Hot take: I think frozen fries beat fresh potatoes in the air fryer

Everyone says to cut your own russets, but after testing both side by side, the frozen bag from the store came out way crispier every time. I think the pre-blanching they do is the key. Has anyone else had this happen?

4 comments

4 Comments

matthew_walker1mo ago

Frozen fries win every time. That factory taste is the crisp tax.

garcia.mila1mo ago

Totally get what @matthew_walker means about that crisp. Air frying them at home fixed the weird taste for me.

claire_craig321mo ago

But that pre-blanching just makes them taste like the factory.

oliviabutler15d ago

claire_craig32 said the pre-blanching makes them taste like the factory and i gotta push back on that hard. i've done the side by side test myself with fresh russets cut thick and frozen crinkle cuts and the fresh ones come out way more consistent texture wise. the frozen ones always have this weird thin layer that gets almost powdery on the outside no matter how i season them. i think people are just used to that fast food crunch from frozen and forget what real potato flavor is like. fresh ones take a little more work with soaking and drying but the payoff is that actual earthy potato taste that doesnt get lost. so yeah i'm team fresh all the way on this one.