On Sun 05 Mar 2006 02:55:05p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Andy?

> Wayne Boatwright <wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com> wrote in
> 28.19:
>
>> On Sun 05 Mar 2006 02:36:01p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Andy?
>>
>>> Mickey Zalusky > wrote in news:120mm5dm6micbe1
>>> @corp.supernews.com:
>>>
>>>> My first attempt was a twice-fried method as used for regular french
>>>> fries. Peeled and cust sweet potatoes into 1.4-inch batons. Using
>>>> a deep fat fryer and peanut oil the first fry was at 300 degrees.
>>>> Second was at 350 degrees according to the recipe I used. The
>>>> recipe said the second fry should only take a minute or so until
>>>> they browned but after 5 minutes, the potatoes never got brown or
>>>> crisp. The seasoning was terrific (mixture of brown sugar, salt
>>>> cayenne and cinnamon). They were delicious but not a crispy as a
>>>> normal white potato french fry. Anyone know the secret to crispy
>>>> sweet potato fries?
>>>
>>>
>>> Mickey Zalusky,
>>>
>>> Have you tried using a mandoline that does the waffle cut "twist-
>>> technique" slices?
>>>
>>> That should crisp up pretty fast in a deep fryer or baked. I'm
>>> guessing.
>>>
>>> Andy
>>>
>>
>> IME, sweet potatoes never will get as crisp as white potatoes unless
>> you fry virtually all the moisture out of them, and that's not
>> particularly desirable. The starch/sugar balance is considerable
>> different between the two, which accounts for most of the frying
>> difference.
>>
>> Just my 2¢.
>
>
> Wayne,
>
> I dunno either. The only sweet potatoes I eat are the Thanksgiving kind
> that come casseroled (?) with or without mini marshmellows melted on top.
>
> Andy
>

One of my favorite restaurants serves up some great hand-cut sweet potato
fries that are nicely browned on the outside and tender inside, but they
are never what I would call crisp. They are delicious. I don't expect
them to be really crisp. It's not the nature of sweet potatoes.

My mom used to make some really terrific pan fried sweet potatoes. She
would slice parboiled fresh sweet potatoes about 3/16" thick, then begin
cooking them in a single layer in a large iron skillet containing small
amounts of bacon fat and butter, turning once or twice. As they were
beginning to brown, she would lightly sprinkle them with granulated sugar,
turn and sprinkle with sugar again, which encouraged caramelization almost
bordering on "burned". A final finish with a few drops of fresh lemon
juice and they were served piping hot. I need to make those sometime!

--
Wayne Boatwright o¿o
____________________

BIOYA