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Question

How To Store Fresh Cut Fries Overnight

I tried storing fresh cut fries overnight in water and salt, and they foamed up and damaged the fries. Sometimes this works but most time there is foam and smell. Then we have to dump the pail of fries and have to re-cut more, which is wasting a lot of potatoes. Any tips would be a big help.

Answer

Here are a few tips for storing your fresh cut fries:

Don’t add salt. The only time to salt the fries is after the final fry.
If you want to add vinegar to the water the potatoes are stored in, that is fine. A tablespoon per gallon will help the fries from turning brown.
Store the cut, washed fries in the walk-in refrigerator, not outside at room temps. You can also add some ice to the water if you want them to crisp up a little, but no salt. That’s an old chef’s tale.

Salt breaks down the oil and will make it foam when heated. McDonald’s actually insists that the salt be put on in a vertical pattern; up and down across the surface where the fries are dumped out of the fryer so they won’t be accidently spilled into the oil. Only add salt after frying, not in the water solution. In the water solution it draws out moisture but also breaks down the texture of the potatoes.

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