Finally figured out why my fries kept coming out soggy in the air fryer

I spent about 6 months wondering why every batch of frozen fries I made came out limp and sad. My wife kept saying they were fine but I knew better. Then last Tuesday I was making sweet potato fries from scratch and happened to read a comment on a blog post. The person said to soak cut potatoes in cold water for 30 minutes before drying and seasoning them. I tried it with my regular frozen fries too by thawing them first, patting them dry, then letting them sit on paper towels for 10 minutes before cooking. Now they come out crispy like diner fries every time at 400 degrees for 12 minutes. Has anyone else found a weird trick that made a big difference?

3 comments

3 Comments

lucasw841d ago

Thawing and drying the fries first is the exact same thing that fixed it for me. A little extra effort makes them way better.

young.michael1d ago

That's the trick right there, drying them out before they go in. What I started doing is after I dry them I toss them in a bowl with a tablespoon of cornstarch and some seasoned salt before adding oil. Sounds weird but the cornstarch creates this extra crispy shell that holds up even if you let them sit a few minutes. You have to make sure they're really dry first or the cornstarch gets clumpy. Also shaking the basket halfway through is non negotiable if you want even browning. A few people swear by spraying them with cooking spray instead of tossing in oil but I found the spray leaves a weird taste sometimes.

theajohnson1d ago

Doesn't all that extra drying and thawing just make them dry and chewy instead of crispy?

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