Air Fryer French Fries

My wife and I cooked a small turkey for new year day so there is plenty of leftover turkey. One of our favourite things has always been having the leftover turkey with french fries the next day. Normally that meant deep frying, this year trying them with the air fryer. Frozen oven french fries we stopped buying years ago when are kids got older. They are convenient but that’s about the only good thing about them.

I have heard other people with air fryers say great things about french fryers from them, others not good things. Since I am a goofball when it comes to trying to figure out the easiest and best ways to do things making fries in the air fryer is just another challenge. I looked at a couple of hundred recipes which likely would of worked but I like doing things my way. Since the air fryer is meant to replace a deep fryer I looked at what happens in the deep fryer when the fries are cooking. Thing that immediately hit me is the fries are constantly moving in the oil. That isn’t happening in the air fryer.

With everything I do that isn’t a problem it’s a question that needs an answer. Looking at the recipes one of the answers was to cook the fries in batches, with a cooking time of 30 minutes that’s not an answer. Others said turn them half way through the cooking time, again for me that wasn’t an answer. Other recipes called for cutting the fries thinly but in my book that isn’t a french fry. So after thinking about how the best way would be my simple answer was kind of half shake them half toss them every 5 minutes. It worked out very well, a little extra work for a very good result. The fries were crisp on the outside and fluffy inside which is what you want. I cut the fries exactly as I would of if I was deep frying them.

** Our air fryer only uses Celsius so if yours is Fahrenheit you will have to use Google to convert it **

Cut the potatoes into french fries

6 cups cold water

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon canola oil

In a large bowl mix water, vinegar, and salt together until salt is fully dissolved. Add the fries and soak for 30 minutes. Drain the fries and dry completely. Dry the bowl and add the oil and dry fries. Toss together ( hands work best ) and set aside. Rub the air fryer grate and bowl sides with oil. Preheat the air fryer at 190 for 4 minutes then add the fries. Cook for 30 minutes shaking and tossing ever 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve.