How to make chip shop chips?

basmic · 3 Sep 2006 at 14:59

My local chippy uses fresh spuds.

I recall awing at a machine that they put potatoes through, and it peeled and sliced the potatoes for them. :eek:

jamoor · 3 Sep 2006 at 15:46

ok,
I am gonig to get maris pipers, peel, cut and then chuck em in the fryer, I saw a chippy once with potatoes/chips in water is that to clean them or something else?

GSXRMovistar · 3 Sep 2006 at 15:48

jamoor said:
which potatoes are best?

Depends on time of year.

Mark A · 3 Sep 2006 at 15:57

I think i must be one of the only people who hate home made chips, they taste rank. "Get a potato, peel it, get a knife, chop the potato up into chunky chips" wont make chippy chips so it isn't easy really.

I know some use Maris Piper spuds as i saw a big delivery van unloading bags of the things at chippy not far from me. I think the secret is also in the oil and temp of the oil as said, if you put chips into oil that isn't hot enough you will get greasy chips not crispy light ones as found in good chippies. Plus i think there is something in the oil as if you look closely at a chip from a chippy there are tiny black specs on it.

Mark A · 3 Sep 2006 at 15:58

jamoor said:
ok,
I am gonig to get maris pipers, peel, cut and then chuck em in the fryer, I saw a chippy once with potatoes/chips in water is that to clean them or something else?

I think they put them in water to stop them turning brown, as they turn brown when exposed to air iirc.

GSXRMovistar · 3 Sep 2006 at 16:00

Mark A said:
I think they put them in water to stop them turning brown, as they turn brown when exposed to air iirc.

Yep.

GoldenGlory · 3 Sep 2006 at 16:15

Mark A said:
I think they put them in water to stop them turning brown, as they turn brown when exposed to air iirc.

They oxidise with air and spoil.

wez130 · 3 Sep 2006 at 17:07

Cybermyk said:
I use Maris Piper or Desiree and I pre-fry them at around 160c til soft then re fry them at 180c to crisp them up. I use veg oil as my eldest is vegetarian.

close, we (royal oak in gt Ayton - you might know it) 'blanch' them at around 140c, allow to cool right down then re-fry at 190c. They are easily the best chips around (IMO)

"andy" · 3 Sep 2006 at 17:20

have had chips there before where not bad

small world lol

to taste like our old local chippys chips youd have to leave the spuds in a plastic bin round the back of the shop and let chavs **** in it

infact ive never even tasted them for said reason

Lopéz · 3 Sep 2006 at 18:00

1) Maris Piper. Big ones

2) Vegetable oil - the solid stuff that looks like lard and melts into liquid when warmed. Northern chippies use dripping etc but this is slowly being curtailed these days.

3) Oil at 175 ish is best, much higher than that and you end up crisping the outside of the chip giving a cooked appearance but are left with hard centred chips. Like ones you get from crap chip vans

4) Lob em in the oil and like malc said it should go beserk. When they float they are basically done. Check by picking one out and pinching it between finger and thumb, it should be soft and fluffly inside.

5) The water is to stop them going pink/brown. It's caused by the starch IIRC. Chips will never cook "golden brown" unless the oil is old and/or dirty if you are using veg oil. They'll be a light gold.

We used to use a rumbler and a chipper like Gurdas mentioned. We'd do a few barrels and let them sit in water ready for the night shift.

jcb33 · 3 Sep 2006 at 18:14

SherberT* said:
Get a potato, peel it, get a knife, chop the potato up into chunky chips.

Deep fry.

Not 'ard is it?

They taste great, but they taste nothing like chip shop chips... tho tbh i prefer home made chips on a good bit of buttered bread

malc30 said:
Use real potatoes like King Edwards. Peel them and chip them Fat.
Make sure your fat is as hot as you can safely get it and sling 1 chip in. If the fat don't go mental it's not hot enouth and wait. Try again, once you get the mental reaction then put chips in carefully.
Leave them to go mental and only move basket about once or twice don't go stirring or messing with them.
Open a newspaper centre spread, take chips out shake like a mad man and Throw them on the newspaper, kitchen towel if you are a Wooooss.
Then cover them in Vinegar and Salt.
Good chips don't need anything more than Salt and Vinegar on them. Any chips that need ketchup are crap.

Reminds me of the good ole days, Chips in Newspaper taste great, then it became illegal to put them in and they started giving us white paper :eek:

Mark A · 3 Sep 2006 at 18:38

jcb33 said:
Reminds me of the good ole days, Chips in Newspaper taste great, then it became illegal to put them in and they started giving us white paper

Really?

why?.

csmager · 3 Sep 2006 at 18:40

Mark A said:
Really? why?.

The Ink, iirc.

singist · 3 Sep 2006 at 19:02

Ok, if you have cut your chips ......

DRY THEM on kitchen towel.

Saucepan NO MORE than 1/3 full of fat/oil.

Wait until the fat/oil is VERY hot .... close to smoking (dangerous)

Lower the chip basket into the oil/fat and hope it doesn't overflow ( FIRE )

leave for a few mins until soft and "cooked"

remove and dry again (picky)

Let fat/oil heat up to the same temp (hot) and put in again until brown/golden.

TURN OFF FAT/OIL.

Eat and enjoy.

Saytan · 3 Sep 2006 at 19:11

chip shops use a different blend of vinegar. i suspect this goes a long way toward their "unique" flavour

Lopéz · 3 Sep 2006 at 19:14

Saytan said:
chip shops use a different blend of vinegar. i suspect this goes a long way toward their "unique" flavour

Chip shops dilute their own vinegar from non brewed condiment. I hate vinegar.

Third Opinion · 3 Sep 2006 at 19:16

Saytan said:
chip shops use a different blend of vinegar. i suspect this goes a long way toward their "unique" flavour

Correct and a fine grain sea salt.

I think most chippies use frozen chips. As said before it's in the oil and temperature.

Kol · 3 Sep 2006 at 19:17

Third Opinion said:
I think most chippies use frozen chips. As said before it's in the oil and temperature.

Not real chippies. Real chippies use fresh cut chips. Problem is, real chippies appear to becoming more rare.

Lopéz · 3 Sep 2006 at 19:19

Third Opinion said:
Correct and a fine grain sea salt.

I think most chippies use frozen chips. As said before it's in the oil and temperature.

Chip shops do not use frozen chips! Places like Kebab shops and McDonalds use frozen fries.

What is the world coming to!?

RichieUK · 3 Sep 2006 at 19:24

Does anyone else like cold chips? Not the frozen ones they do in fast food places, i mean real chips from the chippy. I have been known to buy 2 bags, eat one for dinner and let the others go cold and have them for dinner the following day, with lots of salt