chips:

 

[CraigC]

The two pictures side by side are what we consider home fries. We also have hash brownes which are grated and then shallow fried or done on a flat top.

 

[Morning Glory]

We also have hash brownes which are grated and then shallow fried or done on a flat top

Yep! We have them. They are often served for breakfast.

 

[medtran49]

Sliced, cubed or chunked. I usually steam or microwave the cubed or chunked a bit to make sure they get done all the way through. We usually pan fry using bacon grease (I keep some in refrigerator) or butter in combination with either vegetable oil or solid vegetable shortening (Crisco). Salt and pepper obviously. Sometimes I add in thinly sliced or chopped onions about halfway through cooking time as they tend to get much too brown if you put them in at the beginning since they tend to drift toward the bottom of the pan, especially the chopped ones.

 

[pocofan]

The 'home style' frozen chips (fries) sold in the UK generally use paprika in the coating. It does add a good colour and flavour.

I sometimes will get the frozen fries or gator tots. I put some oil with salt, pepper, other spices in a bag and toss to coat. Bake them longer than recommended because I like a crisp fry

 

[TodayInTheKitchen]

Here is what I call Home Fries or Southern Fries...

My Homefries

• TodayInTheKitchen
• 5 Jun 2019

Here is the recipe...

https://todayinthekitchen.com/homemade-hash-browns-recipe/