Oven chips are a household favourite in the UK. They’re quick and easy and can be chucked in the oven for 20 minutes and served alongside steak, fish and chicken for a hearty midweek meal. However, I’m sure I’m not the only person who has ended up with soggy and wet oven chips, even after following the cooking instructions to the letter. There are several reasons why chips don’t turn crisp, but improper storage and moisture absorption are two of the primary ones.
Determined to find a quick and easy method for crisping up my chips without deep frying or spending hours peeling potatoes, I turned to social media. One cooking hack that caught my eye was from Joshua Weissman, a cook, content creator, and cookbook author.
The hack involves using oven chips, a microwave and an air fryer to create the “crunchiest air fryer French fries ever”.
Mr Weissman says in the video: “These are the crunchiest air fryer French fries ever.”
All you need is a frozen bag of thick cut chips, some water, a microwave and an air fryer.
The overall result was crispy chips that didn’t taste soggy or soft. With a generous sprinkling of salt, they tasted similar to chips from Wetherspoon.
The only change I’d make next time is buying steak cut, good quality frozen chips. My Aldi frozen chips didn’t have the best flavour or texture.
How to make ‘the crunchiest’ chips
You will need:
- Frozen thick chips (enough for 1 portion)
- A cup of water
- Microwave
- Air fryer
- Salt
Method:
1. Put a portion of your frozen chips into a microwave container and cover them with water for 30 seconds.
2. Drain off the water, cover them with a lid and shake them aggressively until they look fluffed up.
3. Next, microwave them with the lid on for five minutes.
4. Pop them in the air fryer at 200°C for 15 minutes.
5. Shake them halfway through cooking.
6. Once cooked, add them to a bowl and season them. Optionally, you can add some melted beef fat.
