Best Practice Frying Tips

To ensure your McCain fries are always presented and taste at their optimum, it’s important to follow ‘best practice’ cooking procedures. Here are some handy hints to pass on to your staff: 

1. Cook from frozen where possible - Frozen fries will absorb less oil during cooking. Remove from the freezer as needed in smaller batches, and hold in a freezer chip drawer where possible. Also when loading two baskets, allow 15 seconds before dropping the second basket, as this allows the oil to regain temperature 
2. Avoid ‘double dipping’ (reheating fries in oil) – once fries are cooked and cooled they shrivel and go soft. Reheating not only leads to greater oil absorption but adversely affects flavour and texture, resulting in a less crispy chip and less happy customers  
3. Only fill baskets to mid way – when in a rush it seems easy to load the baskets, but the fries take twice the time to cook when the oil cannot freely circulate. Fill baskets to half way, and fries will cook in the allotted time, be evenly crisp and cooked throughout
4. Cook to McCain’s recommended cooking times, ensuring your fryer is at temperature (we recommend 175°C) - cooking times are shown on the cartons
5. Drain cooked fries over the fryer, resting on the fryer basket bar to drain excess oil before tossing in a stainless steel bowl or chip dump
6. Don't sprinkle salt over the fryer with fries still in the basket, as this leads to dirty oil. Also check, if your regular customers do not all like salt, perhaps have unsalted fries as an option
7. Cook to order and avoid holding for more than five minutes – this allows fries to stay crisp, therefore stacking better in the cup or bowl. The result is you will use less fries per portion, and have happier customers!