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I have to confess, I am not entirely sure who is even playing in the big game today. Even though I was once — so very briefly — a sports editor at TIME magazine, I don’t have a whole lot of interest in televised sports. And I think that the past year has more than borne me out on my deep distrust of football culture in general. What does intrigue me about the Super Bowl, not surprisingly, is the food. There are few days that cannot be improved by pigs in a blanket, but I also dig the chili, the guacamole, the potato skins, the fish tacos. Chicago dogs drug through the garden. Frito pie, people, frito pie. My chefly and otherwise foodie friends tend to go all out for parties today, with most excellent spins on all of those classic stadium foods. My favorite contribution to such events, is homemade potato chips.
Pretty impressive potato chips are so ubiquitously available in bags that it rarely seems time efficient or prudent to make your own. But fresh and warm potato chips are so flipping lovely, and so lacking in preservatives, additives, and all the other negative -ives, that I really should. These crispy, salty, fried slips of potato goodness were first served at Moon Lake Lodge in Saratoga Springs in 1853. The exact origins of the dish are lost to history. Depending on who was telling the tale at the time, “Saratoga chips” as they were then known, were either the product of a peevish chef who fried off paper-thin potato shavings to send to the table of a difficult guest who repeatedly sent “too thick” French fries back to the kitchen, or it was a serendipitous mistake when some potato slices that were being prepped for another dish fell into a pan of bubbling fat. Once they were fished out and tasted, they were added to the menu. Whichever story you believe, a tradition — and beloved snack food — was born.
DIY potato chips are quick and easy to prepare; the trick is to get them the right thickness — too thick and they will stay raw in the center, too thin and they will burn and disintegrate. This means that I get to use my mandoline, which again, is something that I should do more often. I slice 1/16″-thick rounds either with a super sharp knife or on the mandoline for consistency. Any type of potato, root vegetable or tuber can be chipped in this manner. Once the potatoes are sliced, place in a bowl and cover them with cold water; let soak for about 1/2 hour. This removes some of the starch and allows for maximum crispness on your chips. Drain the potatoes and then lay the slices out on a clean kitchen towel to dry. This will be the exact moment when you truly understand why you do not do this more often. But dropping dripping wet potato slices into bubbling oil will lead to splatters, which are both dangerous and messy. Keeping the slices rolled up in the towel as you cook off your batches will also keep them from oxidizing and turning brown in the bad way.
In a large heavy pot, heat up about 1/2 inch of fat over medium heat. Canola oil is often handiest, but I have also had great results with lard and duck fat. Duck fat chips, just do it.
If you have a candy or frying thermometer, the oil should be at 350-375 degrees. If you can’t be bothered with a thermometer (like me), test the temperature by dropping one of the slices in the oil — if it fails to sizzle, wait. If it starts to sizzle particularly violently, turn the oil down and give it a few minutes to calm.
Fry the potato slices in small batches. Be careful not to put to many slices in at a time, or your chips will clump together and stay soggy. Fry for just a minute or two, stirring frequently with a slotted spoon or spider until the chips are a light golden brown and the bubbling oil calms. Remove the chips with the slotted spoon or spider, and place on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet to drain. Sprinkle with salt and/or the seasonings of your choice. Now for the dips…
