Chips are the perfect accompaniment to countless meals. While you only need a handful of potatoes and some seasoning to prepare your own, time isn’t always on your side, making frozen chips the perfect solution.
Many of us likely have a packet stored in the freezer at this very moment, but one frequent challenge with frozen chips is achieving the perfect cook. They often end up either limp, pale and soggy, or completely charred and overcooked. Nevertheless, one specialist has shared the secret to achieving crispy, golden chips every single time – and it requires a straightforward step before placing them in the oven, previously reported by the Express.
Michael Forbes, Kitchen Expert at AEG, shares advice to help home cooks get the most out of their appliances and achieve great results. Occasionally it’s not your method that’s at fault, but the preparation itself — and this also applies to chips.
Since most supermarket varieties of frozen chips have been deep-fried before freezing, you simply need to warm them through in the oven before serving. However, the steam released from the chips can leave them soggy, particularly when they’re packed on a small tray too closely together.
Beyond keeping them evenly spread and uniform, one recommendation from Michael guarantees a crispy outcome every time. According to the specialist, preheating your oven and oven tray is absolutely essential when cooking chips, and it shouldn’t be ignored.
Michael explained: “Straight from the freezer into a hot tray means an instant hit of heat – helping the outside to crisp up quickly instead of slowly steaming.”
The tray doesn’t require prolonged heating, as 10 to 15 minutes should do. However, this swift method ensures the chips begin cooking immediately upon contact with the tray, delivering a considerably crispier texture when removed from the oven.
Regarding salt, hold off on seasoning until after they’ve finished cooking. Salt draws out moisture, so applying it beforehand can generate dampness on the surface, which undermines efforts to achieve that desirable crispy finish.
He continued: “Seasoning afterwards, also helps maximise flavour, as the salt, herbs and spices cling to the hot chips and sit nicely on the surface, giving more flavour in every bite. So if you’re feeling peckish and after a quick meal why not try out this simple technique to achieve golden, crispy oven chips each time.
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