# What's the secret to crispy potatoes in an iron skillet?



## BrightBay (Aug 6, 2008)

I'm trying to learn to cook in iron skillets. I think I have them nicely seasoned. They're not seasoned like an old iron skillet, but I've got to use them to get there. 

Potatoes continue to escape me though. They stick. No matter what I do. Do I not have the pan hot enough before adding the potatoes? They're usually cubed potatoes. I usually use coconut oil. 

Nothing like trying something new to remind you how little you know. :ashamed:


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

Do you wash and dry the potatoes? This part is very important.

Yes the oil needs to be very hot. I always put one piece in and wait till it is bubbling nicely before adding the rest. I add them slowly, to allow the pan to keep the high temperature.

I don't use coconut oil. I use olive, peanut or canola, so cannot help you there.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

I fry cubed potatoes (ie, American fries) in our cast iron all the time. Both from leftover cold, boiled potatoes and from fresh potatoes. I just make sure that I start with about 1/2" of oil in the pan. The oil I use is not as hot as OLF suggests, but it's not cold either. The potatoes never stick.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

1/4" Hot bacon grease, wash and dry the potatoes good. 1 layer deep, let brown before turning. After turning and browning other side put on paper towls to drain. I find thinner slices work better. After a few times the pan will season and you can load it up. I find if I put the onions in later, when 1/2 done, everything sticks less....James


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

As everyone else has said, dry potatoes are important. If they're wet, they stick. If you're cooking from leftover, already cooked potatoes, you want that fat HOT. Not smoking, but so that when you drop one of the cubes in, it sizzles.

I find I get better results from "solid" fat -- butter, bacon fat, etc. -- than from liquid fat like oil, which is why we don't have fried potatoes very often. Fat that is solid at room temp isn't good for you -- but it makes the nicest "crispy" fried potatoes


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

> Fat that is solid at room temp isn't good for you -- but it makes the nicest "crispy" fried potatoes


Totally agree.


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## glazed (Aug 19, 2006)

The secret for me is patience ... don't be in a hurry to flip 'em ... let 'em do their thing, and get brown before you turn them ... turning too early or too often results in mushy, sticky taters.

As a sidenote, too, I use coconut oil for everything and there is no difference in oils used for frying ... except nutritional and personal preference.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

there is no cholesterol in lard (pig fat)


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## Wildwood Flower (Aug 26, 2006)

HOT PAN--COLD OIL, not too much oil. NO LID
Leave the skins on the potatoes. Slice them thin. Slice an onion and lay on top. Do not stir. 
Do not flip them until they are golden brown on the bottom.

FLIP ONCE, DO NOT STIR. Brown on the other side. 

Also, do not try to do too many potatoes in the pan. (Makes them soggy.) About half full is best.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

wyld thang said:


> there is no cholesterol in lard (pig fat)


That is true, but only for the lard rendered from flying pigs.


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## Pouncer (Oct 28, 2006)

Perfect skillet spuds:

Put a fair sized dollop of the fat of your choice in skillet over a medium to medium high setting. I use shortening or bacon fat myself, but will use cooking oil in a pinch. 

Wait. Cut your potatoes up. Wait. Cut some onion or other veggie if you are adding them. Take a spoon, run it under water, and then let one or two drops of water fall into the skillet. If it pops, hisses and makes a racket, your skillet is hot enough.

Turn down heat to halfway on your dial. Toss in your spuds (and veggies) and season if you want. Give the pan a couple of good shakes to coat the spuds. (Your spuds should not be more than one layer deep, btw)

Wait. It's hard, you want to turn things because its sounding like stuff is happening, but honestly-wait. Wash up your cutting surface. Get your other breakfast stuff together. 

Now, take a spatula and carefully slide under the spuds. When you see good color, turn them and shake gently. 

Wait. Keep waiting until you have good color on the other side. At this point, use a fork to check for softness. Usually, the spuds are seared but the center is hard. Here's my little trick:

Turn heat down again to medium low. Add about one teaspoon/tablespoon of cold water to the pan, and immediately flop a lid down on it. It should fit tightly, but don't use the cast iron one, use another lid-any kind but cast. In about three minutes or so, your spuds should be soft in the center, but crunchy on the outside. 

(Note: If you use too much water on the "steam finish" as I call it, your colored sides will not stay crunchy!)


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

If you attempt to turn the potatoes too early before they are browned at all they will be stuck to the pan. A little longer cooking time tends to release them from being stuck.

With half of the potatoes in a pan try turning them as you usually would and wait longer to turn the other half. You might also try a little higher temperature another time.

Many foods tend to stick to the pan until they have cooked the correct amount of time which releases them. Breaded pork chops, fried chicken, etc.

It also helps NOT to crowd the pan.


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## BrightBay (Aug 6, 2008)

wow, I'm doing so many things wrong. 

I'm not using enough oil. I'll try more next time. 

I haven't dried the potatoes. I'll do that.

I have a bunch to feed, so I do a heaping (huge) skillet or two full. Guess I need another skillet so I can cook them in a shallower layer. 

I'm fairly certain I'm turning too soon, too. None of these things were an issue with teflon. I had lovely crispy perfect squares. Just with some carcinogens on the side. 

I did find another thing. I was using a wooden spatula which was too think and rounded on the bottom. I switched to a nice sharp metal spatula and had much better luck. 

Maybe we'll have to have potatoes for lunch too, now that I'm eager to try again. The children would all be very happy to have them twice in a day.

Thanks!


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

Do one skillet full, then put them in the oven to keep warm. 

Make sure you dry the potatoes! 

Good luck, and be careful. Don't overfill the pan, it never works.


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

Another way of doing similar potatoes (I cut mine potato wedges style), is to spray/coat a baking tray with a little oil, spread the potatoes evenly on the pan, then coat them all using a brush. I also add rosemary and salt at this stage.

I then place in the oven for about 45 mins on 375F


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## Elffriend (Mar 2, 2003)

Get the cast iron pan hot, then add the oil/fat.
Wait for the oil to get hot, then add the potatoes.

I get better results with leftover boiled potatoes than I do with frying from raw. And I agree with not stirring them. Let them crisp on one side, then flip and crisp on the other side. I use a combination of olive oil and peanut oil. I like the flavor of the olive oil, but adding some peanut oil raises the smoking point.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

I slice them. Peanut oil(sometimes oilve oil), with butter. Get the pan/oil hot. Add slices. Flip them arround to get them all covered with oil. If you want to get them to cook faster, cover them for a bit,they will steam. Keep flipping them. They will brown the longer you cook'em.


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## countrysunshine (Jul 3, 2008)

I have a totally different (and unhealthy method) but the one thing I want to say is do NOT put a lid on them. It makes them soggy.

I start out with bacon pieces about 3/8" wide in the bottom. I cook those until they are about half done. If that did not generate sufficient depth of fat I ad more of my choice. Let it get hot. I then toss in sliced carrots and put my potatoes on top of those layering in onions as I go.

I cook on a medium heat. I keep my hands off until I am just short of burning them and then I flip them. Have a good spatula that picks everything up from the bottom.

I do the exact some thing for hash browns which is what I call what you described.


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## nodak3 (Feb 5, 2003)

Also, new potatoes do not brown or crisp up as well as older ones.

And no stirring or flipping until you can see they are well browned on one side.


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