How to Make Potato Chips

• Also try: Potato Chips

Introduction

• While the invention of the modern Potato Chip is usually credited to a mid-19th century chef named George Crum, it wasn't until the mid-1950s that potato chips became one of the most popular snack foods in America. While it may be easy to pick up a bag of chips at your local convenience store, most people don't realize that it's almost as easy to make your own homemade potato chips. Whether you bake them, fry them or microwave them, homemade potato chips are a delicious snack for the whole family.

What You'll Need

CC photo by Gail Fisher

Preparation

1. Wash your potatoes thoroughly with cold water and dry them with a paper towel.
2. Peel the potatoes using a potato peeler (Optional).
3. Cut the potatoes into thin slices using either a sharp kitchen knife or a mandoline.
4. Coat the potato slices with oil by hand or with a sauce brush.
5. Sprinkle them with salt or other seasonings to taste.

Making Potato Chips

• How you cook your potato chips depends on a number of different things: what equipment you have available, how much time you want to take, and what kind of potato chips you like. In general, deep-fried potato chips turn out crispier and more oily, while baked potato chips are often drier and crunchier. Microwaved potato chips, while still good, are often made by people who want their potato chips quickly.

Baked

1. Pre-heat your oven to around 400 degrees F.
2. Place the potato chips on a baking tray (evenly spaced out).
3. Bake the potato chips for 10 - 15 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy.
4. Flip them over halfway through the baking.
5. Take them out of the oven, let them cool off, and serve.

Deep Fried

1. Pour 2 cups of oil into a frying pan and heat to 350 degrees F.
2. Add 3 - 4 potato slices at a time to frying pan and cook for 2 - 3 minutes or until the chips are firm and browned.
3. Remove the chips from the frying pan and let them dry out on a paper towel.
4. Repeat this process for all of the potato slices that you've cut.
5. Sprinkle with additional salt or seasonings to taste.

Microwaved

1. Spread out your potato slices in a single layer on a large microwaveable plate.
2. Cook on high for about 3 - 5 minutes (or until your chips are properly browned).
3. Set them aside to cool and repeat the process for the rest of your potato slices.
4. Sprinkle additional salt and seasonings to taste.

Potato Chip Tips & Tricks

•   In general, the thinner you cut your potato slices, the shorter the time you will need to cook them. Most potato chips are about 2 millimeters thick.
•   For added flavor, try sprinkling the chips with some cheese or melting it on in the oven.
•   Deep fried oil can get extremely hot and can cause severe burns if it gets in contact with your skin. Make sure to be extremely careful not to let oil splatter out of the frying pan.
•   Do not pour deep fried oil down the drain; this can block your plumbing. To dispose of your oil safely, place it in a sealed, non-recyclable container and put it in the garbage.
•   As you probably already know, potato chips aren't exactly good for you. Make sure to enjoy them in moderation.

Resources for How to Make Potato Chips

• All Recipes: Potato Chips
• Food Network: Potato Chips
• WikiHow: How to Make Potato Chips
• Who Cooked That Up?: Potato Chips
• Simply Recipes: Oven-Fried Potato Chips Recipe
• Instructables: How to Make Potato Chips With a Microwave!

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