How many potatoes do you need per person for French fries?

In this article, we will answer the question “How many potatoes do you need per person for French fries?”, and how to make Grandma-style french fries?

How many potatoes do you need per person for French fries?

To serve the french fries as a side dish, you will need at least 4 small to medium potatoes per person or at least 6-7 ounces of potato slices per person. When munching on french fries as a snack, you may need more potatoes per person. 

What type of potatoes is best for french fries?

French fries are desired for their crispy exterior and soft interior. This texture is only possible with waxy potatoes. However, Idaho or Russet potatoes also make good french fries. At the end of the day, it all boils down to your personal preference. 

How do I season french fries for a large crowd or a group?

Good seasoning is the key to the perfect french fries. Some of the best mouth-watering seasonings for french fries are sriracha sauce, shredded cheese, sea salt, onion powder, chicken salt, and garlic powder. 

Some types of home french fries are the ultimate crowd-pleasers and you can try any one of them to see what choice gathers the most praise. These include crinkle-cut, curly fries, cajun french fries, cheese fries, potato stick, and sweet potato fry, etc. 

Tips to make crispy french fries at home 

Follow the correct sequence of preparing potatoes for your french fries 

The correct sequence for preparing potatoes for your french fries goes something like soak potatoes, dry potatoes, fry potatoes, drain potatoes, then fry again!

But this demands a lot of labor if you intend to serve french fries to a large group of people. To make this hassle-free, grab a jumbo package of frozen fries from your local grocery store. 

Why soak potatoes for french fries? 

It’s all about the starch! Excess surface starch tends to make your fries go soggy. When we soak the potatoes in water, it removes the excess surface starch and ensures that you get the perfect crispy french fries that are fluffy and soft on the inside. 

How long do I soak the potatoes for french fries? 

You can soak your potatoes for as long as 24 hours. But we recommend soaking them for at least an hour. Make sure the potatoes are completely submerged in water so that they do not undergo enzymatic browning due to being exposed to the air. If the outside temperature is warm, refrigerate your potatoes while they soak.

How many french fries are in a serving? 

To find out the individual serving size of french fries for catering to a crowd of one hundred or hundreds, use the standard McDonald’s serving size as a reference. The average McDonald’s fries sizes are given below. 

  • Large 140g/4.9oz  90 fries
  • Medium 100g/3.5oz 70 fries
  • Small 70g/2.5oz 55 fries
  • Kids 50g/1.7oz 40 fries

Considering that the individual serving size of your crowd is a medium serving of french fries, you will need: 

  • 1kg or 2.2 lbs of fries for 10 people 
  • 2kg or 4.5 lbs for 20 people 
  • 5 kg or 11.25 lbs for 50 people 
  • 10kg or 23 lbs for 100 people 

How to make grandma-style french fries?

Ingredients 

  • 4 medium Russet or Idaho potatoes per person
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • Salt to taste

Instructions 

  1. Gather the potatoes according to the individual serving size. We are working with 4 medium potatoes per person. Peel the potatoes and wash them under cold running water to get rid of all the dirt.
  1. Cut the potatoes into 4-5 vertical slices. Cut each slice into 4 sticks. Make sure the size of the sticks and slices are consistent. 
  1. Soak the potatoes in cold water for about 25-30 minutes. This will remove the excess starch off the surface of potato sticks. 
  1. When the soaking time is up, strain the potato sticks and spread them onto a baking tray lined with clean towels or paper towels.
  1. Heat a few inches of oil in a heavy pot to 350F. Use a thermometer to accurately gauge the temperature of the oil.
  1. Fry the potatoes in hot oil in small batches. Do not overcrowd the pot as it will lead to uneven frying.
  1. Transfer the fries from the hot oil onto paper towels to get rid of the excess oil. Season the fries with salt. Serve and enjoy.

Nutrition facts 

Calories 281 
Total fat 14 g
Saturated fat 1 g
Trans fat 0 g
Unsaturated fat 12 g
Cholesterol0 mg 
Sodium 599 mg 
Carbohydrates 37 g 
Fiber 4 g 
Sugar 2 g 
Protein 4 g 

Other FAQs about Potatoes that you may be interested in.

How much does a large potato weigh?

What is the difference between potato wedges and steak fries?

Can you eat half-cooked potatoes?

Conclusion 

In this article, we answered the question “How many potatoes do you need per person for French fries?”, and how to make Grandma-style french fries?

References 

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