Mickey Zalusky wrote:
> 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?

IMHO, they must be cut very thin as in "shoestring" fries. Sweet potatoes
are not the same as white potatoes used in french fries. Sweets are much
more moist.

Have you ever baked a white baking potato and sweet potato? When you split
open the white potato, it's fluffy but a bit dry. Split open the sweet
potato; it's fluffy but moist. So you need a thin cut of the sweet potato
and faster cooking in hot oil, not twice cooking as in 'Belgian' fries.
It's also been my experience with sweet potatoes they absorb oil more easily
so again, thin cut, fried hot and quick. Then drain, season and serve.

Jill