Homemade chips are a beautiful addition to your restaurant's menu, and when made-to-order, thin flaky chips far surpass the taste of chips from the bag. Surprisingly, as long as you have an ample supply of potatoes, your kitchen crew can easily make homemade chips. Want them to taste as amazing as possible? Check out these pro tips:
1. Slice the potatoes with your robot coupe.
Because they need to be thin, it be almost impossible to slice potatoes for chips by hand. In addition, you also want each chip to be about the same thickness. This ensures they cook evenly and that you don't end up with a plate of half overcooked and half undercooked chips. Simply instruct your kitchen crew to use the slicing blade on your robot coupe, and let the machine safeguard your consistency and make the task a bit easier.
2. Place sliced potatoes in cold water.
As your cooks slice the potatoes, they should not leave the slices on the side. The air will oxygenate the potatoes and cause them to turn black. To avoid this, place the slices in a bowl of cold water, and make sure the water covers the potatoes. This tactic protects your potatoes as you prepare to fry them, but it can also work as a storage solution if you want to slice the potatoes the evening before turning them into chips. To keep the water cool overnight, place it in the cooler.
3. Add salt to the water.
Don't just use the water as a storage solution for your sliced potatoes; rather, use it as a conduit to add salt to the potatoes as well. Adding salt in this manner lets the salt infuse the crisps, and it brings out their natural flavor. Simply sprinkle salt in the bowl over water, and stir the sliced potatoes around. If a foam starts to form on the top of the water, don't worry. That's just a bit of the potato starch, but it's also an indicator that you can add more salt. Drain the water, rinse the slices, cover with more water and add additional salt. Repeat this process as desired until you are ready to cook the potatoes.
4. Use clean oil.
If possible, have one fryer exclusively devoted to frying potatoes for chips, hot chips, french fries, wedges or whatever other fried potatoes you have on the menu. This prevents your chips from absorbing flavors from meat or other fried foods. In addition, it helps the oil last longer. When you are done using the potato oil, you can rotate it into your other fryer and then use it for fried chicken or other fried meats.
5. Remember to drain your chips.
Finally, when the chips are done cooking, make sure you remember to drain them. Don't just pop the chips on a plate. Instead, put them into a colander with some paper towels in it to soak up some of the oil. Then, serve them.
Want more tips on cooking or using potatoes in your restaurant? Contact a wholesale potato distributor.
