I remastered Adam Ragusea's Crispy Oven Fries.

Welcome to Episode 2 of Recipes Remastered (thanks for the name @SuperCookieGaming), where I review popular recipes and try to improve them based on taste, texture, cost, or speed by using food science then do a side by side taste test at the end. Today, we take a look at Adam Raguesea's Crispy Oven Fries.

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MISC. DETAILS
Music: Provided by Epidemic Sound
Filmed on: Sony a6600 & Sony A6400 w/ Sigma 16mm F1.4
Voice recorded on Zoom H4n with Behringer Mic
Edited in: Premiere Pro #OvenFries

Affiliate Disclosure:

Episode Premise: (0:00)
Adam's Recipe Breakdown: (1:05)
How can the fries be cooked faster?: (1:47)
How can the fries have better structure?: (2:47)
Why the fries should be internally seasoned: (3:31)
Step by step recipe: (4:20)
Taste Test: (7:03)
Difference between deep-fried and oven fries: (10:20)

[lausha-hipocampo]

I can imagine someone making a video that says: “I improved the already improved recipe of Ethans Chlobowski of Adam Ragusea’s Crispy oven Fries”

[internetshaquille]

I know I’m safe from this series because I’ve never produced my own recipe 😅

[GustavoSousas]

I just imagine Adam in his living room, sitting comfortable on his chair reading the news and then something just clicks inside his head, he looks in the distance with his eyes narrowed and says with an angry voice.

"Ethan..."

[tedkoppel]

I’ve made both Adam and Ethan’s versions of these and at this point I mix and match. I think the vinegar is a mistake (for me) for reasons not mentioned in the video. Your mileage may vary, but here’s the difference.

The vinegar makes the fries more uniform and prettier but in the original recipe is you’re essentially making British style roast potatoes, and that’s the opposite of what you want for roasties. The idea is that with the outer layer potatoes breaking down into a sort of mash that mixes with the fat and then roasting in the oven, what goes in as slightly messy blobs of potato comes out really crispy while the inner parts stay soft. If you add vinegar, because the outer edge of the potato doesn’t break down as much, the oil is mostly just going to sit on the edge of the potato and you’ll end up with a much thinner layer of crisp. As noted elsewhere, the Maillard reaction is less as well, which I don’t like for these.

The other problem with the vinegar is that if you don’t get the water and acid ratios right, the potatoes don’t soften up. The first time I did this, I had no problems at all, but the second, I must have added too much vinegar because the potatoes just wouldn’t soften for a really long time. It’s not a problem as long as you measure, but I would measure.

For the rest of it, salting the water is a good idea. I think the peanut oil is more necessary if you make this version of the recipe, because there’s less of a layer to crisp. I’ve done both and the difference isn’t pronounced in my experience, but I’ve never done a side by side comparison.

Anyway, I like darker roasted, crunchy potatoes. These are blonder and in my experience a bit less crunchy, but prettier. Also because they break down less you can cut them thinner so they’re more like fries than steak fries. So if you want thin uniform chips, this is your technique.

[amira-ufyj]

One concern with the addition of vinegar: acidic environments actually prevent Maillard reactions from happening. It's why your fries are much more blonde when they're done. I actually sometimes add baking soda to increase the pH of my boiling water - it leads to a much more textured exterior, leading to more surface area, and much crispier/crunchier fries in the end with mashed potato insides.

Edit - came back to this comment thread after 4 years. I like this recipe more for thin fries/more blonde fries. I like Adam's/baking soda methods more for recipes where I'm going to use a thicker fry, and if the fry is more of a main component. Both recipes are good and serve a purpose. This comment thread is silly.

[Sharpevil]

I cannot wait for next month when you release "I reeducated Adam Ragusea's children, and I am their dad now."

[atrolololop]

i often measure the width of my fries with my tape measure as well....

[highorder]

“What did you learn today son?”
“Ginger Freddie Mercury taught me how to make crispy fries better”

[MorbidMindedManiac]

I like how well structured this video was, getting straight to how to make them better first, which is a good idea because the big thing about it is that it’s a modified version of another technique that most viewers watching this has already seen, but still going on and showing the step-by-step cooking anyways to really show how it’s done in the same video and show the people who haven’t seen the original
Amazing work

[henrysjfilm]

Don’t lie, we all went to the comments to see if Adam Ragusea commented

[mynamesjames]

Joshua Weissman like series, Binging with Babish like shirt and referencing Adam Regusea?


yeah*

[alpertor]

Hi Ethan,

We tried your recipe with my daughter today. It was delicious! Thank you very much! This is going to be our weekly special.

[Leo_Keys]

Ethan: “Add a table spoon of vinegar”
4:53 *glug glug glug glug glug*

[TheDeathmail]

It should be noted that Adam stated in his video that you can use Peanut Oil, just that he prefers the taste of Olive Oil (so that was a taste preference). Also, for me, I didn't like the vinegar's effect of making the fries rubbery, plus it added a little flavor that I didn't really like... but salting the water??? That's gold advice.

[malohn]

A chef's version of "I improved your art, no need to thank me XoXo :3c"

[fischergriess]

Crispy fries + Soft voice = Perfect harmonization.

Delicious!

[overeasy]

That look at 8:30 was all I needed to know

[Dutchcomentatah]

I tried adam's and your method. Your fries take significantly less time, but the time spent is far more hands-on. Adam's recipe has a simplicity that makes it really good for when these fries are not the only thing you're making.

[RTheM]

Adams method, though a bit fussy with the soft potato’s, come out crispier than these..

These are easier to handle and prepare but does not have that glass-like crispness to them. Tried both recipes and gotta say Adam’s is better IMO.

[sudochmodx]

I would actually say no to vinegar- I actually add ap ich of baking soda to my fries. The Maillard Reaction is quite sensitive to pH and happens better at higher pH, that's why your fries in the video are quite blonde. It's the same reason why adding baking soda to carmelized onions makes them cook faster. Also, baking soda boiled potatoes break down the pectins at the surface to create kind of a mashed potato consistency that's starchy. When baked, this makes kind of a crispy outer shell. Kenji does this in his baked potato video.