When it comes to making French fries at home, having the right tools can make a big difference in getting perfectly crisp and delicious fries. One of the most useful tools for French fry making is a food processor with various discs and blades that can uniformly cut potatoes into fry shapes and sizes.
What is a food processor?
A food processor is an electric kitchen appliance used for chopping, mixing, pureeing, and otherwise processing or preparing food. Food processors typically consist of a base which houses a motor, a work bowl which sits on top of the base, and various discs and blades that can be attached to the stem to perform different food prep tasks.
Common food processor blades include:
- An S-shaped chopping/mixing blade
- A dough blade for kneading dough
- Various shredding and slicing discs
Food processors are versatile kitchen tools that can chop vegetables, knead dough, grate cheese, blend sauces, and complete many other food prep tasks. Many models also include specialized discs for tasks like making French fries.
Benefits of using a food processor for French fries
There are several advantages to using a food processor to cut French fries at home:
- Uniform sizing: Food processor slicing discs cut potatoes into perfectly even fry shapes. This ensures the fries will cook evenly.
- Speed: A food processor can slice multiple potatoes into fries in just seconds, much faster than hand cutting.
- Less waste: The precision of food processor blades produces more usable fries vs. hand cutting.
- Safety: The blades are covered during use reducing the risk of cutting yourself.
The uniformity of size and shape is one of the biggest perks for making French fries in the food processor. When the fries are all the same thickness, they will cook at the same rate and develop that ideal crispy exterior and fluffy interior.
Types of food processor French fry discs
There are a few common types of discs that food processors use for cutting fries:
- Waffle/crinkle cut disc: Cuts potatoes into crinkle cut fries with grooved edges.
- Straight/regular cut disc: Slices potatoes into standard straight cut fry strips.
- Wedge cutting disc: Cuts potatoes into wedge shapes.
- Crinkle combo disc: Makes crinkle and regular cuts.
The most popular option for French fries is the standard straight cut disc. But the crinkle cut and wedge discs can add some fun variety. Discs are often dishwasher safe for fast and easy cleanup after use.
Are there food processors specifically for French fries?
There are a handful of food processors on the market that are specially designed for French fry making:
Cuisinart 2-in-1 Mandoline/Fry Cutter
This 2-in-1 tool from Cuisinart functions as both a mandoline slicer and a French fry cutter. It comes with interchangeable discs for making straight, crinkle, and wedge cuts. The slicer handle folds down to become a manual French fry press.
Ninja Foodi French Fry & Veggie Cutter Attachment
Ninja’s Foodi line offers this handy attachment that can be added to their 6.5 quart bowl food processor base. The attachment dices potatoes with 45% less waste compared to hand cut fries.
Philips Avance Collection French Fry Cutter
Philips makes this compact electric fry cutter with removable grids for straight and crinkle cut fries. It has a 2.2 lb/minute capacity and dishwasher safe parts.
Dash 2-in-1 Mandoline & French Fry Cutter
Another 2-in-1 option, the Dash tool converts between a mandoline for slicing and fry cutter. It comes with 5 thickness settings and has convenient finger guards for safety.
All these tools are designed to take the guesswork and hassle out of prepping perfect French fries.
Other helpful French fry tools
In addition to a food processor with a fry cutting disc, some other handy tools for French fry making include:
- Potato ricer or food mill – For mashing cooked potatoes before shaping into fries.
- Deep fry thermometer – Helps maintain ideal oil temperature for frying.
- Fry basket – Holds fries contained during deep frying.
- Cooling racks – Allow fries to drain after frying.
Quality ingredients like high starch potatoes and frying oil with a high smoke point (like peanut or canola oil) are also essential for delicious homemade fries.
Food processor tips for the best French fries
Follow these tips when using a food processor for French fries:
- Choose starchy potatoes like Russets, Yukon Gold, or Kennebecs.
- Cut potatoes into even-sized chunks before processing.
- Rinse cut potatoes in cold water to remove excess starch.
- Pat fries dry before frying to improve crispiness.
- Use hot oil around 325-375°F for frying and fry in small batches.
- Fry the fries twice for maximum crispness.
With the right prep and frying technique, a food processor can help you achieve perfect home-made French fries. The uniform cutting consistency allows for fast, efficient, and tasty results.
Top rated food processors for French fries
Based on buyer reviews and product specifications, here are 5 top food processors for French fry prep:
| Brand & Model | Capacity | Discs Included | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cuisinart DFP-14BCWNY | 14 Cup | Shredding, Slicing | 4.7 / 5 |
| Breville Sous Chef BFP800XL | 16 Cup | Julienne, Fries | 4.7 / 5 |
| Ninja BL770 Mega Kitchen | 9 Cup | Crinkle Cut | 4.8 / 5 |
| Braun FP3020 12 Cup | 12 Cup | Shredding, Slicing | 4.7 / 5 |
| Hamilton Beach 70730 Bowl Scraper | 10 Cup | Julienne, Shredding | 4.6 / 5 |
Are food processor fries as good as deep fried?
Food processors can produce high quality French fries, but deep frying gives the best texture. The hot oil cooks the potatoes from the outside-in, yielding a crisp outer crust and fluffy interior that’s hard to replicate with other cooking methods. However, air fryer and oven “baked” fries can still come close when starting with food processor prepped potatoes.
Advantages of deep fried French fries:
- Crispy, golden brown exterior
- Fluffy, moist interior
- Can be fried twice for extra crispiness
- Hot oil cooks quickly
Downsides of deep frying:
- Requires a lot of oil
- Potatoes soak up excess oil
- Risk of burns from hot oil
- Requires closely monitoring temperature
- Can affect flavor of oil with repeated use
For the perfect French fry texture, deep frying still can’t be beat. But air frying or baking can make a healthier version that’s almost as good.
Conclusion
Using a food processor to cut French fries can majorly streamline preparation. With the ability to uniformly slice potatoes into perfect fry sizes and shapes, food processors eliminate a lot of the work and mess of hand cutting. Specialized fry cutting discs provide straight, crinkle, or wedge cuts for classic and fun fry styles. Top rated models from brands like Cuisinart, Braun, and Ninja have the capacity, power, and accessories to crank out piles of prepped fries ready for cooking to crispy perfection.