Switching from frozen to fresh chips

Switching from frozen to fresh chips is not a major overhaul, but it does call for a different way of working. Frozen chips go straight from the freezer into the basket; fresh chips are fried in two stages and kept in the cold room. Organise that properly beforehand and you will have a set routine within a few shifts. This step-by-step plan helps you make the switch smoothly in your own kitchen. The comparison between the two products is covered under fresh or frozen chips.

1. Step 1: make room in the cold room

Fresh chips belong in the cold room, not the freezer. So start by checking how much chilled space you have and how you will divide it. Vacuum-packed chips stack well, but you want to see at a glance which pack needs using first. Work in order of arrival, put the newest delivery at the back and keep the cold room at a steady, low temperature.

Match your orders to the delivery days. Friet van Beus cuts on Tuesday and Friday mornings and then delivers with regular drivers, so you plan your stock around two fixed moments in the week. The freezer you used for frozen chips becomes free for other products. More about storage can be found under storing fresh chips.

2. Step 2: draw up a frying routine

The biggest difference is in the frying. You first pre-fry fresh chips at a lower temperature so they cook through, then finish them at a higher temperature for colour and crust. Between those two stages the chips rest. At busy times you do not want to start from scratch with every portion, so you pre-fry a batch in advance and finish it during service.

Write your routine down: how much you pre-fry per shift, at what temperature, for how long, and where the pre-fried chips wait. Guide temperatures and times can be found under pre-frying chips: temperature and time. How to finish them golden and crisp is explained under finishing chips.

3. Step 3: take a critical look at your frying fat

Frozen chips are usually pre-fried at the factory and bring ice crystals into the fryer. Fresh chips bring starch and moisture from the cut surface instead. That puts a different demand on your fat, and you notice sooner whether it is still in good condition. A switch is therefore a good moment to review your frying fat.

Choose a fat that stays stable at the temperatures you work at and suits the flavour you are after. The Van Beusichem family can help you make that choice. General information on types of fat can be found under the best frying fat; when the fat needs replacing is covered under changing frying fat.

4. Step 4: bring your staff along

A new product stands or falls with the people behind the fryer. Explain why you are switching and let everyone pre-fry and finish a few batches themselves before it gets busy. Put the frying routine up where everyone can see it, with temperatures and times, and agree who keeps an eye on the stock of pre-fried chips.

Plan the first week for a quiet period and taste together. If the chips are too pale, brown too quickly or are not crisp enough, the cause is usually in the routine or the fat. Call or message Thijs on 06 23972300; he will help you fine-tune your method so the chips come out of the fryer right from the start.

Frequently asked questions