Category: Side Dishes & Salads

Copycat Freddy’s Fry Seasoning

One of my favorite side dishes to make are crispy homemade French fries. The thin ones. The kind with crunch on the outside and fluffy yummy inside. I like to season my fries with something tasty, something a bit different than salt and pepper or adobo seasoning (actually a big favorite of mine). This copycat Freddy’s fry seasoning is perfect on hot-out-the-fryer fries. I mean like crazy good. The added sweetness and earthiness of the seasoning adds a totally different flavor than if I’d just used salt and pepper. I go heavy on this seasoning, it’s really flavorful!

Copycat Freddy's Fry Seasoning

There’s only one thing I’d do differently next time I make this copycat Freddy’s fry seasoning: make a bunch more. It’s great on burgers. Baked potatoes. Cottage cheese. Just about anywhere that you think you should be using salt and pepper, use this instead.

I didn’t have turmeric on hand the first time I made this. A good substitute is dry mustard, which is what I went with. It’s a perfect replacement. You can also use cumin if you don’t have turmeric, but I’d use a bit less than the recipe calls for for the turmeric.

If I make a big batch of seasoning I like to keep it in these big spice bottles. I use blue painters tape to write the contents on the bottles. The tape comes off easily when if used up the seasoning!

Copycat Freddy's Fry Seasoning
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5 from 1 vote

Copycat Freddy’s Fry Seasoning

Course Seasoning
Cuisine American
Keyword French fry, seasoning
Prep Time 5 minutes
Calories 112kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients.
  • Keep in an air-tight container until ready to use.
  • To serve, sprinkle on freshly-fried or baked fries and toss gently to season evenly.

Nutrition

Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 11634mg | Potassium: 200mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 1970IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Crispy Fries using a Fry Daddy Fryer

This is my go-to method for making a small batch of the best-tasting, crispiest French fries. Making delicious crispy fries using a Fry Daddy Fryer takes just a little bit of time and just a handful of ingredients. The end result is mouth-wateringly good and hard to resist. Most double-fried recipes require two different cooking temperatures. But, you can’t adjust the temperature on a Fry Daddy. Don’t let that worry you. These will be the best fries you’ve made. Or had.

Crispy Fries using a Fry Daddy Fryer

There are two key steps to making sure these crispy fries using the Fry Daddy Fryer come out perfectly. First, make sure you rinse the raw potatoes in cold water and keep rinsing until the water is clear. You want all that starch gone, as if you’re making rice. Second, let the fries come to room temperature (or near it) before the second frying.

The fries will crisp up just a bit more after they come out of the fryer so it’s ok to remove them just before you think they’re like you want them. It’s not critical, but after doing these a time or too you’ll get the timing for what’s best for you. Don’t worry, they’ll be great no matter what!

Crispy Fries using a Fry Daddy Fryer
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5 from 1 vote

Crispy Fries using a Fry Daddy Fryer

Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword deep-fried, fries
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 2148kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 medium Russet potatoes cleaned, peeled if desired
  • 4 cups oil for frying
  • kosher salt or your favorite fry seasoning, to taste

Instructions

  • Fill a large bowl with cold water.
  • Slice the potatoes into thin, 1/8"-1/4" sticks. Try to keep them the same thickness.
  • Place fries into the water. Add more water if needed to keep them full submerged.
  • Add the oil to the fryer and plug it in according to the manufacturer's instructions.
  • Drain the fries. Refill with more cold water. Stir the potatoes. Repeat this step (draining, refilling) until the water is no longer cloudy. This usually just takes me two times.
  • Drain the potatoes well and transfer to a large kitchen towel. Pat dry. Make sure you get them dry or they will splatter when you add them to the hot oil.
  • Working in batches if needed, fry the potatoes until just starting to turn a light brown. You are not cooking them fully, you do not want them to be golden brown yet. Do not over-crowd the fryer.
  • Remove the fries from the fryer using the slotted spoon that comes with the unit. Place on a wire rack over a baking pan to drain. Spread them out evenly.
  • Let the fries cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
  • Working in batches if necessary, return the fries to the fryer and finish cooking them. You want them nice and lightly golden brown. I've found that you can actually crowd the fryer a little more than usual for this step. The fries are mostly cooked, you're just crisping them up and giving them some color so a little extra potatoes in there isn't going to hurt. Just don't over-fill the fryer.
  • Remove the fries to the wire rack again to drain. Season well with salt. I prefer to transfer the fries from the rack to a large bowl, sprinkle them with the salt, and toss to season evenly.
  • Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 2148kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 224g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 63g | Monounsaturated Fat: 142g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 888mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Sweet and Sassy Red Potato Salad

If you put a paper plate loaded with fried chicken and this sweet and sassy red potato salad in front of me I’d honestly go for the potato salad first. And that’s saying a lot, because I love fried chicken almost more than anything. This salad is different, mostly thanks to the addition of pickle juice in the dressing. That pickle edge take this dish from great to amazing.

Sweet and Sassy Red Potato Salad

This sweet and sassy red potato salad would be the perfect side dish for a family get together, potluck, or just a good old fashioned picnic. It travels well and tastes amazing. It’s perfect cold, and just as good (if not a tad better) served warm. You can’t go wrong with it.

I recently discovered Blue Plate mayonnaise, which I think is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

I don’t like to boil my potatoes when making potato salad. I don’t like them little taters rolling around in the hot water, bumping each other, scraping each other’s skin off (yikes, that sounds even worse than I thought). Instead, I prefer to steam them. So I load up a steam basket, put it above a pot of slowly boiling water, and let it steam until the potatoes are just tender. The skins are left perfectly intact.

Sweet and Sassy Red Potato Salad
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5 from 1 vote

Sweet and Sassy Red Potato Salad

If you put a paper plate loaded with fried chicken and this sweet and sassy potato salad in front of me I'd honestly go for the potato salad first.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword potato salad, spicy, sweet
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 177kcal

Ingredients

For the salad

  • 2 pounds small red potatoes
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup sweet pickles chopped fine
  • ½ cup sweet onions chopped fine
  • ¼ cup celery chopped fine
  • ¼ cup fresh chives chopped fine, divided

For the dressing

Instructions

For the salad

  • Steam or boil the potatoes until done. I prefer steaming them because it keeps the skins intact. Do not peel. Let the potatoes cool and cut into quarters.
  • Meanwhile, hard-boil and peel the eggs. Chop fine.
  • In a large bowl, gently combine the potato quarters, pickles, eggs, onion, celery and most of the chives (reserving some for garnish later).
  • Prepare the dressing (see below) and pour over the potato mixture. Gently stir with a spatula.
  • Serve warm or refrigerate for at least an hour if serving cold. Serve garnished with remaining chives.

For the dressing

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayo, Dijon, pickle juice, and vinegar.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste and stir.
  • If the dressing is too thick add a bit more pickle juice and stir.

Nutrition

Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 413mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 227IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.