Animal Style Fries (Printable)
Crispy fries smothered in melted cheese, grilled onions, and tangy special sauce for an irresistible side.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fries
01 - 2 lbs russet potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch by 1/2-inch sticks
02 - Vegetable oil, for deep frying
03 - Kosher salt, to taste
→ Animal Style Toppings
04 - 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 4 oz American cheese or cheddar cheese slices
→ Special Sauce
07 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
08 - 2 tbsp ketchup
09 - 1 tbsp yellow mustard
10 - 2 tsp sweet pickle relish
11 - 1 tsp white vinegar
12 - 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
13 - Pinch of paprika
# How-To Steps:
01 - Pour vegetable oil into a deep fryer or heavy saucepan to a depth of at least 3 inches. Heat to 350°F over medium-high heat.
02 - Rinse the cut potato sticks in a large bowl of cold water to remove excess starch. Drain thoroughly and pat completely dry with clean kitchen towels. Working in small batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully lower the potatoes into the hot oil and fry for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly golden and just cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack set over paper towels.
03 - Return the blanched potatoes to the 350°F oil in batches and fry for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until deeply golden and crisp. Transfer back to the wire rack and immediately season generously with kosher salt while still hot.
04 - While the fries cook, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the diced onions and cook, stirring frequently, until deeply browned, softened, and fully caramelized, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
05 - In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, yellow mustard, sweet pickle relish, white vinegar, sugar, and paprika. Stir until smooth and well blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
06 - Arrange the double-fried potatoes in an even layer on a baking tray. Lay the cheese slices over the hot fries. Broil on high for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling.
07 - Scatter the caramelized onions evenly over the melted cheese. Drizzle generously with the special sauce. Serve immediately while hot and crisp.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The special sauce is that tangy, sweet, barely pink nectar that makes everything it touches taste like a road trip memory.
- Double frying the potatoes is the difference between soggy regret and shatteringly crisp perfection.
- It turns a basic side dish into the main event, and nobody will ask where the burger is.
02 -
- Wet potatoes meeting hot oil will splatter violently, so dry them like your skin depends on it.
- The double fry method is nonnegotiable if you want fries that stay crisp under the weight of all those toppings.
- Broiling goes from melted to burnt in seconds, so stand there and watch through the oven door the entire time.
03 -
- Soak your cut potatoes in cold water for at least thirty minutes before frying and you will notice a dramatically crisper result.
- The sauce tastes best if you make it first so the flavors have time to marry while you handle the hot oil work.