French fries are the most versatile food and are compatible with just about anything. From dips to meat fry! So, when you have extra French fries from your order and carry them home, you probably have tossed them away the next day because they taste flat and spoilt.
Make sure to put them in the freezer as soon as you get home to give them more “time.” Frozen French fries are a quick and tasty side, especially the next day around 3 pm when you are lazing around the house.
Freezing them is one thing, but knowing the right way to reheat them is another. A proper cooking technique can take them from zero to one hundred!
You could decide to reheat the fries through the following ways:
- Using an air fryer
- In the oven
- In a skillet
- A microwave
- Instant pot
In A Skillet
The first thing you need to know is that you do not need a lot of oil to fry them in the skillet. Since they are already cooked, the little oil is enough to heat them and make them crunchy again. Do not use unclarified butter, which releases moisture that will make your fries soggy, and you don’t want that. Use vegetable oil, sunflower oil, or clarified butter.
Make sure to cook the fries in medium to a high temperature so that the moisture will evaporate faster and not soak up the oil.
- Preheat the skillet until it is almost smoking.
- Add the oil and let it heat up too.
French Fries Adequately Spaced Out. Avoiding crowding the fries in the skillet. - Add your frozen fries directly from the container or bag you had stored them in without defrosting. If you do, the moisture will cause the oil to splatter, and that could hurt you.
- Add enough fries at a time and avoid overcrowding.
- Do not cover them while they cook to let the moisture escape. Keep flipping to get them crunchy and golden brown.
- Use your slotted spoon to remove them from the skillet. Hold them up for a while to drain off any excess oil. Transfer them to a tray that you have already lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- Transfer them to a plate then season. Do not season while they are still in the pan because you do not want them drying out and sticking to each other.
- Serve with ketchup or a sauce of your liking!
Deep-frying Frozen French Fries
If you still want to keep them in hot oil to revamp them , there is no problem either.
- Preheat your oil to 350 degrees (F).
- Use a fryer basket and place the frozen fries in there careful not to fill the basket.
- Carefully lower the basket in the oil and fry for 5 minutes till they have that golden-brown color.
- Raise the fry basket and shake thoroughly excess oil and pour the fries on a tray lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil then transfer to a plate and season.
Using An Air Fryer
If you haven’t tried to reheat fries with an air fryer, you should. They not only taste better but come out with an improved texture and healthier since you don’t have to use more oil. You also get to save time, your energy, and spare yourself extra calories. Many swear by the air fryer because it is also super-efficient.
- Spray the basket of the air-fryer with oil.
- Pour the French fries in depending on the quantity.
- Cook at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes
- Halfway through, shake the basked around, tossing the fries to help them cook evenly. You can add or reduce the time, depending on how crisp they are now.
- Remove basket then serve while still warm.
Instant Pot
This is one of the newest cooking trends that people are hoping and on. It is more of a pressure cooker but advanced. You can definitely reheat the French fries with it.
It has an air fry option that you can use to reheat them to have them super crispy and delicious. You will need a little oil to spray the basket, salt, and French fries.
After spraying the basket, put a handful of fries till you fill the basket careful not to overfill. Set the temperature at 400 degrees and cook for about 20 minutes. However, you can watch them till they are done because a full bag of French fries takes about 35 minutes.
The Oven
Using an oven for reheating is also easy and less messy than using the skillet. All you need is a good baking sheet and preheating the oven to ensure they become crispy.
For the oven temperature use, about 450 degrees and the heating time will go up to 10 minutes. Prep the baking sheet with cooking spray oil or aluminum foil then place it inside as the oven heats up.
Once it is nice and hot, spread the fries in a thin layer with good space between them. Sample one or two fries to check if they are okay, then remove and drain on a paper towel. Season as desired!
The Microwave
So, the microwave is popularly discouraged for reheating French fries because rather than giving them that crispiness you would want in your French fries, it cannot bring that back. The result is always mushy and very unappetizing. Though if you wouldn’t mind them like that, you could use it.
- Pour some oil on the fries just enough for a light coat.
- Place them on a microwave-safe paper towel making sure to dab the excess oil.
- Lay them on a microwaveable plate and heat for 20-second intervals until they are at a temperature you like.
Frozen French fries are a staple for many, and you can buy them frozen like the Crinkle cut French fries or the McCain Extra Crispy Crinkle Fries. You could pair them with another dish to give you a more satisfying meal for lunch or dinner. For example:
- Waffle Fry Nachos
Delicious French Fries - Baked Chops
- Loaded baked potato dip
- Tater Tot-chos
- Poutine
- Cheese fries
- Cheesy Chili Fries
Choosing the best way to reheat your frozen French fries all depends on what you find efficient. Many people write off using the microwave, but you probably don’t want them crunchy because you will likely mix with the cheese. So, choose what works for you and enjoy the fries!
