The trouble with frozen chips/fries

[Lullabelle]

We like to have a bag of fries in our freezer and we usually buy Mcain fries. Even though we put them onto a hot tray some cook, others don't so from 1 meal it can be very inconsistent so we tried Aunty Bessie chips, they are ok, Sainsburys own are tasteless so won't buy them again.

It is rather frustrating but I suppose it depends on the potatoes used.

 

[sidevalve]

We have always found oven chips very difficult to time and require almost military precision.
1 - place on mesh tray in lower part of oven for just under cooking time and give them a 'shuffle' two or three times
2 - check almost minute to minute for the first sign of browning
3 - quickly move to high level in oven to crisp for perhaps two - three mins at most
If this sounds like a lot of work it is but it usually works for us [although we do still get the odd failure or two]

 

[Morning Glory]

Having tried many brands, I now use Aldi's 'Home Style' chips. I cook them for slightly longer than stated, and then sprinkle with a good white wine vinegar and salt. They are pretty good - well, the best I've come across and cheap too. No-one is pretending they rival freshly cooked chips but lets face it, we all use a shortcut when necessary.

In general, I find that placing frozen chips on a baking tray which has been in the oven as it comes up to heat and cooking a bit longer than stated on the packet works best.

@sidevalve says 'just under' the cooking time then cook on a higher heat for a few minutes. I can see that would work too.

 

[Yorky]

We used to keep a small bag in the freezer but even stopped that now. They never tasted right to me.

 

[oddduck]

Are we talking fries like american fench fries or something else...this american/europe food conversion always confuses me.

I buy ore ida crinkle cut, lay on a parchment paper covered cookie sheet individually, not touching each other, cook for 23 minutes and they are just how i like them. Waffle cut, steak cut, or Seasoned are good too but crinkle cut i find to be the most consistant when cooking. I'm not a fan of string cut or wedges.

If i was better at cubing raw potatoes i'd cube them and put them in a bag with some salt, pepper, garlic and ground chipotle and a little veggie oil and shake and then spread out on a cookie sheet and cook them. I think the cube shape makes for a nice even cook.

 

[Yorky]

Are we talking fries like american fench fries or something else...this american/europe food conversion always confuses me.

I buy ore ida crinkle cut, lay on a parchment paper covered cookie sheet individually, not touching each other, cook for 23 minutes and they are just how i like them. Waffle cut, steak cut, or Seasoned are good too but crinkle cut i find to be the most consistant when cooking. I'm not a fan of string cut or wedges.

If i was better at cubing raw potatoes i'd cube them and put them in a bag with some salt, pepper, garlic and ground chipotle and a little veggie oil and shake and then spread out on a cookie sheet and cook them. I think the cube shape makes for a nice even cook.

These chips were raw cut and deep fried:

And these potatoes were raw cut and roasted.

 

[MrsDangermouse]

We sometimes have oven chips (either french fry size or proper chip size) but I've found the best way to cook them is in the Actifry. It takes ages, its worth it because they taste pretty much like deep fried chips. I guess the constant movement helps them cook evenly

 

[Morning Glory]

Are we talking fries like american fench fries or something else...this american/europe food conversion always confuses me.

In the UK 'chips' usually refers to the fatter type of fries. Like this:



In the UK, 'French fries' usually refers to the thinner type, like this:




In the UK we call these crisps (not chips):




Th original post is referring to the the type of chips (fries) that come part cooked in frozen packets and are then cooked in the oven. I don't know how popular they are in the US, Canada and Australia - but in the UK there are whole sections of supermarket freezer space devoted to them!

 

[Yorky]

Th original post is referring to the the type of chips (fries) that come part cooked in frozen packets and are then cooked in the oven.

I'm not sure what the cooking instructions on the packet say (because we no longer have any) but we always used to deep fry ours. They were mid way between chips and french fries (as shown in your posted images).

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

Waffle cut, steak cut, or Seasoned are good too but crinkle cut i find to be the most consistant when cooking.

Now that I think of it, this makes sense: other types of fries can be inconsistently cut, so they cook at different times. Crinkle cut fries tend to be more uniform.

 

[Herbie]

Before I had ensure a gluten-free kitchen I used to occasionally buy tesco finest oven chip's. The chips have a crispy coating (containing wheat). Now I have to home make chips when I cook husband steak, egg, mushrooms, peas and chips as a treat. (About twice a year)

 

[epicuric]

Personally, I've never got on with oven chips. There is no substitute for deep frying! Although, I agree with @MrsDangermouse - an Actifry is probably the next best thing.

 

[Yorky]

Personally, I've never got on with oven chips. There is no substitute for deep frying! Although, I agree with @MrsDangermouse - an Actifry is probably the next best thing.

Bloody useless for battered fish though!

 

[remedial_gash]

Before I had ensure a gluten-free kitchen I used to occasionally buy tesco finest oven chip's. The chips have a crispy coating (containing wheat). Now I have to home make chips when I cook husband steak, egg, mushrooms, peas and chips as a treat. (About twice a year)

My grandmother who was always frail and doddery used to make 'battered chips' in a big pan of oil with no regard to safety, I think she used to fry the chips to almost cooked then let them cool and dip them in a thin batter before re-frying. She died about 20 years ago so I haven't had proper chips in a house since then.

My mother on the other hand was banned from making chips after she fell asleep having done a 12 hour over-night shift in the telephone exchange and decided to make chips. We had those polystyrene ceiling tiles and so apart from the massively hazardous fire caused by the ignored chip-pan, she was nearly poisoned to boot.

Are chip pan fires a thing of the past? As a child, flying kites into electricity wires and chip pan fires were pushed as scary things. I no longer fear either.

 

[Morning Glory]

@remedial_gash, your grandmother's battered chips sound fantastic.

Regarding chip pan fires, I do seem to remember hearing about them a lot when i was a kid! I don't think most people (in the uk) use chip pans anymore or even fry chips. It was a regular thing when i was a kid.