french fries, wild chef, healthier, healthy, yummy, summer, food, grill, cooking, david draper
This recipe eliminates the fried aspect of French fries.. David Draper
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Order a hamburger at dinner and you’re almost always served a side of fries, so why is it that in the summer, you eat your burgers with potato chips? Because no one wants to keep an eye on a screaming-hot deep fryer while also flipping burgers on the grill. This simple recipe eliminates the fried part of French fries and instead turns sliced potatoes into a healthier, more flavorful alternative, using the grill to achieve a smoky note. Most grilled French fry recipes call for parboiling the potatoes first, but that’s unnecessary if you utilize a two-zone cooking method.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Start your coals, or preheat a propane grill to medium high. When the grill is hot, turn off one burner, or bank the coals to one side of the grill to create a two-zone fire.

2. Scrub three to four yellow potatoes, such as Yukon Gold. Slice the potato into uniform half-inch thick fries. A Weston French Fry Cutter makes this job easy. Place the sliced potatoes into a colander, and rinse well to remove as much of the starch as possible. Transfer the fries to a clean dish towel, folding half of the towel over the top. You want the potatoes as dry as possible.

3. Place the dried potatoes into a large baking dish or cookie sheet, and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil—about two tablespoons should do it. Toss and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt or your favorite fry seasoning. Cabela’s offers several great French fry seasonings to choose from.

4. Place the fries on the hot side of the grill, being careful not to lose any between the grates. Either place them crosswise across the grates, or better yet, place them in a grilling basket. To ensure even cooking, try to separate the fries as much as possible.

5. Cover the grill, and cook for six minutes. Carefully flip the fries, and grill another six minutes on the hot side of the grill. After the second six minutes, transfer them to the cooler side of the grill, cover, and cook for an additional 10 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through.