Monday, February 26, 2007

Homemade Homefries – Deliciously Redundant!

There are many reasons to go out for breakfast or brunch on the weekend. Maybe it’s a break from the daily routine, maybe it’s the Mimosas (when else can you start drinking before noon and feel good about it), or maybe it’s the Homefries. Let’s face it, those crusty, crunchy, hot-off-the-grill potatoes that come with your omelet are a pretty good reason alone to venture out.

Very few of us can duplicate those at home. When most of us try to make Homefries, we just don’t get the same results. They look the same; they’re golden-brown and cooked all the way through, but they just don’t have that beautiful crusty/crispy texture. In this demo you’ll see why. The key is pre-cooking the potatoes in water first, and then frying. By the way, this is my mom’s very basic recipe, and you can of course dress it up with diced peppers, mushrooms, onions, etc.




2 large russet potatoes
3 tbl olive oil
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1-3 cloves garlic
1 tbl cold butter

27 comments:

www.ifoods.tv said...

Just came across your site by accident and it would seem that we are in competiton!!We both seem to being trying to teach people how to cook! I love your clear and consise explanations! Must say have learnt a thing or two from you! No reason why we can't both be succesful i guess even if you have a big headstart on me! Best of luck!

Anonymous said...

13 cloves of garlic? John, I only saw you use one! I hope I make this right! The potatoes are boiling as I type this.

Chef John said...

Hey! who stole my dash?? its 1 to 3 cloves. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

No problem John. By the way, the homefries came out great and were delicious. It was much better than the raw potato hashbrowns my father makes.

Anonymous said...

hey chef john, awesome video! i had worked out something similar in my head (having heard about the parboiling trick). i was going to coat the potatoes in flour (+salt, pepper, ect) before frying; (it seems to me this would help form that delicious crust), and was wondering if there were any problems (in your professional opinion) with this alteration?

p.s. many thanks for all your wonderful free recipes and demos! i can attest to one humble kitchen they have drastically improved.

Chef John said...

thanks!! there is no reason it won't work. But will it be crustier? Not sure. It may be a "if it isn't broke..." issue. Only one way to find out. Please report back.

Anonymous said...

Hey! I'm making a breakfast for dinner meal for my boyfriend for his 21st birthday, and we both love homefries. I've never made them from scratch before but this recipe looks like it'll hit the spot! Thanks for posting it!

Chef John said...

Mmmmm...breakfast for dinner. He is a lucky man!

tiny little 12 year old said...

hi i made home fries this morning with some leftover pan roasted salmon with garlic. it tasted really good u should try it sometime :9

Chef John said...

i have! ;-)

tiny little 12 year old said...

maybe i'll make some salmon cakes and home fries for my sister tomorrow

Irishmaria said...

Hi Chef John,love your recipes and these homefries are great,I used to eat them for breakfast when i was in the states now i cook them for my family here in Dublin and they disappear fast.Thanks.

Jon and Manda said...

Hi Chef John! I've made this recipe twice in the five days since I discovered it (once for my mom on mother's day morning and then for my girlfriend for breakfast for dinner)! It's delicious...!

I was just wondering if it would be okay to peel, quarter and boil the potatoes the night before, or if there's anything else you might recommend to make preparation easier/quicker first thing in the morn... please advise :)

Chef John said...

yes, you can boil them ahead!

Mocha said...

Hi Chef John,
Is this same/similar to mojos? Thanks! :D

Chef John said...

mojos?

Mocha said...

Yes, the one they serve at Shakey's. :)

Ramona W. said...

Made this Sunday morning.... perfection, I was so proud!... BTW I told you previously I have been dating a special someone. Well thanks to me and your recipe vids, we sealed the deal :)(we are now a couple) hahahahah. Your new name, 'Cooking Cupid' aka Chef John.

lilian85 said...

If i were to use yukon gold potatoes, how many do u reckon I should use for this recipe? Can't wait to try it. Btw, could I sprinkle some thyme at the end?

Chef John said...

I'd use about 1 1/2 pounds. Thyme, yes!

Anonymous said...

This is the most underrated recipe, ever. There I said it.

I didn't know food so simple could taste this good. If any recipe deserves a video remake Chef John, it's this one. (For the HD crowd).

And I know it's sacrilegious to talk about saving money but this is overwhelming. 10 lbs of potatoes > all other fries.

And you get to leave it alone 10 minutes at a time?...!.

And don't even get me started with bacon bits, green onions, hickory spice, etc.. the possibilities are endless.

The depth when you bite into these is amazing. When I first ate them I was looking over my shoulder as if I stole something...

Cheers,

Andrew

Mike said...

I have argued with my wife over the pre cook / no cook potato issue. Thanks I was RIGHT!!!!!
Sent from my new wifi front porch swing .(as I am no longer allowed in the house)
Hey at least the weather is nice.

Paul D said...

Well, that explains why my own technique shattered my ego this morning. I just called to say - good morning!

Anonymous said...

your older vids rock, more realistic, not as mainstream. great recipe here tho so many people forget to boil or dont know that lil detail.

Dean said...

Chef, being from Upstate New York, I assume you are familiar with salt potatoes. Tonight I'm using leftover salt potatoes to make these homefries, alongside corn on the cob and grilled rainbow trout. Life does not suck.

Dean said...

Chef, being from Upstate New York, I assume you are familiar with salt potatoes. Tonight I'm using leftover salt potatoes to make these homefries, alongside corn on the cob and grilled rainbow trout. Life does not suck.

Unknown said...

These are off the chain...have them often! Love this blog and thanks for making me look like a better cook than I am!