The Case For Coating Your Frozen French Fries Before Baking Them

French fries (which were actually invented in Belgium) are one of life's greatest pleasures. There is something so deliciously indulgent about biting into a fried piece of crispy potato dipped in your favorite sauce. Conversely, few things are as disappointing as looking forward to fries only to mess up the process and end up with soggy sticks. To help our readers avoid this, The Takeout spoke to Chef Mark Slutzky, director of culinary at McCain Foods. According to the expert, the secret to ensuring perfect frozen french (or Belgian) fries is to add a bit of coating.

Slutzky explains that most frozen fries are already partially fried in oil. This is why you don't have to double fry them as you would with homemade fries. "That said, if you're looking for an extra crispy finish, you can give your fries a spritz of your favorite cooking oil before baking to help them brown up," he states. Oil is useful when seasoning fries, too, as the fat helps bind the spices and herbs to the potatoes.

The chef also uses oil to revive soggy french fries. "To bring them back to life, give them a light mist of oil to help restore that crispy texture, then heat them in your air fryer at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for five minutes. They'll be hot and crunchy again and ready to enjoy," Slutzky recommends. Basically, when it comes to fries, oil is your friend.

We already know that oil goes well with french fries, but exactly which type of oil should you be using? Mark Slutzky believes it ultimately depends on your taste. Of course, you can't go wrong with classics like extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil. Yet you shouldn't be afraid to go bolder. "Rendered fats like beef tallow are all the rage right now," Slutzky said. "Not only are they hot from a trend standpoint, but they're pretty darn delicious and can add incredible richness and flavor." Using less conventional fats will elevate your frozen fries as well, he said. "I also love duck fat, which brings a deep, savory taste that pairs beautifully with potatoes." 

In the same way, dare to experiment with the seasoning and coating. "You can't go wrong with classics like a Chesapeake Bay-style seasoning, a BBQ spice blend, or just a simple homemade fry seasoning with salt, black pepper, and granulated garlic," Slutzky said. "I also love using steak seasoning on my fries for a bold kick, and you can think about Latin or Southeast Asian spice blends, too, or something a little different like za'atar, for more globally inspired flavors."

Other simple hacks the expert shares include making sure that the fries are frozen and not thawed, cooking them in a single layer in the oven, and fully preheating the oven. These small actions will guarantee truly delicious pre-packaged fries.