Saratoga Chips

Instructions

1. Peel potatoes and slice potatoes on a mandolin using the narrowest setting.
2. Place sliced potatoes into plenty of cold salted water and swish them around to separate the potato pieces and rinse off the excess starch. Allow to soak for 30 minutes.
3. Use a salad spinner to remove moisture from potatoes, also patting them dry with clean toweling. It is very important that they be dry. Wet slices will cause the oil to pop and possibly burn you.
4. Heat peanut oil in a Dutch oven to 375°F. no more than half way full. I use a candy thermometer with a clip.
5. Add potatoes in small batches, dropping them one at a time into the oil so they do not clump and swish around using a spider until they lightly brown, pressing them with the spider to get them to curve, removing ones that brown early before the others (I think residual starch causes this). The oil should cackle like birds when you put the potatoes in, if they spit oil they are too wet; they will quieten slightly when they are about done. Keep a splatter guard nearby to protect yourself in case the oil pops.
6. Drain cooked chips on paper toweling and season with salt or other spices.
7. Repeat with more potatoes until you have them all done, depending how many you do. Always make sure the oil heated back up to 375 before adding more or they will be greasy.