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Remedy No. 3 · Snacks

Potato Chips Better Than Bought

Any potatoes, a vinegar soak, a stable fat. Crisp for weeks.

3 spoons
A bowl of golden homemade potato chips

Any potatoes, according to personal preference. Soaking in vinegar water removes the starch on the outside, which causes the burning before they’re fully cooked. DO NOT SKIP. Forgetting to rinse will leave starch too, so DO NOT SKIP.

When drying on a towel, there’s no need to pat or sift or sort. Time will do the work. Once dried, at least a couple of hours, the slices will feel a bit like leather and won’t be fragile. When adding them to the fryer, add each one separately so they don’t stick together.

Use a shelf-stable fat, preferably one that’s solid on the shelf: lard, tallow, coconut. If you use those nasty refined cooking oils, your chips will go “stale” within a few hours.

Your chips will stay crispy and crunchy for at least a couple of weeks. With duck, goose, avocado, etc., they’ll lose their crunch in a day or two. EVOO isn’t a good choice, because it needs to be fresh oil every time: it will oxidize (go rancid) quickly.

How to read this recipe

Each step sits next to the ingredients it uses, and moves further right as the cook goes on.

A heavy line is a safe place to stop and rest.

A dashed line starts an optional part.

Rest Safe to stop Don’t stop here tell you when you can take a break.

Standing or Can sit, and a time, show what a step asks of you.

Tick Done as you go. Your ticks stay on this device, so you can come back to where you left off.

Everything you’ll need (4 ingredients)
  • Potatoes
  • Hot water and vinegar 1 cup of vinegar to 1 gallon of water
  • Lard, tallow or coconut oil for the fryer
  • Seasoning salt and pepper, sea salt, a Cajun blend, or none

Equipment & Tools

Small knifeFor cleaning the potatoes.
MandolineSet to 2 mm.
Safety gloves
FryerA saucepan is awkward, and you need a thermometer to hold the right temperature.
Large bowlTossing the chips in seasoning.
Big bag or containerStorage.
Big spoonStirring the slices in the water and the fryer.
Stir-fry strainerSuper handy, but not necessary.

The Cook

Fryer at 320°F, or 1 stove burner on high
  • Potatoes

Can sit

Slice to 2 mm thick. A mandoline with safety gloves is easiest.

  • Hot water and vinegar 1 cup of vinegar to 1 gallon of water

Can sit

Stir in the slices and let them sit AT LEAST 2 hours.

Rest At least 2 hours.

Can sit

Rinse the slices until the water runs clear.

Can sit

Place on a towel and cover with another towel, AT LEAST 2 hours. No need to pat dry.

Rest At least 2 hours.

  • Lard, tallow or coconut oil for the fryer

Standing12 min a batch

Fry in batches. 4 min, flip the slices (a stir-fry strainer is handy). 4 min, flip again. 4 min, tending to the less-done slices with a spoon, until the bubbling stops.

Don’t stop here Have the bowl and seasoning ready: the next step comes right away.

  • Seasoning salt and pepper, sea salt, a Cajun blend, or none

Remove to a bowl and toss with seasoning. If some aren’t done, just put them back in the fryer.

Step Photos

Chips happily sitting in water so they don’t get icky from exposure to air.
Chips happily sitting in water so they don’t get icky from exposure to air.
Chips in vinegar water. Notice the bit of foam starting: that’s the starch coming off.
Chips in vinegar water. Notice the bit of foam starting: that’s the starch coming off.
The pot of plain water on the right is the wash-the-starch-off bath.
The pot of plain water on the right is the wash-the-starch-off bath.
A stir-fry strainer moves them to a clean kitchen towel for draining. No, you don’t need to pat dry and get OCD about it.
A stir-fry strainer moves them to a clean kitchen towel for draining. No, you don’t need to pat dry and get OCD about it.
Put the chips in the basket first. Dropping them into the oil will splatter on you, which is unpleasant.
Put the chips in the basket first. Dropping them into the oil will splatter on you, which is unpleasant.
See the chips happily frying? When the bubbles stop (the water has boiled out of the chips), they’re done.
See the chips happily frying? When the bubbles stop (the water has boiled out of the chips), they’re done.
Still in the oil, these are ready to dump in a bowl, season and toss right away.
Still in the oil, these are ready to dump in a bowl, season and toss right away.
Any seasoning will do. Or none. My favorite is salt and pepper. These 2 mm chips are strong enough for dipping. Saint Julia would be quite proud of what you did in your own kitchen. Bon appétit!
Any seasoning will do. Or none. My favorite is salt and pepper. These 2 mm chips are strong enough for dipping. Saint Julia would be quite proud of what you did in your own kitchen. Bon appétit!

Quick Reference Card

The short version, for once you’re comfortable with the recipe. Print it on its own and keep it by the stove.

Potato Chips Better Than Bought
  1. Slice thinly. 2 mm is strong for dipping; 1.5 mm will be delicate.
  2. Soak in hot water and vinegar at least 2 hours (1 cup vinegar to 1 gallon water). The water goes cloudy: that’s the starch.
  3. Rinse until the water isn’t cloudy.
  4. Drip-dry on a towel, covered by a towel, at least 2 hours. They should feel slightly leathery.
  5. Fry 4 min, flip. 4 min, flip. 4 min. When the bubbling stops, they’re done.
  6. Toss with seasoning in a bowl. Not done? Back in the fryer.
  • Fryer: 320°F
  • Lard, tallow or coconut: crisp for weeks
  • Never skip the soak or the rinse
johnnybquacker.com/recipes/potato-chips

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