Homemade Potato Chips

We are having Sloppy Joes for dinner tonight and I thought I would give my family a treat and serve up homemade Potato Chips as a side.  Homemade chips are easy, not as easy as opening a bag, but easy none the less.  My family also thinks they taste better than those that come in a bag. I would also have to believe that while they are not a "healthy" side dish, they have to be healthier than store bought, if only because they are not drenched in preservatives.  Another good thing about homemade chips is you can really control the portions because you can only eat as many as you cook.  One large potato or two small potatoes will feed a family of four.

This is all you need, potatoes, cooking oil, salt and pepper.

A Food Processor is nice but not necessary.

But it does save you a lot of time.

And makes life much easier.

Once the potatoes are sliced, cover them with cold water.

This removes the starch and preserves the color.

I put them in my salad spinner.

When it is time to drain and dry them it works wonders.

Fill a large saute pan halfway with oil.

Heat until a potato slice bubbles vigorously when dropped in.

Make sure the potatoes are completely dry or the oil will spit at you.

The salad spinner is the most efficient method of drying that I have found,

Fry the potatoes in batches until crisp and golden.

Do not crowd the pan. 

You need room to flip the potatoes several times while they cook.

When crisp and golden remove to a baking sheet lined with paper towel.

I use a spider, pictured in back.

Salt and pepper each batch as it comes out of the oil.

I place them under the heat lamp as I wait for the following batches to cook.

Delicious!!

Homemade Potato Chips

1 russet potato for every 2 people

cooking oil

salt and pepper

Scrub and thinly slice the potato leaving the skins on.  Place in a bowl and cover with cold water.  Let soak as you heat a large saute pan filled halfway with cooking oil over med high heat.  When the oil is hot, drain and dry the potatoes.  It is important that the potatoes be completely dry or the moisture will cause the oil to splatter.  Place a single layer of potatoes in the oil and cook until crispy and golden, flipping often.  This only takes about a minute or so.  Remove chips to a baking sheet lined with paper towel and season with the salt and pepper.  Continue cooking in batches until all the potato is used, seasoning after each addition to the baking sheet.  Print Recipe

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