Crispy Fried Potatoes
Southern fried potatoes, slightly charred with a crispy golden crust on the outside and meltingly tender and buttery on the inside are delicious as breakfast potatoes or an easy side dish anytime!
Ingredients
- 6 - 8 large potatoes (peeled (or not) and sliced about 1/4-inch thick)
- 1 sweet onion (optional)
- 1 clove garlic (optional)
- 1 bell pepper (optional - green, red, poblano, jalapeno, all of them - you decide)
- salt to taste (I prefer kosher salt)
- black pepper to taste (I prefer coarse ground pepper)
- 1/4 cup peanut oil (light vegetable oil will work if there are allergy issues)
- 2 tablespoons butter
Directions
- 1
Peel and slice (or cube) potatoes. You can also leave them unpeeled - just wash well.
- 2
Let soak for 5-10 minutes in ice water in a large mixing bowl. You may skip this step if you like.
- 3
Drain well and pat dry - make sure they are VERY dry!
- 4
Heat 1/4 cup peanut oil in a large skillet on medium high heat until it's shimmering and almost smoking.
- 5
Add potatoes and let fry for about 2 minutes or until they start to get golden on the bottom.
- 6
Cover the pan and reduce heat to medium. Allow to steam for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- 7
Remove cover and turn the heat back up to medium high. Flip the potatoes. Fry for a minute or two, or until the bottom layer begins to get golden.
- 8
Dump the pan of potatoes into a colander over the sink to remove excess oil and moisture. Blot with a paper towel and return them to the pan on medium heat.
- 9
Add the onion and peppers plus any seasonings you'd like on your potatoes.
- 10
Saute, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and done. Do not cover at this stage of frying because they will get soggy!
- 11
Add the butter at the very end of cooking.
- 12
Taste for seasoning and serve hot with plenty of cracked black pepper.