Chicken – How to make flavoured salt for potato chips

Here is an excellent recipe by the guys over at Cooking Issues (and also a follow up report) with almost everything you'd ever want to know about chips. That first recipe is supposedly good even after they've cooled off:

Our standard fries are good even when cold.

Another option is to cook a lot of chips but stop after their first frying and freeze them; when you want to eat them, simply put the frozen chips into the fryer for the second frying. This also has added benefits:

Freezing acts like partial dehydration. When the frozen fries are finished, they liberate water freely, leading to rapid dehydration and good crust formation with a porous interior. Pre-frozen fries are crunchier than fresh and stay crisper longer after they are fried, but they tend toward hollow fry.

Speaking as a Brit - we are a nation of chip lovers :)

1. Use an oil which can cope with the high temperature such as groundnut. For that proper chip experience (* heart attack alert *) add some beef dripping or lard. I add a small amount to give the chips a nice flavour.

2. Whilst heating the oil regulary dip a chip in the oil. When it starts to bubble then it's time to cook. If the oil is too cold the chips will absorb it and they'll go soggy. (This is easier to achieve with a traditional chip pan or I prefer a deep saucepan).

3. For the perfect chip the potato variety is important but this is personal taste. Last seasons reds will make dark delicious chips but I prefer new potatoes which make a crisper lighter coloured chip. (The potato variety also affects the colour when cooked).

4. Finally, drain on kitchen paper and a sprinkle of salt.