Experiment Report
Title:
Chips Test I
Abstract
Preliminary testing using the air fryer as the primary equipment to replicate 'fish and chip shop' chips. The Red Rascal potato is cooked following four variations of an air fry chip process. The resulting chips are compared to determine the best method.
Introduction
Can the air fryer achieve 'fish and chip shop’ quality chips? Is there a particular method for better results? Fish and chip shop-fried chips are usually blanched in oil first, rested, and then fried at a hotter temperature until evenly yellowed. Can we achieve something similar with an air fryer? Is there a benefit to parboiling? Roast potatoes are crisper on the outside if parboiled first with bi-carb of soda. Does this also work with chips? Freezing the chips in between cooking is meant to expel more moisture. Does this give a better result?
Method
Air fryer – Triple cook, comparing par boil first and freeze or chill when resting between cooks.
Using one variety of potatoes, peel and chop into one cm-sized chips. Split into two batches.
Batch one: Place in a saucepan filled with cold water and add 1 tsp bi-carb soda. Place on medium heat. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for four minutes. Pour into a strainer and rinse with hot water. Allow to drain and air dry. Referred to as parboiled first for the rest of this report.
Batch two: Toss lightly in oil and place in a preheated air fryer. Air fry at 150 degrees for 10 minutes, turning the chips after 5 minutes.
Split batches one and two over two baking trays, keeping them separate and labelling them accordingly. Each tray will have a pile of chips that were parboiled first and a pile of chips that were air-fried first. Place one tray in the freezer and the other in the refrigerator.
Second Cook: After an hour, put each batch (4 in total - refrigerator tray: parboil and air fry, freezer tray: parboil and air fry) separately through the air fryer, cooking for 8 minutes at 160 degrees. Turn at 4 minutes. Return the chips to their original trays in separate piles with their labels and put them back in the freezer and fridge for another hour. Ensuring that the chips that were initially frozen are returned to the freezer and the chips that were chilled initially are returned to the refrigerator.
Final Cook: Put all four batches through the air fryer, cooking for 8 minutes at 180 degrees and turning for 4 minutes.
Results
The chips parboiled first are paler in colour. Interestingly, the evidence of blackening is more apparent in the parboiled and refrigerated chips. While the chips not parboiled were golden and looked more appealing, they failed on taste, with minimal fluffy potato inside and a rather hard exterior. The other point worth noting is that a 'fish and chip shop' chip has an even yellow colour with no brown spots.
Discussion
The chips parboiled first match the colour and taste of 'fish and chip shop' chips. However, there is more significant evidence of blackening on these. The blackening is more substantial on the chips chilled between cooks, suggesting this process increased the exposure to oxygen, allowing the starches to change colour. The blackening of the chips did not affect the taste, only the appearance. Using a potato with less starch would help, as would increasing the parboiling time and reducing the chilling time.
Some experts advocate the addition of vinegar to the water when parboiling as this increases the acid PH levels of the water, forms a thin crust on the exterior of the potato and helps it maintain its shape. I have always used bi-carb as this makes the water more alkaline, helping to break up the surface of the potato for extra crispness. Adding bi-carb of soda to the cooking water works well for roasted potatoes but requires more testing when applied to chips. The variety of potatoes also needs to be considered. Something with a slightly lesser starch content will naturally brown less and not be as susceptible to the blackening seen with the parboiled chips.
While producing a nicer-looking chip, creating freezer space for a tray of chips was a pain. I don't know if the result warranted the effort. A traditional 'fish and chip shop' only needs to rest the chips between cooking; they do not necessarily chill the chips, suggesting that freezing is going too far. It has visibly slowed the cooking process, indicating that similar results may be achieved by experimenting with the cooking times and temperatures.
The chips cooked using the air fryer for all three stages are darker, their exterior harder, and the potato inside less fluffy.
Air Fried Chip
Par Boiled Chip
Conclusion
The parboiled chips were the closest to a more traditional chip. However, I need to test whether adding bi-carb of soda to the water achieves the best results. Rather than freezing the chips between cooks, we can slow the cooking process by experimenting with the cooking times and temperatures.
References
Red Rascal potato supplied by Spud Sisters
Uncle Max, Cook for the Gas and Fuel in the 70's, whose homemade chips were always twice fried.
Local ‘Fish and chip shop’