How To Make The Ultimate Seasoning For Salt And Vinegar Chips At Home

You can't beat a bag of Lay's salt and vinegar chips, whether you're snacking on the go or incorporating some crunch into your favorite picnic sandwich. Yet while the potato chip variation is a staple, it's not something you have to buy ready-to-eat. Rather, you can make your own salt and vinegar chips with an easy seasoning blend. 

To make your own salt and vinegar chips, you only need three ingredients: Salt, vinegar, of course, and just a little bit of cornstarch or cornflour. This latter addition will allow your seasoning mixture to thicken and achieve your recipe's optimal texture. 

As for how best to combine the three ingredients, mix roughly six tablespoons of salt with between three tablespoons and a quarter cup of vinegar. Within that ratio, use just a tablespoon of cornstarch or cornflour. Once a paste forms, spread the resulting mixture over a baking sheet, and leave it to harden for roughly one day. Then, revert the texture back into a seasoning by breaking that paste up with a fork. Depending on how many chips you have, you likely won't use all of the powder. With proper storage, however, your mixture may last for a few more batches of do-it-yourself potato chips. 

While you may be tempted to eat all of your homemade salt and vinegar chips in one go, you don't have to rush to use up your seasoning blend. A homemade salt and vinegar powder can last somewhere between two and three months, depending on how well you store it. In general, you'll want to keep your salt and vinegar powder in an enclosed container, such as a plastic Tupperware. Make sure the lid is fully latched and covering your seasoning before you leave it in a cool, dark place. Your pantry or cabinet is a safe bet.

With this storage technique, you can make your salt and vinegar seasoning ahead of time, saving you work down the road. That way, when a craving strikes, all you have to do is add the blend to your chips. Whenever adding seasoning to chips, it's best to heat the snack ahead of time in the oven; a warm temperature will allow the seasoning to better adhere to your potato chip's surface. 

Once you've perfected homemade salt and vinegar chips, you can experiment with other seasonings that spruce up your standard Lay's. A sprinkle of za'atar gives chips a Middle Eastern-inspired twist, with minimal effort and maximum flavor. Of course, if you really want to embrace the spirit of the homemade, you can make your chips from scratch, too.