My mom told me to always soak potatoes before air frying

For months I thought my mom was just being extra about her air fryer fries. She kept saying, 'Paul, you have to soak those cut potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes, it gets the starch out.' I never did it because it felt like a waste of time. I'd just chop, oil, and cook. My fries always came out a bit soggy and never got that perfect crunch. Last weekend, I finally listened. I soaked a batch of russet potatoes for about 45 minutes, dried them really well, then tossed them in a little oil and air fried at 400 degrees. The difference was huge. They were crispy on the outside and fluffy inside, just like she said. I guess sometimes mom really does know best. How long do you all soak your potatoes, or do you skip that step?

3 comments

3 Comments

danielm483mo ago

Oh man, you just proved the rule. I did the exact same thing, ignored my mom for ages. My fries were always kind of limp and sad. Now I soak for a full hour if I can, in really cold water. It makes the water so cloudy with starch. That drying step is key too, I pat them down with paper towels until they're bone dry. The crisp is just on another level, like proper chip shop chips. I won't skip it again.

markm273mo ago

Pat dry, don't rub. You want the starch to stay put.

henderson.kim2mo ago

It's funny how many basic cooking rules we ignore until we see the proof. My grandma always said to dry beans before roasting them too, and I blew it off for years. Turns out moisture is the enemy of a good crust on almost anything.