Ballpark Foods: How French Fries Are Made

Welcome to Ballpark Foods

Welcome to our series "Ballpark Foods" where we explore how the tasty treats served at sporting events are made. From hot dogs to nachos, these foods are a big part of going to games. Today, we're looking at a fan favorite: French fries!

The Perfect French Fry

French fries are golden sticks of potato goodness. The outside is crispy and slightly crunchy, while the inside stays soft and fluffy. When you take a bite, you'll taste that potato flavor along with a bit of salt. At ballparks, they're often served in paper containers or trays, sometimes with ketchup, mayo, or other dips on the side. The smell of fresh fries cooking can make your mouth water even before you see them!

From Potato to Fry: The Basic Ingredients

French fries start with simple ingredients:

• Potatoes (usually Russet or Idaho potatoes)
• Oil for frying (vegetable, canola, or peanut oil)
• Salt
• Sometimes other seasonings

The Step-by-Step Process

1. Selecting the Potatoes

The best French fries begin with the right potatoes. Russet potatoes are picked because they have less water and more starch than other types. This helps make fries that are crispy outside and fluffy inside.

2. Washing and Peeling

The potatoes are thoroughly washed to remove dirt. At some places, the potatoes are peeled, while at others, they keep the skin on for extra flavor and texture.

3. Cutting the Potatoes

Potatoes are cut into long, even strips. At ballparks, they often use a special cutting machine that pushes whole potatoes through a grid of sharp blades. This creates perfect, even strips every time. The thickness can vary - some prefer thin, crispy fries while others like thicker steak fries.

4. Soaking in Water

After cutting, the potato strips are soaked in cold water. This removes extra starch from the outside, which helps them get crispier when fried. They usually soak for at least 30 minutes, but sometimes for several hours.

5. Drying the Potatoes

Before frying, the potato strips are dried completely using towels or spin dryers. Water and hot oil don't mix well, so this step is very important for safety and for making crispy fries.

6. The First Fry

Many places use a double-frying method. The first fry is at a lower temperature (around 325°F) for about 5 minutes. This cooks the inside of the fry without making the outside too brown.

7. Cooling Period

After the first fry, the potatoes are removed from the oil and left to cool. At busy ballpark kitchens, they might prepare many batches ahead of time, stopping at this point until they're needed.

8. The Second Fry

Right before serving, the fries go back into hotter oil (350-375°F) for another 3-5 minutes. This gives them that golden color and crispy outside that everyone loves.

9. Seasoning

While still hot, the freshly fried potatoes are seasoned with salt. Some places add special seasonings or spice mixes for extra flavor.

10. Serving

The hot, crispy fries are served immediately in containers, sometimes with paper cones or trays to hold them. Many ballparks offer various dipping sauces like ketchup, mayo, cheese sauce, or special house blends.

Next time you're enjoying French fries at a game, you'll know the journey those tasty potatoes took to reach your hands!