How to Make Crisp (Frozen) Fries in the Oven

The air fryer seems to be getting very popular these days seeing that phonghongbakes also bought one recently (and so did my sisters-in-law).  I suppose it's a great tool to help with the frying process where it can done in a controlled, mess-free manner (in a drawer so to speak) with no splattering of oil whatsoever.

Of course frying anything with no oil or minimal oil is all the rage now as it means healthier eating which everyone would want but the question is.....does it still taste the same? :P  Well, I wouldn't know since I don't own an air fryer but my husband did say that the lor bak which I shallow fried in oil tasted better than the ones my sister-in-law did in her air fryer but still not as good as deep-fried ones.  In fact, my neighbour told me her husband likes to eat fried chicken but not so when she air-fries it...lol!  I wouldn't know if there's indeed a difference since I've never tasted an air-fried chicken before.

I guess there's no replicating deep-fried food in terms of taste.  You either choose to eat healthy.....or eat tasty, there's no two ways about it.....no best of both worlds really....hah..hah.

I was very tempted to buy one myself but after realising that it works more or less like a regular convection oven which I already have, I changed my mind...for now.  I was also not so in favour when another blogger friend, choiyen.com, mentioned that the drawer top of the air fryer which gets splattered with oil (from the air frying process) is difficult to clean. >.<  The only difference with an air fryer is that it's more compact in size and the heat is more intense than a standard oven.

Anyway, the main reason why I was even contemplating to buy an air fryer was to make fries that my son loves (and me too....who doesn't like fries, right?)....and maybe cook nuggets and sausages once in a while too....hehe.  I've seen pictures of fries coming out of an air fryer and they looked beautiful.  So, I decided to use my oven to see if I can get the same results or, at least, the result I want.

I bought a packet of frozen shoestring fries from the supermarket (I actually prefer to eat thick cut fries but when it comes to frozen fries, it's either crinkle cut or this).  I cooked it direct from frozen state.  The key is to lay them in a single layer to promote better browning.  I also sprayed it with some olive oil.

This was my first attempt, I cooked it at 200°C for 20 minutes.

You can see the edges are just lightly golden.

For my second attempt, I cranked up the heat even further and went with 220°C for 20 minutes.  This time I got a better charring on the fries.

Sprinkle with salt right after the fries come out of the oven.  The salt adheres better when the fries are warm by sticking and melting into the fries for better flavour.

For my third and final attempt, I did the same and cooked it at 220°C for 20 minutes but this time I placed the tray higher up the oven to get the hottest heat.  I got the best charring (of the three ways I cooked them) but then the fries tend to be a little drier.

You can also season with freshly cracked black pepper like how my husband likes it.  He loves it with a lot of black pepper.....and I mean, a lot (but not me, I like them with just a tiny sprinkle of salt)! ;)

Taste wise, it has a light crisp on the outside while staying soft and fluffy inside.  The quality will depend very much on the quality of frozen fries you buy.  Of course you can't compare lah with hand cut fries that have been twice fried at restaurants...but for a home standard which doesn't involve going out to get it, boleh lah!

Although it took twice as long to get done compared to 10 minutes in an air fryer, I'd still say it got the job done....not in the best possible way...but still good enough for a home version that's conveniently available (just reach into your freezer for your stash), super convenient to make without much of a mess (with little washing up) and a healthier take (with no deep-frying involved).  Who can say no to that! ^.^

Who knows....I may still get an air fryer some time down the road, we'll see.  The reason being because it can cook smaller amounts of food in a shorter amount of time due to its higher temperature in a smaller space. But it won't be the air fryer basket/drawer type, probably more of an air fryer oven.  I also have to consider that getting one will mean taking up more of my kitchen counter space.

For now, patience is a virtue and I'm pretty happy using my oven for that purpose.  This snack sure comes in handy now that Euro 2020 is under way.  All one needs to do is to set the timer (earlier than your intended football match) and walk away until you hear that ding or beep...and the fries are ready for you to munch away while watching your favourite football match! ^_~