Chip off the odd Heston
After watching the How To Cook Like Heston on SBS One about cooking potato I was mesmerised by the triple-cooked chip technique to cook the perfect chip. Until now I've been using the Cold Oil cooking technique which has suited my need for cooking simplicity in the kitchen but it doesn't really provide the crunchy factor. With the investment of a digital thermometer for the kitchen I ventured in with curiosity to try Heston's triple-cooked chip method. Cutting and washing the potato was easy. I just used a plain white washed potato. Simmering the chips until the surface was starting to break away was easy. Draining and placing the chips in the freezer to dry out was easy. Heating oil to 130º and cooking the chips until slightly cooked on the outside was easy. Taking the chips out and increasing the temperature of the oil to 180º was easy. Cooking the chips again at 180º until golden brown was easy. Taking the chips out and seasoning with salt was easy. Eating the chips was very easy. The final result was the best crunchy chips I've ever attempted cooking at home. Would I do it again — definitely!
SNAPSHOT REVIEW:
PROS: Produces a very crunchy chip that's still soft inside, Tasted great, Easy method to follow
CONS: You need to try and control the temperature of the oil when cooking, There's a bit of process that takes time but it's a fairly easy method to follow
MUST TRY: Cooking again and spraying with malt vinegar
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| After cutting, washing and cooking the chips in a simmering pot of water for about 5-10 minutes until surface starts to become a bit fragile you then drain and dry the chips in the freezer to draw out the moisture |
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| Bring oil to 130º and cook chips until slightly cooked |
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| Cooking chips at 130º |
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| Take chips out of oil after being cooked for 130º for about 5 minutes |
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| Increase temperature of oil to 180º |
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| Cook chips at 180º until golden brown |
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| Cooked chips seasoned with salt |
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| Soft on the inside and crispy crunchy on the outside — perfect! |
9 comments:
Sounds like a lot of work! But sure is rewarding.
Sounds like a winner to me!
hi michelle, it's not difficult to do but it does take a little time. the hardest thing is trying to get the oil temperature right as it fluctuates when you put the chips in. definitely worth the effort though. have done it twice now. you can probably prepare a few chips in advance with the simmering and keep frozen. then you just have to cook them twice in oil when needed.
hi tina, hope you have time to try. just need a digital thermometer.
I've wondered if this recipe was worth the hassle. Def looks it :)
hi nic, definitely give it a try if you have a digital thermometer :-)
Hi Simon:
Inspired by these chips myself, I've been looking for a digital thermometer suitable for deep frying (must take up to 200 C), sticking into roasts etc, for ages (in Sydney). Tried various websites etc, but its hard to tell which is a good brand. Can I ask what brand you have and if you can recommend where ti purchase it?
Garry
hi garry, the one i've used is from target and was about $15. hope this helps :-)
Thanks for your reply Simon. I never thought if Target-- I was hunting through various speciality stores.
Tried the chips, using Desiree potatoes (which have been suggested as closest to the Maris Pipers Heston always uses), cut into 1x1cm chips, and boiled for precisely 10 minutes.
The boiling is the only really tricky part of the process-- you really do have to get them to falling-apart stage. Transferring a small batch of very delicate chips to an already full freezer is not easy. I'm not sure how to go about making a large batch of these things. But they are YUMMY!
hi garry, glad you had a go. the boiling and transferring the semi-fragile chips to the freezer is probably the trickiest part as you say. especially if you're wanting to make lots of them and don't have the space in the freezer. but worth it in the end.
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