Crispy Double Cooked Chips

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Crispy Double Cooked Chips

My Chips Explained

The potato

Floury, high-starch potatoes are what you want here. Sebago, Russet Burbank, King Edward and Dutch Creams all work, they cook fluffy on the inside and crisp on the outside. Waxy potatoes like Nicola or Carisma will hold their shape too well and you won’t get the proper texture. Cut them at 1.5cm thick, that’s the sweet spot between thin chips that turn into shoestrings and wedges that stay too soft in the middle.

The parboil

Parboiling cooks the potato all the way through before it ever sees hot oil, which is the key to a fluffy interior. We add vinegar to the water for two reasons: it keeps the chip shape intact while it boils (the acid stiffens the pectin in the potato cell walls), and it pulls out a bit more starch which means crispier chips after frying. Cook them until they’re completely soft, almost falling apart at the edges, then dry them out fully on a wire rack before they go anywhere near oil.

Crispy Double Cooked Chips

The fry

Frying at 200°C in beef tallow or a tallow and peanut oil mix is what gives you that proper chippy flavour. The high temperature blasts the surface dry and locks in the crackle while the inside stays soft. Beef tallow has a higher smoke point than vegetable oils and gives a rounder, savoury flavour, but a 60/40 peanut oil to tallow blend works great too. Don’t crowd the pot, the oil temperature drops the second too many chips go in and you’ll end up with greasy chips.

Ingredient Notes

Potatoes:

Floury, high-starch varieties are essential. Sebago is the standard chip potato in Australia and what I usually grab. Russet Burbank, King Edward and Dutch Creams are all good alternatives. Avoid waxy varieties like Nicola or Carisma, they hold their shape too well and won’t fluff up.

Beef tallow:

This is the secret to proper chippy flavour. Rendered beef fat fries at higher temperatures than vegetable oils and gives a savoury depth you don’t get from peanut or canola alone. Buy it from a butcher or render your own from beef trimmings. Tallow from a quality source is worth the effort.

White vinegar:

Cheap distilled white vinegar is what you want, not malt or wine vinegar. The acid sets the pectin in the potato so the chips hold their shape during the long parboil. The vinegar flavour cooks off completely.

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Ingredients

1.5kg (3¼ lbs) potatoes (Sebago, Russet Burbank, King Edward, or Dutch Creams)
5 tbsp white vinegar
salt, to taste
3L (3.2 quarts) peanut oil
2L (2.1 quarts) beef tallow

Equipment

Chopping board
Chef’s knife
Vegetable peeler
Large pot
Slotted spoon or spider
Wire rack on a tray
Deep heavy pot or deep fryer
Cooking thermometer
Tongs
Paper towels

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Directions

Peel the potatoes and slice them into chips, 1.5cm (2/3-inch) thick and as long as the potatoes allow.
Place the cut chips into plenty of fresh cold water, mix well, and let them soak for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, drain the chips and replace with fresh water, ensuring they are completely covered.
Measure the water used (e.g., 5 litres (5.3 quarts) for this recipe).
For every litre (quart) of water, add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar (e.g. 5 litres of water = 5 tablespoons vinegar) and a generous pinch of salt.
Place over high heat, cover, and bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook the chips until completely soft, stirring every 4–5 minutes for even cooking.
Once fully cooked, carefully remove the chips and place them onto a tray with a wire rack.
Use an oscillating fan or allow them to cool completely to dry out faster (this step helps achieve a crispier texture).
The chips can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days before frying.

FRYING THE CHIPS

When ready to fry, add the beef tallow and peanut oil to a deep pot and heat to 200°C (390°F).
You can use all peanut oil, all beef tallow, all duck fat, or a mix (e.g. 3 litres peanut oil + 2 litres beef tallow).
Once the oil reaches 200°C (390°F), fry the chips in small batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan.
Fry until golden brown and crispy, then remove and place on a tray lined with paper towels.
Season immediately with plenty of salt and serve hot.

Notes

Chef Tips

Parboil until almost falling apart

Don’t undercook the parboil, this is where most home cooks go wrong. The chips should be completely soft, almost falling apart at the corners, before you take them out. If they’re still firm in the middle they won’t fluff up properly when fried.

Dry the chips out completely before frying

Wet chips going into hot oil is dangerous and gives you soggy chips. Cool them on a wire rack with airflow (a fan helps) until the surface is completely dry, ideally an hour or longer. Even better, parboil the chips a day ahead and let them dry uncovered in the fridge overnight.

Don’t crowd the fryer

Drop the chips in small batches, just a single layer at a time. Overcrowding drops the oil temperature and the chips end up boiling in fat instead of frying. They’ll turn out greasy instead of crisp.

Salt them the second they come out

Hit them with flaky salt the instant they leave the oil, while the surface is still slick. The salt sticks to the hot fat. If you wait until they’ve cooled the salt just bounces off.

Storage

Parboiled and dried chips keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, which is great for prepping ahead. Once they’re fried, eat them straight away. Refried chips never come back to their original glory. If you absolutely have to store fried leftovers, refresh them in a 200°C oven for 5 minutes to bring some crisp back.

FAQs

Can I use an air fryer instead of deep frying?

You can, but the result isn’t the same. Toss parboiled and dried chips in a tablespoon of oil and air fry at 200°C for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking halfway. They’ll be good, just not pub-perfect. The deep fry is what gives you that proper crackle.

Can I use just one cooking fat?

Yes. You can use just peanut oil, beef tallow or duck fat.

How far ahead can I parboil the chips?

Up to 4 days in the fridge on an open tray, uncovered, so the surface stays dry. This is actually the best way to do it, the chips dry out properly and you get extra crispy results. Just bring them back to room temperature before they hit the oil.