Sweet Potato Fries
This recipe guides you through making crispy sweet potato fries using a cornstarch batter and deep-frying method. Uniformly cut sweet potatoes are coated, fried in batches until golden, and then immediately seasoned with a savory-sweet spice blend. The final fries are held warm in the oven, ensuring a delightful texture and flavor.
Equipment
- 1 Heavy-bottomed Dutch Oven or Deep Fryer Essential for safe and even deep-frying
- 2 Mixing Bowls One for seasoning, one for batter
- 1 Whisk For preparing the cornstarch batter
- 1 Wire Rack For draining excess batter and fries
- 1 Baking Sheet For holding cooked fries warm in the oven
Ingredients
Main
- 6 cups peanut oil for frying
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 cup club soda cold
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes cut into 1/2 by 1/4-inch fries
Instructions
- Heat the oil to 375 degrees F in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or deep fryer. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
- Mix the salt, garlic powder, paprika and sugar in a bowl and set aside.
- Whisk the cornstarch and club soda in a mixing bowl. In batches, dip the potatoes in the batter, allow any excess to drip off and hold on a wire rack. Repeat with rest of the potatoes.
- Fry half the potatoes, stirring occasionally until golden brown and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with the seasoning and hold in the oven on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the last batch of potatoes.
Notes
Achieving perfectly crispy sweet potato fries hinges on a few key elements. First, uniform cutting of the sweet potatoes is crucial for even cooking; inconsistency leads to some burning while others remain undercooked. The cornstarch and club soda batter creates a thin, crispy shell that protects the potato and prevents sogginess. Ensure your oil maintains a consistent 375°F (190°C) temperature; too low, and the fries become greasy; too high, and they burn externally before cooking through. Fry in small batches to avoid overcrowding, which drops the oil temperature and results in soft, oil-logged fries. Season immediately after frying, while the fries are still hot, to ensure the spices adhere properly. Holding them in a warm oven on a wire rack allows excess oil to drain and maintains crispness.