Although you can use red potatoes to make French fries, but because red potatoes are waxy, your French fries won’t turn out crisp.
Red potatoes are regarded as one of the best and most nutritious year-round potatoes that can be used to make different things in the kitchen. Popular for their identifiable color and waxy texture, red potatoes are ideal for a vast range of dishes such as roasted vegetables, tangy potato salad, or diced into a savory corned beef hash.
Truth be told, red potatoes remain one of the easily accessible potatoes and can easily be found bagged beside their siblings, Russets and Yukon Golds.
Nevertheless, even with their availability and the vast array of uses, these potatoes are not good for French Fries. Just as was noted above, red potatoes are not suitable for making crispy fries as their flesh tends to be more watery than starchy.
The waxy skin of the red potato retains a good amount of water and sugar, and that moisture when put into hot frying oil will scorch instead of crisping them. Note that to avert this, most people take them out of the oil early, and this will leave the French fries weak and soggy.
A better option for French fries would be Russets or Yukon Golds, as they possess much higher starch content, making them ideal for achieving that crispy exterior.
Aside from that, red potatoes are known to be relatively small in size, as such your fries are not going to be long. Howbeit, if you are eager to make French fries, with no other fries in the house, an air fryer can help you maneuver the limp and soggy outcome.
With an air fryer, you won’t have to deal with oil trying to go against the high levels of sugar and moisture in the red potatoes.
Pros and Cons of Using Red Potatoes for French Fries
Pros
- Flavor:
Red potatoes have a very unique flavor that makes it easy to identify them from other potatoes. Aside from that, red potatoes are known to have a sweet and creamy taste, and this will most definitely add a subtle flavor to your French fries.
A good number of people tend to relish this flavor, particularly those who favor a milder and less starchy taste in their fries.
- Moisture Content
The waxy skin of the red potato tends to retain a good amount of water and sugar. It simply entails that when fried, red potatoes will definitely have a softer and moister interior, although still maintaining a crispy exterior. Note that folks who prefer a more delicate texture will surely relish this because the fries will turn out very soft and pulpy.
- Nutritional Value
Red potatoes are regarded as one of the best and most nutritious potatoes. Note that these potatoes contain many nutrients including vitamin C, potassium, and dietary fiber. Have it in mind that using red potatoes for your fries will most definitely increase the nutritional value of your snack. Nevertheless, don’t forget that frying potatoes will reduce some of their nutritional content.
- Color and Presentation
This is another reason to consider using red potatoes for French fries. They possess easily identifiable red skin and creamy white flesh, and this when done correctly can add delightful appeal to your French fries.
Cons
- Texture
Although you can always use red potatoes to make French fries, have it in mind that because red potatoes are waxy, your French fries won’t turn out crisp. While this can favor those who prefer soft and tender fries, most people would frown at such fries.
Red potatoes are known to possess a softer and less starchy texture, and this will probably not produce the desired crispness that people appreciate in French fries.
- Shape and Size
Red potatoes are quite small in size, as such you’re not going to get the long and unique French Fries. Aside from that, you will have to slice more potatoes to attain the desired quantity of fries, which can be very tiring and time-consuming.
- Availability
Red potatoes remain one of the easily accessible potatoes; howbeit, they might not be as easily accessible as russet potatoes in certain places.
Owing to that, if you fall within the small percentage of people who love using red potatoes for your fries, then you have to invest more effort into finding where to buy the potatoes in the quantity you want, or you might have to depend on seasonal availability.
- Cooking Time
Since these potatoes are waxy and feature substantial moisture content, cooking them could take longer, especially in comparison to russet potatoes. Note that this will impact your cooking time.
Other Types of Potatoes Good for French Fries
There are numerous varieties of potatoes to consider when looking to make French fries; however, the choice you make will depend on your location and availability. For instance, Maris Piper potatoes can be found easily in Europe but are not readily available in the United States.
In the United States, Russets are wildly available and easily accessible. Aside from these two noted above, other varieties to consider include King Edward potatoes, Gold Rush potatoes, Sweet Jewel fingerling potatoes, and Yukon Gold.
Conclusion
Just as was noted above, red potatoes are not suitable for making crispy fries as their flesh tends to be more watery than starchy. The waxy skin of the red potato retains a lot of water and sugar, and that moisture when put into hot frying oil will scorch instead of crisping them. Howbeit, you can consider using Russets or other low-starchy potatoes.