Do you want to make French fries? Confronted with several varieties of potatoes, you do not know which to favor? What properties should you take into account when choosing your favorite tuber?
We have made homemade fries and everything that surrounds them our area of expertise. Therefore, we will be able to guide you and answer these questions.
By reading these lines, you will discover:
- What type of potato is ideal
- The varieties to go to
- How to choose a good producer
You can then enjoy fresh fries whose basic ingredient used will be perfectly suited for this type of accompaniment. This will allow you to obtain perfectly cooked sticks, with an attractive appearance and taste so sought after by all restaurateurs offering artisanal fries.
Characteristics of a Good Potato for French Fries
Before getting into the subject and seeing which are the best potatoes for the goals you have set for yourself; it is important to understand the properties that will be favorable in order to obtain golden and crispy fries.
For this, you will have to select floury potatoes, the latter being very concentrated in starch. It is this characteristic which will make your potato so “dry” and which will allow it not to absorb too much oil during cooking, right after cutting it into fries. Finally, abandon all firm-fleshed potatoes, one of the oldest varieties, rather reserved for other types of preparations and favor those which are tender , such as those which we are going to present to you.
Best Potato Varieties for Making French Fries
We now see more clearly concerning the profile of the potato that it will be interesting to select for the use that you will make of it. Now is the time to discover the different varieties of this food available to you, in order to make the fries of your dreams.
The Agria Potato
Yellow in color, the Potato Agria is a variety resulting from the cross between the Quarta and Semlo species created in 1985, in Germany. Its floury flesh makes it an excellent partner in the preparation of French fries, but also puffed potatoes.
The Artemis Potato
Originally from the Netherlands, the Artemis Potato is a classic tuber used to make French fries due to its skin and flesh which are both yellow. They are also known for making mashed potatoes or soups thanks to their ease of being crushed after cooking.
The Bintje Potato
Also coming from the Netherlands, Bintje is among the best known since it was for a long time the most cultivated potato until recently. Its unrivaled floury flesh today makes it the goddess of French fries despite its sensitivity to several diseases such as mildew which seems to be its only flaw. This may just as well explain its great presence in Belgian fries recipes, as in those of mashed potatoes.
The Blue Belle Potato
The French variety of Pomme de Terre Blue Belle appeared not long ago, on the scale of the history of the potato. It is known for its atypical appearance since it is covered with several purple spots, which does not make it any less delicious when cooked! Appreciated for making fries but not only, its versatility is a very big advantage.
The Manon Potato
Listed in the French catalog from 1987, the Manon Potato is oblong and very regular. Its dry matter content is particularly intended for the preparation of homemade fries, in addition to having good resistance to cooking. This will prevent them from darkening, providing a visual bonus that will make you want to devour your potato sticks even more.
The Marabel Potato
Born in Germany and oval in shape, the Marabel Potato is a good yield. It also has an appreciable tender flesh for melting fries in the center. Its high starch content allows it not to absorb too much frying oil, which makes them healthier and more pleasant to eat.
The Monalisa Potato
Once again native to the Netherlands, the Monalisa Potato is one of the oldest and most well-known varieties. Its yellow and tender flesh makes it suitable for different cooking, to be able to make variations according to the recipe for fries that you have set for yourself or to make a gratin.
The Eye of the Partridge Potato
Also called “King Edward VII” (in reference to the king), the Eye of the Partridge Potato comes from England and is visually identifiable by the presence of pink spots. Potato lovers will recognize a particular taste that will suit the vast majority of people. It is also recommended for making crisps.
The Victoria Potato
Finally, the Victoria Potato variety still comes from our dear Netherlands, the species having been referenced at the very beginning of the 2000s. The latter is appreciable for making fries (obviously), mash as well as soups. This is due to its appropriate dry matter content.
Additional Tips for Choosing Potetoes
Know that like any other vegetable, the choice of the potato will depend on several other factors which will directly affect the quality of the food. They are independent of what we have explained previously, but it is important to also take them into account, especially to eat healthier.
- The place of production (which includes pollution, soil quality and weather, among others) as well as the storage conditions specific to the type of crop chosen by the producer should not be neglected. This is the reason why we encourage you to consult the label of your potatoes before buying them, but also to ask questions directly to the one who produces this root vegetable if you can. Obviously, this will be possible at a greengrocer, not in a traditional supermarket.
- This second point is closely related to the first: prefer labeled potatoes, they will generally be treated less before harvest. This is proof of superior quality, whether in terms of health or taste.
- Finally, we tend to forget it but there are more and more people who use a potato slicer, without it being a professional model. This is the reason why you should not hesitate to choose small or medium sized potatoes. Thus, they will fit more easily into the device and will force less on the blades, which you can, therefore, enjoy even longer.
