Air frying is a great way to make delicious french fries that are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside without deep frying them in oil. Air fryers use rapid hot air circulation to produce the same crispiness and golden texture as traditional deep frying, but with significantly less oil.
While air fryers are gaining popularity in home kitchens, not everyone has an air fryer appliance. However, if you own a GE Profile oven, you’re in luck. Many new GE Profile ovens come with a built-in air fry mode that works just as well as a standalone air fryer.
In this article, I’ll walk you through exactly how to make perfect air fried french fries in your GE Profile oven. We’ll go over step-by-step instructions, as well as tips and tricks for getting the best possible results. Let’s get started!
Benefits of Air Frying
Before we dive into the how-to, let’s first go over some of the biggest benefits of air frying:
– Uses little to no oil: Traditional frying requires fully submerging foods in hot oil. Air frying only uses a tablespoon or two of oil to lightly coat the food. This significantly reduces the amount of fat and calories.
– Produces a crisp exterior: The super hot, rapidly circulating air in an air fryer (or air fry oven mode) creates a crispy outer layer on foods. Foods come out perfectly browned and crunchy.
– Delivers a tender, moist interior: Since air frying requires little to no oil, foods don’t absorb as much grease during cooking. This leaves the inside tender and moist, not overly greasy.
– Quick and convenient: Air frying is much faster than traditional oven baking. It also heats up and cooks food rapidly, so you can have fries ready in just 20-25 minutes.
– Promotes healthier eating: The ability to cut way back on oil makes air frying a healthier cooking method. Air fried foods have fewer calories from fat.
GE Profile Oven Air Fry Mode
Many modern GE Profile ovens come equipped with a dedicated air fry mode. This works by using a built-in heating element and fan to rapidly circulate hot air around the oven cavity. It makes air frying foods like french fries simple and easy, with no need for purchasing a separate appliance.
Here are some key things to know about the air fry mode in GE Profile ovens:
– Temperature range of 300°F to 475°F: You can set the exact air fry temperature based on the recipe guidelines. Most foods air fry between 350°F and 400°F.
– High-speed convection fan: A powerful fan circulates air around food at high speeds, similar to a standalone air fryer. This creates the crisp exterior.
– Top-heating browning element: An upper heating element turns on and off to promote even browning and crisping of the food’s exterior.
– Matches standalone air fryer results: GE Profile ovens with air fry produce very similar results to popular air fryers in terms of texture, color, and oil usage.
– Fits a decent amount of food: You can fit a sizable batch of fries or other items since you’re using a full-sized oven, not a small appliance.
Now that you understand the air fry technology inside a GE Profile oven, let’s get into how to make french fries!
Choosing the Right Potatoes
To make great french fries, you first need to pick the right type of potatoes. The best potatoes for air frying french fries are:
– Russet potatoes: Russets are perfect for fries because of their starchy, fluffy texture when cooked. They get deliciously crispy outsides while staying pillowy inside.
– Yukon Gold potatoes: Yukon golds have a smooth, buttery flavor. They hold their shape well during air frying for tasty fries.
– Idaho potatoes: Idaho potatoes have a classic starchy potato flavor and texture ideal for french fries.
Some other good options are white potatoes and sweet potatoes. Avoid red potatoes, as they have a waxy texture that doesn’t cut into fries as well.
When purchasing your potatoes, be sure they are fresh and firm. Avoid potatoes that have sprouts or green spots. Size-wise, medium potatoes that are 2-3 inches in diameter work best.
Prepping the Potatoes for Air Frying
Prepping the potatoes is one of the most important steps for getting perfect french fries from your GE Profile oven’s air fry mode. Here is an overview of how to prep potatoes for air frying:
– Cut into fry shape: Cut washed, peeled potatoes into long 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick sticks or wedges. They should be uniform in size and shape.
– Soak in cold water for 30 mins: Soaking removes excess starch from the potatoes for better texture.
– Pat dry thoroughly: Make sure potatoes are very dry before air frying. Wet potatoes won’t get as crispy.
– Toss with 1-2 Tbsp oil: Coat fries all over with a thin layer of high heat oil like avocado or canola oil.
– Season as desired: At this stage, you can sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, or other seasonings.
Properly prepping the potatoes ensures they fry up extra crispy and delicious. Now let’s get to air frying!
Air Fryer Settings
Here are the exact GE Profile oven air fry mode settings to use for french fries:
| Air Fry Temperature | 400°F |
| Air Fry Time | 18-22 minutes (flip halfway) |
| Oven Rack Position | Middle or Lower Third |
– 400°F temperature is ideal for achieving a nice crispy exterior on the fries.
– 18-22 minutes gives time for the insides to fully cook through. Flip the fries halfway for even browning.
– Middle or lower rack position ensures the hot air circulates best around the fries for crisping.
You can adjust the exact time based on the thickness of your fries and how crispy you prefer them.
Some models also have an “Air Fry” button you simply press to bring up pre-programmed settings. Check your oven’s manual for specific instructions.
Step-By-Step Air Fry Instructions
Follow these simple step-by-step instructions for air frying french fries in your GE Profile oven:
1. Cut potatoes into fry shapes, soak, dry, and toss with 1-2 Tbsp oil as outlined in the prepping section above. Spread seasoned fries out in a single layer on a wire baking rack set on a sheet pan.
2. If your oven doesn’t have a dedicated air fry button, manually set the temperature to 400°F and the bake mode. Preheating is optional.
3. Place fries in the oven on a middle or lower rack. Immediately set the timer for 10 minutes.
4. After 10 minutes, carefully remove fries from the oven. Flip the fries using tongs. Return to the oven.
5. Set the timer for an additional 8-12 minutes depending on desired level of doneness. Fries should come out crispy and golden brown.
6. Remove fries from the oven and season again if desired. Enjoy immediately for warm, crispy french fries!
Tips to get ideal french fry texture:
– Use freshly cut potatoes – don’t soak them too far in advance.
– Make sure fries are fully dry after soaking and oiling.
– Flip halfway to promote even browning.
– Add a few minutes for very thick cut fries.
Serving and Seasoning Your Air Fried Fries
The great thing about air fried french fries is that they come out crispy and delicious all on their own without heavy seasoning. But you can certainly take them to the next level with any of these seasoning ideas:
– Salt and pepper: Keep it simple with just a dash of salt and ground pepper.
– Garlic parmesan: Toss hot fries with minced garlic, parmesan, salt, and parsley.
– Spicy chipotle: Sprinkle with smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne.
– Ranch: Shake on dried ranch seasoning blend and serve with ranch dip.
– Cajun: Coat with Cajun seasoning for a taste of New Orleans.
– Chili and cheese: Top with chili and shredded cheddar for fully loaded fries.
– Herb seasoning: An all-purpose blend of dried herbs like rosemary, oregano, and thyme.
Get creative mixing up the seasonings and drizzles to give your air fried french fries fun new flavors!
Cleaning Your Oven After Air Frying
One last important step after you indulge in delicious air fried fries is to clean your GE Profile oven. Here are some tips:
– Wipe down the interior walls and racks with a clean damp cloth to remove any grease splatter.
– Use hot soapy water or baking soda and vinegar to tackle stuck-on food debris.
– For stubborn browned bits, let the oven run a self-cleaning cycle to burn them away.
– Avoid abrasive scouring pads or cleaners which can ruin the oven’s finish.
– Check that the convection fan isn’t obstructed by food particles.
Keeping your oven clean ensures the air fry function continues circulating hot air optimally for crispy results!
Conclusion
Enjoying golden, crispy french fries cooked to perfection in your own oven is totally possible thanks to GE Profile’s air fry mode. Just slice some potatoes into fries, soak, dry, coat in oil, and cook at 400°F for 18-22 minutes flipping halfway. Adjust timing as needed based on thickness. Season with your favorite spices, herb blends, cheeses, or drizzles.
With a little practice, you’ll be able to make fries that are just as delicious as your favorite restaurants. Your GE Profile oven lets you skip the deep fryer for fries that are crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and healthier overall.