By Branston NPD team
To make a perfect batch of golden chips, you need to look for a maincrop floury potato with a high starch content, as this enables a crispy coating to form when fried or roasted, while holding its original shape. Starchy potatoes are also lower in moisture, which is ideal for frying to get the desired texture you need for crunchy chips. Starchier potatoes are highly absorbent, making them perfect for deep-frying.
Are Maris Piper potatoes good for chips?
Maris Piper is the traditional chip favourite in the UK and with its creamy white flesh and fluffy texture, you can guarantee a tasty crunch on the outside while remaining light and fluffy in the middle. As a simple go-to recipe, we’d recommend our tried-and-tested chunky triple cooked chips.
Maris Piper is the classic all-rounder and you’ll find them readily available in your local supermarket, named on the pack.
More potato varieties that are good for chips
Baking potatoes
These large potatoes have been graded from the crop by size, so they are quite uniformly large, making them easier to cut for chips. Most white maincrop potatoes that are used for Bakers or Jackets will have a starchy texture which is also ideal for chips, fries or wedges.
7 tips for making the best deep-fried chips
- Cut your chips into consistent size, so they’ll cook at roughly the same time.
- If you have time before cooking, let your chips soak in a bowl of cold water for a couple of hours, then rinse and dry with kitchen paper before frying.
- Make sure your chips are dry before frying if you’ve soaked them beforehand as wet potatoes will make the oil spit.
- Choose a deep, heavy bottomed pan for your frying.
- Don’t overfill your pan with oil – never go beyond the halfway point.
- Fry your chips in small batches so as not to overcrowd your pan or fryer. The more room your chips have fry, the better your chances of getting a consistent, crispy coating. This also means the temperature of your oil won’t drop dramatically between batches.
- Fry in two stages – Cook each batch until they’re just staring to go golden then remove from the pan. Then return each batch in turn to finish off cooking till they’re golden and crunchy.
Try our triple cooked chips recipe and put our tips to the test.
How to make chips in the oven
- Chips can be just as delicious and crispy when made in the oven. We recommend keeping the skins on your chips for a rustic look and an extra layer of golden-brown goodness.
- Slice your chips into wedges or strips, roughly the thickness of a finger but it’s totally up to you. Try to keep them roughly the same size so they’ll cook evenly.
- Rinse your chips under cold water or soak in cold water for five minutes prior to cooking to get rid of excess starch. Pat dry with a towel.
- Preheat your oven so that it’s nice and hot when you put your chips in, this will help your chips to crisp up.
- Spread your chips on a non-stick tray with a drizzle of oil. Lay your chips in one layer and don’t overcrowd the tray to ensure even cooking.
- Turn your chips halfway through cooking to make sure all sides are equally browned.
- Once cooked, toss your chips with a sprinkling of salt and serve piping hot.
How to make air fryer chips
- Use an air fryer as a healthier alternative to deep frying your chips. Cut your chips into medium-sized equal batons. Careful not to make them too chunky as they won’t cook through fully.
- Preheat your air fryer before using.
- Rinse your chips under a cold wat or soak in cold water prior to cooking and pat dry with a towel.
- Toss your chips in your chosen oil and seasoning – sunflower or vegetable oil work well.
- Add your chips to the air fryer basket and programme your air fryer to cook for 20-25 minutes. Check frequently and keep gently shuffling them in the basket.
- If your chips aren’t crisp enough for your liking, cook for a further 5 minutes.
What’s the best oil to use to fry chips?
Generally speaking, most chefs prefer to use a flavourless oil to fry their chips. The best chips are also made when fried at a high temperature, so oils with a higher smoking point are ideal.
Rapeseed, sunflower oil, vegetable oil and groundnut oil are all good options and will give you golden-brown chips without adding any unwanted flavours.
Use a thermometer, if you have one, to check your oil has reached 130 degrees before you start frying. You can also do a simple test with a small piece of bread. If it browns in the oil in around 30 seconds, your oil is ready for frying.
Are floury or waxy potatoes better for chips?
Waxy potatoes generally have a firmer bite and hold their shape when boiled or steamed, but as they don’t soak up water or oil they don’t tend to go fluffy or crispy. Floury potatoes have a fluffier texture when cooked as they are absorbent so they work well for chips, roasties and mash. Floury potatoes contain much less moisture but can fall apart if overcooked.
For chips, we recommend using a maincrop floury potato, like a Maris Piper, which will give you a fluffy inside and crisp outer coating. They will absorb the oil when fried to give you the crunchy chip you’re looking for.
Are King Edward potatoes good for chips?
King Edward potatoes have a floury texture which is ideal for making crispy chips with fluffy insides. It’s also well suited to roasting, but be careful not to par-boil too long as they can easily fall apart.
Why are my homemade chips not crispy?
There are various reasons why your chips might not be crispy. Not prepping your chips by rinsing them in cold water to remove starch, not drying with kitchen paper, overcrowding your pan, not getting the oil hot enough and not using the right kind of potato can all be potential reasons why your chips aren’t coming together.
Should you soak potatoes before cooking?
Many recipes recommend soaking your potatoes before cooking to remove the excess starch. Even rinsing your potatoes under cold running water or soaking your chips in a bowl of cold water for as little as five minutes before cooking will help to draw out starch, which makes your chips more rigid, less likely to stick together and will result in a crispier texture.
Do you need to parboil homemade chips?
You don’t need to but parboiling your potatoes before baking or frying helps you get a beautiful crust on the outside and soft insides with less frying or oven time.. Parboiling creates a craggy outside as opposed to smooth, unbroken skin and creates more surface area for the oil to crisp up. Be careful not to over-cook at this stage though as you don’t want them to fall apart – 5 – 10 minutes is ample.
Why do my oven chips stick to the pan?
To stop your chips sticking to your tray, make sure you soak them in cold water to remove the starch before cooking and dry well. Cook your chips in smaller batches so as not to overcrowd your tray, use good quality cookware and be sure to use enough oil. Heat up the tray and the oil before adding the chips to it. If all else fails, using baking parchment or non-stick foil will protect your tray and stop your chips sticking.
The best potatoes for fries
Thinner than your classic chunky chips, French fries are typically cut into skinnier strips, dried and then fried. The ideal fries are crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, so like chunky chips, Maris Piper is the recommended choice to ensure a consistent cook throughout.
The best potatoes for wedges
Much like jackets potatoes, look for good, large all-rounders such as Marfona, Saxon and Nectar.
Our top chip recipes
Do you prefer thin and crispy to chunky, fluffy fries? Try our lower fat loaded fries for a delicious sharing dish you can throw together with all your favourite toppings. Mix and match your favourite flavours and find your ideal dish. Take a leaf out of Canada’s book and try poutine, a street food dish made from oven chips, cheese curds and gravy.
Want even more advice on cooking potatoes? Read our expert guides and discover which potatoes are best for mashing and which potatoes are best for roasting.
Have you got a question you would like our potato experts to answer? Get in touch by tagging @seasonal_spuds on Instagram or by liking us on Facebook.
