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Duck Fat Fries

Savor the rich flavor of hand-cut duck fat fries. These gourmet twists on the classic favorite are velvety on the inside with an exterior crunch that won’t quit.

French fries hit the spot no matter the type you choose or how they’re prepared. However, duck fat french fries have a permanent place at the top of the list. The impact duck fat has on potatoes is profound. The flavor and aroma that duck fat imparts are unmatched. Duck fat’s flavor is best described as rich and slightly sweet, while its aroma is mild and reminiscent of roasted duck.

Easy Duck Fat Fries Recipe

Why You’ll Love Duck Fat Fries

Super crispy – The method used in this recipe activates the starch in the potatoes before they go into hot oil for the crispiest result. That starch not only helps achieve crispy fries that are downright fluffy on the inside, but they stay that way!

Great flavor – They’re sweet, savory, rich, fatty, and so much more than regular french fries. Duck fat fries hit all the marks.

Simple process – All the fries require is a brief boil, then a double fry.

Gateway to a gourmet meal – I don’t know about you, but anything duck is synonymous with gourmet cooking, in my opinion. It’s an ingredient that should be cooked with care and attention, plus it’s a pricier protein. Furthermore, it isn’t something on the weekly rotation in most households. Now, this recipe only calls for duck fat (we used a jar of Epic rendered duck fat), but the best way to obtain that fat is by rendering it from duck breasts or a whole duck, which can then be served with the fries. Duck with a side of duck fat fries sounds pretty gourmet to me!

Duck Fat Fries Ingredients Notes

Duck fat fries require just three simple ingredients. Although a bit of parsley and Parmesan are also recommended for that extra special touch, they are entirely optional. As for the three simple ingredients, they include:

  • Duck fat: If you have the extra time (and duck) on hand, you can render the fat yourself. If not, duck fat can be purchased in jars, much like beef tallow and lard. If you buy it, check the label to ensure the only ingredient listed is rendered duck fat.
  • Potatoes: Russet potatoes are best for French fries because of their high starch content. They are also denser and have the least amount of moisture, making them ideal for frying.
  • Salt: Skip the iodized table salt and go with kosher salt or sea salt instead. They offer a much better flavor and add a light, crisp texture.

Refer to the duck fat fries recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients with precise measurements.

Cooking French Fries with Duck Fat

How to Make Duck Fat Fries

  1. Cut the potatoes: You can cut them into ¼ inch to ½ inch thick fries. The choice is yours. For smaller ¼ inch fries, trim the ends and sides to square off each potato and cut the potato into ¼-inch thick planks, then cut into batons. If you want larger fries, depending on the size of the potatoes you’re using, you may be able to get away with cutting the potatoes in half and then cutting them into batons. You don’t have to square off the potatoes, but it enhances presentation for a more uniform result.
  2. Rinse and drain: Transfer the potatoes to a bowl of water after cutting, rinse them again, and drain once more to wash away some of the starch.
  3. Boil: Transfer the potatoes to a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Once the water starts to boil, set a timer for 5 minutes. It’s essential to start the timer as soon as the water begins to boil, as cooking too long will cause the potatoes to fall apart. In turn, you’ll have to settle for mashed potatoes instead of duck fat fries. Note that if your fries are thin, you may want to reduce the cook time to avoid overcooking.
  4. Fry once: After you drain the batons and dry them, fry them in duck fat heated to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the first fry is complete, transfer them to paper towels to drain excess fat.
  5. Fry again: This time, heat the fat to 350 degrees and fry until golden, which will only take a minute or two.
  6. Salt and serve: Transfer the fries to a paper towel-lined plate or platter to drain excess fat, then season with salt. At this stage, you can also add parsley and Parmesan if you wish. Duck fat fries can certainly stand alone, but parsley and Parmesan make them even better.
Duck Fat French Fries Recipe

Variations, Substitutions, and Cooking Tips

No duck fat? – You can use any cooking fat (lard, goose fat, tallow etc.) or vegetable or canola oil. However, neutral oil will not add any flavor to the fries. Better alternatives include beef tallow, lard, or bacon fat.

Use a thermometer – It is the only way to heat the duck fat, or any cooking fat, to the correct temperature. Otherwise, you may run into various issues, like oily fries if the oil isn’t hot enough or fries with a burned, bitter flavor if the oil is too hot.

Don’t overcrowd the pan – It’s important to fry duck fat fries (or any fries) in batches to avoid overcrowding, as this increases the time needed to get them crispy and causes the fries to steam and fall apart instead of getting crisp and golden.

Check the temperature between batches – After you remove the initial batch, you’ll have to bring the oil up to temperature before the second batch goes in.

Store fries in a warm oven – Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and place the first batch of fries in the oven to keep them warm.

Reuse Leftover Duck Fat – Similar to all cooking fats and oils, there is no need to dispose of the duck fat after use; in fact, you can reuse it many times. Simply strain the cooled but still liquid duck fat through a cheesecloth or paper coffee filter into a clean glass jar and refrigerate until you reuse it. Before reusing, check the oil for any unusual smell or color, and dispose of it, if necessary, it will degrade over time and use.

Easy Duck Fat Fries Recipe

Duck Fat Fries

Yield: 2 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Savor the rich flavor of hand-cut duck fat fries. These gourmet twists on the classic favorite are velvety on the inside with an exterior crunch that won’t quit.

Ingredients

  • 2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed
  • 3 cups duck fat
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

    1. Cut the potatoes into ¼ inch to ½ inch thick batons. You can peel the potatoes or keep the skin intact.
    2. Transfer the potatoes to a pot and cover with water.
    3. Bring the water to a boil.
    4. As soon as the water starts boiling, set a timer for 5 minutes.
    5. Drain and thoroughly dry the batons as soon as the 5 minutes are up.
    6. Melt the duck fat in a heavy-bottomed pan with high sides over medium heat. Increase the heat to medium-high once the fat is melted.
    7. Heat the fat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and transfer the potatoes to the pan.
    8. In two batches, fry the potatoes for 6 minutes or until they are tender, then transfer them to paper towels to drain excess fat. You’ll notice that they don’t make much progress in terms of browning at this point, which is what you want.
    9. Allow the fries to cool slightly.
    10. Heat the duck fat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and, in two batches, fry the potatoes for 1-2 minutes or until they are crispy and golden brown.
    11. Transfer them to paper towels to drain excess fat, sprinkle with salt and parmesan while they are still hot, and serve. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Notes

Tip: To keep fries warm, preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. This way, you can keep the first batch of fries hot while the second batch goes into the skillet for the second (and last) fry.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 565Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 302mgCarbohydrates: 65gFiber: 7gSugar: 3gProtein: 10g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.

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Monique McArthur
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