Can we talk about frozen french fries in the air fryer

I used to bake them on a sheet pan and they always came out soft. Last week, I saw a tip online to soak them in cold water for 30 minutes first, then dry them well. I tried it with a bag of store brand crinkle cuts and the difference was huge, they got so crispy. Has anyone else found a simple trick that fixed a basic food like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

cole_baker2d ago

Wait, you guys aren't drying them after soaking?

evan_green522d ago

That soaking step adds a whole extra half hour I don't have. I just toss them straight from the bag into my air fryer with a little oil spray, and they come out plenty crispy for me. The extra work isn't worth the small difference.

rowan_thomas842d ago

Soaking for just 10 minutes in hot water works for me, evan_green52. It's not a full half hour. That quick soak pulls out a lot of the extra starch that makes fries soggy. Skipping it means that starch stays on the fry and steams in the air fryer instead of crisping up. You get a fry that's crispy outside but can be gummy inside. The texture difference is actually pretty big once you try it.