I’m not sure I ever had a store-bought French fry before high school! Mama made these home fries and served them with fresh-off-the-grill burgers.
6 medium white or red boiling potatoes
1 tablespoon salt
4 cups peanut oil
Peel the potatoes and slice them into 1/4 by 1/4-inch sticks. Put the sticks in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Sprinkle salt into the water. Refrigerate the potato sticks in the salt water for 1 hour.
In a deep-fryer or cast-iron Dutch oven, heat the peanut oil to 375°F. Transfer half of the potatoes to a colander and drain thoroughly, leaving the rest in the cold water. Carefully drop the drained potatoes into the hotel oil and fry until light brown, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with additional salt while still hot, if desired.
Bring the oil back to 375° F. Drain the remaining potato sticks and add to the oil. Keep the first batch of fries hot in a 150° oven while you fry and drain the second batch.
Serve piping hot.
Courtesy of Trisha Yearwood from her cookbook Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen