Absolutely ridiculous!! The thyme is an unexpected and stellar addition. The only change I made was to soak the cut potatoes in very hot tap water for 10 minutes, then I dried them with a smooth kitchen towel before tossing them with the spices and fat. This accomplishes a few things that improve the final product. First, it rinses off excess starch from the surface which prevents the leathery, mottled, overbrowned skin that often forms on oven fries. See the picture above. The skin will be thin and crispy, evenly golden if you do the soak. Secondly, it starts the cooking process, which seals the moisture inside the potatoes, so that while the outside crisps, the inside stays delightfully soft and fluffy. That's a winning combination, obviously. Thirdly, by sealing the outside, the amount of fat that soaks in (and which you ingest) is minimized. The fat adds a subtle, complex layer of flavor that just isn't there with fries cooked in vegetable fat. Yeah, yeah, I know. Cholesterol. Just so long as you don't make a habit of them, which is admittedly a temptation, the occasional indulgence won't be a big deal. Trust me. They'll be fighting over who gets the last couple.
A co-worker made them- I couldn't stop eating them. Crisp flavorful and delicious!
Another winner! Simple and so so delicious. Thank you Chef John!
yes i made some changes...i boiled the potatoes as suggested by another site for 5mins drained them in a colander & banged them a bit in the process which it suggested roughens the surface allowing for greater browning & absorption of the duck fat. roasted them as chef john suggested. only complaint was i hadn't made enough. i love chef john.
Amazing crisp out of the oven. Yuuuuummmm!!!
These. Are. So. Good. Used dried thyme which worked out well. Next time I will be sure to use fresh though yummy!!
As with all things Chef-John this was a winner. Last time I made it I used sweet potatoes. Boiled the fries until close to being done drained and dried. Sprinkled a bit of cinnamon on the fries. Was a great compliment to bourbon glazed salmon and raspberry broccoli.
