When making french fries or other roasted vegetables in the oven, recipes often direct cooks to flip the food halfway through roasting, or sometimes a few times throughout the cooking duration. The reason is to ensure the vegetables are evenly cooked and browned.
“You dont want one side of your vegetables to be super dark, and the other sides to have no color,” said chef and food writer Alison Roman (via Bon Appetit). Roman advises roasting veggies at a high temperature for 35 to 45 minutes, and giving them one or two stirs throughout the process.
It can be tricky to remember the flip, though, especially if you set your timer for the full time the food needs to cook — rather than the halfway point. Thankfully, if you preheat the baking sheet in the oven, you can avoid the halfway flip altogether, thus avoiding the unevenly cooked veggies through a convenient trick.
Bake at 425° F for 25-30 minutes, until they are golden brown and crispy. You do not need to flip the fries during the bake time.
Preheat the baking sheet in the oven
Stick your baking sheet in the oven while it is preheating. Once the oven is up to temperature, remove the baking sheet, add your vegetables and oil, and roast. Simple, right? The trick may even speed up cooking times since the food will start roasting as soon as it hits the baking sheet.
Preheating the baking sheet in the oven can prevent uneven cooking due to hot spots. “Every oven is different and has hot spots, which are areas that heat up faster than others,” says food writer Valerie Li (via USA Today.) “To prevent the hot spots from unevenly cooking your food, you should always preheat the pan or baking sheet.”
The trick may eliminate the need to flip your food. However, there are exceptions to every rule. Some recipes, like Tyler Florences oven fries, specifically call for tossing food periodically to get an even crust on every bite — even on a preheated baking sheet.
When baking, you should not preheat the cookie sheet, since exact times and temperatures are crucial, and things like cookie dough could stick to hot sheets. You should also obey baking recipes when they direct you to rotate the pan or switch it between oven racks. These directions are often to make sure desserts bake evenly in the oven, without certain sections over-baking or drying out because of hot spots.
Oven Baked Fries | How to Make Crispy French Fries in the Oven
FAQ
Should you flip fries in the oven?
Do you need to flip in the oven?
Why are my fries soggy in the oven?
Should you flip frozen fries?
How to make crispy baked oven fries at home?
YUM! Making crispy baked oven fries at home is easy. First, peel the potatoes and cut them in wedges. Next, soak the potato wedges in warm water for 30 minutes. Then, brush a baking sheet with oil and spring it with salt and pepper. Place the potato wedges on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
Are sweet potato fries better than regular fries?
Sweet potato fries are very similar to regular fries. Both are not the healthiest option to choose from. They are fried, and potatoes are high in carbohydrates.
What should I put in my oven Fries?
I prefer russet potatoes for this recipe. extra virgin olive oil – you can also use another cooking oil if you prefer. Parmesan cheese – grated or shaved, the Parmesan cheese can be tossed with the hot fries after baking. Totally optional. fresh parsley – this is optional along with the Parmesan cheese but adds a lovely freshness to the oven fries.
How long do you cook fried Fries in the oven?
Lining the pan is critical- otherwise the crispy part may end up sticking. Bake for 10 minutes then remove from the oven. Use a spatula or tongs and flip each fry over. Return baking sheet to oven for 5-10 minutes until fries are crispy! 3. Bake for 15-20 minutes and serve hot! If using the rack method, rotate the pan 180 degrees after 10 minutes.