What Temperature Should Oil Be for French Fries?

Ever wonder why restaurant fries come out so crispy, while yours turn out soft and greasy? It's not the potatoes. It's the oil temperature.

The Short Answer

Fry twice. First at 325°F to cook the inside, then at 375°F to crisp the outside.

Why Temperature Matters

When your oil is too cool, below about 325°F, the fries sit in it longer and soak up grease. That's how you end up with limp, soggy fries.

When your oil is hotter, around 375°F, the outside crisps up fast while the inside stays fluffy.

But hotter isn't always better. Go much past 375°F, and the outside can burn before the inside cooks through.

Watch Out for the Temperature Drop

Here's the part most people miss. The moment you drop cold potatoes into hot oil, the temperature falls. Add too many at once, and your 375°F oil can drop well below where it needs to be.

That's a big reason restaurant fries taste better. Commercial fryers recover their heat fast. At home, you have to help your oil out.

Watch our video below to see it happen. Keep an eye on the Escali Candy & Deep Fry Thermometer as the fries go in.

How to Make Crispy Fries at Home

1. Cut and soak. Cut your potatoes into 1/4-inch sticks and soak them in cold water for 30 minutes to an hour. This rinses off extra starch.
2. Dry them well. Pat the fries completely dry. Water and hot oil don't mix.
3. Heat the oil to 325°F. Use a heavy pot with about 2 inches of oil, and clip a deep fry thermometer to the side.
4. First fry. Fry in small batches until the fries are soft and pale, about 5 to 7 minutes. Set them on a rack to drain.
5. Heat the oil to 375°F. Let it come all the way back up before the next step.
6. Second fry. Fry in small batches again for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden and crispy.
7. Salt right away. Seasoning sticks best while the fries are hot.

The Tool That Makes It Easy

You can't see oil temperature, so guessing is how fries go wrong. The Escali Candy & Deep Fry Thermometer clips right onto the side of your pot, so you can watch the temperature drop when the fries go in and know exactly when it's back up to heat.

So how do you like your fries: soft and floppy, or extra crispy?