Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1200 g floury potatoes (maris piper or russet), peeled
Fat & Seasoning
- 100 ml grapeseed oil, or avocado oil
- 20 g fine sea salt
- flaky sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Square off the peeled potatoes and cut them into thick batons, approximately 2cm by 2cm thick. Rinse under cold water to remove surface starch.
Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by at least 2 inches. Add the fine sea salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the edges are starting to crumble but the center is still intact (approx. 10-12 minutes).
Carefully drain the potatoes in a colander. Let them steam dry for 2 minutes, then gently shake the colander to roughen up the edges of the potatoes. This creates the surface area needed for the crust.
Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a wire rack. Place the rack in the freezer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. This draws out moisture and alters the starch structure.
Preheat the oven to 230°C/445°F (fan assisted). Pour the oil onto a heavy metal baking tray and place it in the oven for 10 minutes to get smoking hot.
Remove the potatoes from the freezer. Carefully remove the hot tray from the oven. Tumble the cold potatoes into the hot oil (use caution, it may spit). Use tongs to turn them so they are fully coated in fat.
Roast for 20 minutes, then remove the tray, flip each chip carefully, and return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes until deep golden brown and extremely crisp.
Remove from the oven and drain on paper towels if necessary. Immediately season generously with flaky sea salt while hot. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- The freezing step is the 'secret weapon' here. It causes retrogradation, where the starch molecules recrystallize, creating a harder structure that crisps better than fresh potato.
- Do not use olive oil or butter, as they will burn at the 230°C temperature required for this recipe.
- For 'glassy' edges, the potatoes must be roughed up in the colander until they look messy and fuzzy before freezing.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Texture will degrade significantly; reheat in oven only.
Freezer: 1 month — Can be stored after the par-boil and freeze step, before roasting.
Reheating: Re-roast at 200°C for 5-8 minutes to restore crispness.
