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I think a great part is you can watch someone take a REAL potato with real dirt on it, clean it, cut it up with a massive guillotine thing, insert it into boili

I think a great part is you can watch someone take a REAL potato with real dirt on it, clean it, cut it up with a massive guillotine thing, insert it into boiling oil, and hand it to you. Beautiful.

tcoff91 9y ago
I love me some in n out burgers but unfortunately their fries, while commendably fresh, aren’t very good. You have about 3 mins to eat them before they become cardboard. There are legitimate culinary reasons to freeze potatoes before frying, it bursts the cell walls which helps to achieve a better fry. As far as west coast burger chains go, The Habit has way better fries. In N Out’s burgers though are so good, double single animal style with peppers is heaven.
- Domenic_S 9y ago
  Have you tried ordering them well done?
  - tcoff91 9y ago
    Yes, then they are just stiffer and hotter. Well done is better but not great. A fry should be crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside which is not gonna happen with taking a fresh potato and frying it. Freezing and blanching before hand make for better fries.
    - azinman2 9y ago
      Part of the problem is that they cut them into shoestring. But another is that they only fry once -- if they did a second fry they'd be far better. I believe McDonalds and other chains pre-cook their fries before they arrive at the restaurant.
  - mikekchar 9y ago
    In case anyone is wondering why that doesn't help the OP's issue... In order for the potatoes to be soft on the inside, you have to gelatinize the starch. That means bringing the temperature up to about 60C. However, this results in a gelatin-like block -- no matter how crunchy the outside is. If you want the inside to be fluffy you need to subsequently crystalize the gelatinized starch. You do that by cooling it down. If you've ever eaten cold potatoes or rice, you know how dry it seems -- that's the starch crystals. If you then heat it up again, these crystals re-gelatinize, providing a fluffy interior. It's often good to go through the cycle more than once, which is why you see recipes for "triple fried" french fries. I tend to like to blanch in salted water, freeze, blanch in oil, freeze and then fry. This also dissolves some of the starch on the outside and provides more surface area for the oil to create crunchy bits. Yeah, it takes all day... Never been to In-N-Out, so can't comment on what they do.
    - lifeformed 9y ago
      I'm sure you've read this, but here's further reading for anyone else interested in the science of french fries: http://aht.seriouseats.com/2010/05/the-burger-lab-how-to-make-perfect-mcdonalds-style-french-fries.html http://aht.seriouseats.com/2010/05/the-burger-lab-how-to-mak...
    - SOLAR_FIELDS 9y ago
      I worked the fryer at 5 guys and their method is to double fry them. I would drop the fries in for 3 minutes and take them out for 1 then drop them back in again for another minute. Crisps the outside and leaves inside fluffy. We also soaked the potatoes for several hours to de starch them before frying
      - runevault 9y ago
        Huh interesting to know (as someone who thinks Five Guys makes the 2nd best fries I've ever had, first being a place local to Denver + Colorado Springs)
        ccoggins 9y ago
- pktgen 9y ago
  You can get the fries well-done. Also, animal style fries (peppers optional).
- blackrock 9y ago
  I for one, love the In-N-Out fries. In fact, I can no longer eat fries from anywhere else (McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, The Habit, etc.), because I know that they use fake fries. At In-N-Out, you know that you are eating a freshly sliced potato, that was deep-fried, and served to you.
  - wastedhours 9y ago
    As has been mentioned in the thread, just because it's not been frozen doesn't really mean anything. Frozen peas are just as good as fresh after all. The freezing of fries can and does make them better, keeps the inside fluffier after frying as the ice crystals blow up inside. Even Heston Blumenthal freezes them [0] [0] http://www.redonline.co.uk/food/recipes/heston-blumenthal-triple-cooked-chips http://www.redonline.co.uk/food/recipes/heston-blumenthal-tr...
    - jedberg 9y ago
      > Frozen peas are just as good as fresh after all. In what universe? Fresh peas are significantly better, and I'm not even sure that's an opinion as much as fact. Edit: If HN had controversial markers, this comment would have one. I've watched the points on it go up and down, negative and positive, for the last hour. Apparently frozen peas is quite controversial.
      - wastedhours 9y ago
        I never realised it was controversial. In every conversation I've had with chefs, cookery programmes watched, experience with both fresh and frozen, never once have I come to the conclusion fresh was better. Added to the fact they last much longer, I can't see any reason to buy fresh (we're talking petit pois style, rather than runner bean style).
        jedberg 9y ago
        To me at least (and my wife) previously frozen peas taste floury.
- triplesec 9y ago
  Top tip; ask for the fries without salt. You can taste them properly then. I wonder if you can ask for them thick cut too.. I might have to see if there's a secret menu option for that
listentojohan 9y ago
I love their burgers. But their fries. I had to give up. And I love fries! It was like cardboard, which felt so weird after being able to see the process...
nkrisc 9y ago
Unless their potatoes are magical or your description is inaccurate or incomplete, that doesn't sound like a recipe for very good fries. The best fries I've ever had are usually frozen in between frying twice.
- readams 9y ago
  Yes the fries are not very good because they only fry them once. Same with five guys. They're a bit better if you ask for them well done though.

I think a great part is you can watch someone take a REAL potato with real dirt on it, clean it, cut it up with a massive guillotine thing, insert it into boiling oil, and hand it to you. Beautiful.

tcoff91 9y ago

I love me some in n out burgers but unfortunately their fries, while commendably fresh, aren’t very good. You have about 3 mins to eat them before they become cardboard. There are legitimate culinary reasons to freeze potatoes before frying, it bursts the cell walls which helps to achieve a better fry. As far as west coast burger chains go, The Habit has way better fries. In N Out’s burgers though are so good, double single animal style with peppers is heaven.

Domenic_S 9y ago
Have you tried ordering them well done?
- tcoff91 9y ago
  Yes, then they are just stiffer and hotter. Well done is better but not great. A fry should be crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside which is not gonna happen with taking a fresh potato and frying it. Freezing and blanching before hand make for better fries.
  - azinman2 9y ago
    Part of the problem is that they cut them into shoestring. But another is that they only fry once -- if they did a second fry they'd be far better. I believe McDonalds and other chains pre-cook their fries before they arrive at the restaurant.
- mikekchar 9y ago
  In case anyone is wondering why that doesn't help the OP's issue... In order for the potatoes to be soft on the inside, you have to gelatinize the starch. That means bringing the temperature up to about 60C. However, this results in a gelatin-like block -- no matter how crunchy the outside is. If you want the inside to be fluffy you need to subsequently crystalize the gelatinized starch. You do that by cooling it down. If you've ever eaten cold potatoes or rice, you know how dry it seems -- that's the starch crystals. If you then heat it up again, these crystals re-gelatinize, providing a fluffy interior. It's often good to go through the cycle more than once, which is why you see recipes for "triple fried" french fries. I tend to like to blanch in salted water, freeze, blanch in oil, freeze and then fry. This also dissolves some of the starch on the outside and provides more surface area for the oil to create crunchy bits. Yeah, it takes all day... Never been to In-N-Out, so can't comment on what they do.
  - lifeformed 9y ago
    I'm sure you've read this, but here's further reading for anyone else interested in the science of french fries: http://aht.seriouseats.com/2010/05/the-burger-lab-how-to-make-perfect-mcdonalds-style-french-fries.html http://aht.seriouseats.com/2010/05/the-burger-lab-how-to-mak...
  - SOLAR_FIELDS 9y ago
    I worked the fryer at 5 guys and their method is to double fry them. I would drop the fries in for 3 minutes and take them out for 1 then drop them back in again for another minute. Crisps the outside and leaves inside fluffy. We also soaked the potatoes for several hours to de starch them before frying
    - runevault 9y ago
      Huh interesting to know (as someone who thinks Five Guys makes the 2nd best fries I've ever had, first being a place local to Denver + Colorado Springs)
      - ccoggins 9y ago
pktgen 9y ago
You can get the fries well-done. Also, animal style fries (peppers optional).
blackrock 9y ago
I for one, love the In-N-Out fries. In fact, I can no longer eat fries from anywhere else (McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, The Habit, etc.), because I know that they use fake fries. At In-N-Out, you know that you are eating a freshly sliced potato, that was deep-fried, and served to you.
- wastedhours 9y ago
  As has been mentioned in the thread, just because it's not been frozen doesn't really mean anything. Frozen peas are just as good as fresh after all. The freezing of fries can and does make them better, keeps the inside fluffier after frying as the ice crystals blow up inside. Even Heston Blumenthal freezes them [0] [0] http://www.redonline.co.uk/food/recipes/heston-blumenthal-triple-cooked-chips http://www.redonline.co.uk/food/recipes/heston-blumenthal-tr...
  - jedberg 9y ago
    > Frozen peas are just as good as fresh after all. In what universe? Fresh peas are significantly better, and I'm not even sure that's an opinion as much as fact. Edit: If HN had controversial markers, this comment would have one. I've watched the points on it go up and down, negative and positive, for the last hour. Apparently frozen peas is quite controversial.
    - wastedhours 9y ago
      I never realised it was controversial. In every conversation I've had with chefs, cookery programmes watched, experience with both fresh and frozen, never once have I come to the conclusion fresh was better. Added to the fact they last much longer, I can't see any reason to buy fresh (we're talking petit pois style, rather than runner bean style).
      - jedberg 9y ago
        To me at least (and my wife) previously frozen peas taste floury.
triplesec 9y ago
Top tip; ask for the fries without salt. You can taste them properly then. I wonder if you can ask for them thick cut too.. I might have to see if there's a secret menu option for that

listentojohan 9y ago

I love their burgers. But their fries. I had to give up. And I love fries! It was like cardboard, which felt so weird after being able to see the process...

nkrisc 9y ago

Unless their potatoes are magical or your description is inaccurate or incomplete, that doesn't sound like a recipe for very good fries. The best fries I've ever had are usually frozen in between frying twice.

readams 9y ago
Yes the fries are not very good because they only fry them once. Same with five guys. They're a bit better if you ask for them well done though.