How to Make God-Level Crunchy Potato Cubes

Everyone has their recipe for french fries and potatoes. But more often than not, when you make solid potatoes, finding success getting a crunchy outside is a rarity. Who wouldn't want to make their own potato wedges like they do at their favorite fast food joint, but without the accompanying heart attack, and make it taste even better. Luckily, a number of YouTubers have come up with solutions to help you make the perfect crispy potatoes.

This is the SeriousEats method that has been lauded around the internet as one of the best. Check it out and try it for yourself, you might have the winning side dish to bring to every gathering.

1
That Tear is on a Commercial Level

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2
First Things First

Add two quarts of water, 2 tablespoons of salt, and half a teaspoon of baking soda to a large pot, and bring the mixture to a boil. Many would imagine that putting in potatoes raw would simply make raw pencil cubes, but by parboiling it in the water. But more on that later.

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3
Dice Them Right

For this recipe, use Russet Potatoes. There are a number of colors and types, but in this case the standard spud is what we're going with. Make sure to cut them into 2-3 inch pieces, and make sure they aren't cut too thin. If they are too small, the crust will basically consist of the entire piece and it won't be enjoyable to eat.

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4
Boil Boil Toil and A Quick Bath

Keep the potato wedges in a bowl of water to prevent them from reacting with the air, and beginning to brown. Add them to the boiling pot and keep them in there for 10 minutes. The sweet spot you are looking for is that you can stick a fork into the potato without much difficulty, but still has some resistance. More than that and you will have mashed potatoes. This is key for the recipe.
After the 10 minutes, strain the water out, but allow them to steam and ensure as much of the moisture leaves the potatoes as possible.

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5
Let's Talk About Fat

Potatoes on their own are pretty bland. So in order to give them a bit of a flavor profile, the first step is adding a bit of fat. There are a number of different types you can try, but rendered chorizo fat, bacon grease, duck fat, or schmaltz are all great options. Add some aromatics to the oil like rosemary, thyme, and garlic, and you will have potatoes that will blow all others out of the water, no matter what the secret recipe is. The goal of the whole dish is to combine the amazing texture with incredible taste.

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6
Time for the Fun to Begin

Now that the potatoes have had enough time to release any moisture left, you can see that there is a dehydrated dry crust around the potatoes. This will serve to give us a proper crunch, that we wouldn't have had with all the starch covering the potatoes.

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7
Mixin' Time

In the bowl, mix your oil of choice along with a decent amount of salt and pepper, and agitate them fully until they are completely mixed. This step is the reason why the potatoes cannot be overcooked, they need to be able to hold up to the agitation in the bowl. You want to see the formerly dry exterior take on a thick, near pasty look.

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8
Cook Those Taters

Now you can place them on a baking tray, but make sure to spray it first to make sure they don't stick. Bake them at 450 degrees, and the entire process should take at least 45 minutes.

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9
Nice and Crunchy Just How We Like it

Allow each side to cook for ~20 minutes, then flip each potato cube to the opposite side so it can cook evenly. There should be a nice brown chitin on the potatoes by the time they are ready. Make sure that you cook every side as much as possible with each piece, it does make a difference.

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10
Enjoying the Spoils

And there you have it! You've now created the ultimate side dish for basically any meal that will have your friends clamoring for more. Though you could do this same process in a frying pan, the size of the serving would be significantly stronger, and everyone will definitely want seconds.
You can eat them as is, add a sauce, or even put them in an amazing taco with chorizo for an extra special treat. Bon Appetit!

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