Belgian Frites

Method

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1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into batons a good 1 cm thick — Belgian frites are chunkier than French fries.

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2. Rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear, then soak in cold water for 30 minutes.

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3. Drain and dry them completely on a clean tea towel. Any water left on them will spit violently in the fat.

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4. Heat the dripping to 140C. Fry in three batches for 6 to 8 minutes each, until soft and pale but not coloured.

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5. Lift out, drain on a rack, and cool for at least 30 minutes. They can sit for hours at this stage.

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6. For the mayonnaise, whisk the yolks, mustard, vinegar and salt, then add the oil drop by drop at first and in a thin stream once it takes.

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7. Heat the fat to 180C. Fry the chips again in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until deep golden and audibly crisp.

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8. Drain briefly, salt hard while they are still glistening, and serve in cones with the mayonnaise.

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Chef’s Tips

• Two fries, two temperatures. There is no one-step version of this.
• Dry the potatoes completely. Wet chips are dangerous and soggy.
• Salt the moment they come out, while the surface can still take it.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A dry vermouth keeps for longer than an open bottle of white wine and is the closer swap than a random white left in the fridge; for an alcohol-free version, use the same amount of stock with a squeeze of lemon.

Pairing Suggestions

• Homemade mayonnaise or andalouse sauce
• Carbonnade flamande
• A Belgian blonde beer

Storage & Reheating

Eat immediately. The blanched chips can be refrigerated 24 hours or frozen before the second fry.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.