The Free Ingredient That Makes Sweet Potato Fries Extra Crispy

Scour the internet and you'll find heaps of tips on making the perfect sweet potato fries, such as coating them in cornstarch, seasoning them with spices, or roasting in a super-hot oven. These techniques come with their own merits but there's one ingredient that makes sweet potato fries extra crispy that doesn't cost a dime. According to David Jutras, chef at Fat Patty's, and Erin Colombi, Sr. VP of Operations at the burger restaurant, submerging your sliced sweet potatoes in ice cold water is the secret.

"Getting super crispy homemade sweet potato fries can be a bit tricky, but with the right techniques, you can achieve that perfect crunch!" say Columbi and Jutras. The pair explain how an ice cold water bath helps, saying, "It works by removing excess starch from the sweet potatoes. Starch can cause the fries to become gummy and prevent them from getting crispy." Soaking the fries for a minimum of 30 minutes (or a few hours maximum) also "prevents them from sticking together and helps them crisp up better". 

Cutting your potatoes uniformly ensures they cook through at the same rate. "After soaking, dry the fries thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Excess moisture can cause them to steam rather than crisp up." Then you can season your spuds to make aromatic oven-baked sweet potato fries, or deep fry them.

Erin Columbi and chef David Jutras advise that, "The best time to soak the fries is right after cutting them and before drying and seasoning." An ice water bath definitely helps to create a batch of sweet potato fries that are almost as crunchy as a basket of classic French fries. However, the operative word is "almost". Sweet potatoes contain more sugar than regular potatoes, like russets or Idahos, which is why they're likely to burn more easily and have a squishier texture when deep fried. Soaking these copper-colored tubers in very cold water allows some of the starch and sugars to leach out while making them firmer, producing fries that have a crispier exterior. However, regular potato fries do win in the ultimate crispiness stakes.

While you could buy frozen sweet potato fries brands from the store, you can control the thickness of your frites if you make your own batch, as well as season them up with your favorite spices, such as smoked paprika or garlic powder. Another game changing way to boost the crispness of sweet potato fries is to cook them in a similar way to roast potatoes. Simply tumble your matchsticks or wedges onto a sheet pan that's been preheating in the oven with a generous glug of oil. When the potatoes hit the hot fat, they'll instantly begin to crisp up and develop a crunchy exterior.