Homemade Potato Chips

Choosing Your Potatoes

Russet or Idaho potatoes have a high starch content, perfect for frying. Unlike creamy and waxy versions like Yukon golds, fingerlings, and red potatoes, these larger starchy potatoes are ideal for homemade potato chips.

Whether you peel the potatoes or not, there are a few qualities to look for when shopping for your potatoes. Select potatoes that are free from eyes and black spots, as they may extend deeper into the flesh than you might expect. Avoid potatoes with a greenish tint. This green color is from exposure to sunlight, but it can also cause the potato to taste bitter and may be harmful in large amounts. Larger potatoes are easier to peel and cut, but if you plan to use a food processor for slicing, be sure to choose potatoes that will fit through the feed tube of the machine.

How to Slice Potato Chips

Thinly slicing the potatoes is the key to successful homemade potato chips. If you’re worried about your knife skills, opt for a mandoline slicer instead, or use a food processor fitted with the slicing blade.

Since potatoes can stick to the blade of a knife, go slowly and be sure to remove each slice before making the next one. A santoku knife has indentions on the blade, which create an air gap as you slice. This can reduce the amount of sticking.

To use a mandoline slicer, adjust the blade to 1/16th inch. Firmly secure the pusher in one end of the potato, and place the other end perpendicular to the slicer. Make quick slices without lifting the potato off the slicer.

A food processor will provide the fastest, easiest, most uniform slices. If the potato is too long to fit inside the feed tube, cut in half crosswise and place cut side down in the tube, taking care to keep the potato standing up straight for perfect slices. If the potato is slightly too large, use a peeler to shave it down just enough to fit.

However you cut them, adding them to the cold water as you work prevents them from turning brown during prep and also removes a bit of the starch, keeping them from sticking together while frying the potato chips.

How to Make Fried Potato Chips

Now that you know exactly what kind of potatoes to purchase and what tools you’ll need, you just need to know how to make potato chips!

Slice the Potatoes

Slicing the potatoes as thinly as possible ensures fast and even cooking. You can use a knife, mandoline slicer, or food processor for thin, even potato chips.

Soak the Slices in Cold Water

As you cut the potatoes, add them to a bowl of cold water to prevent browning and remove a bit of starch from the potatoes. Just be sure to dry them thoroughly before adding to the hot oil. This prevents dangerous splattering.

Fry the Potatoes

Our potato chips recipe calls for a Dutch oven for frying, but you could also use a countertop deep fryer. Attach a candy or deep frying thermometer to the side of the Dutch oven and be sure the oil reaches 300°F before adding each batch of potato slices. Fry each batch about 5 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring often to prevent them from sticking together.

Lift the potatoes from the hot oil with a spider or slotted spoon, letting the oil drip off, then drain on paper towels. Toss with salt, and serve while hot.

How to Store Leftover Potato Chips

When you make potato chips yourself, it’s unlikely you’ll have leftovers! But if you do, they can be saved for later once properly stored. Cool them completely, then transfer to an airtight container or ziptop storage bag and store in a cool, dry place up to 3 days.

Since these freshly fried potato chips don’t contain the preservatives common in packaged chips, they won’t last as long as the commercial versions. Over time, they will soften slightly. But the best way to enjoy these delicious homemade fried potato chips is hot and fresh!

What to Serve With Homemade Chips

Now that you know how to fry potato chips (or potato crisps in the U.K. and Ireland), what should you serve with them?

The real question is what can’t you serve with them! Of course you’ll want to include them for big summer spreads with biscuit burgers and barbecue pork chops. But adding these lovingly prepared chips to your favorite baked fish, grilled spicy chicken, or toasted beef and mozzarella sandwiches makes a simple meal spectacular. Humble potato chips fit perfectly on most casual lunch or dinner plates, but hot, fresh potato chips take any meal up a notch. Still, we have to have a favorite. The best pairing? Caramelized onion dip!