Animal Style Cheese Fries (Printable)
Crispy fries topped with melted cheese, caramelized onions, and tangy special sauce for a loaded side dish.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Fries
01 - 2 lbs russet potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch thick fries
02 - Vegetable oil for frying
03 - Salt, to taste
→ Animal Style Toppings
04 - 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 4 oz American cheese or cheddar cheese slices
→ Special Sauce
07 - 4 tbsp mayonnaise
08 - 2 tbsp ketchup
09 - 1 tbsp yellow mustard
10 - 2 tsp sweet pickle relish
11 - 1 tsp white vinegar
12 - 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
13 - Pinch of paprika
# Steps:
01 - Pour vegetable oil into a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot to a depth of at least 3 inches. Heat to 350°F over medium-high heat.
02 - Rinse the cut potato fries under cold running water to remove excess starch. Pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Fry in batches for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly golden but not yet crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on fresh paper towels.
03 - Return the blanched fries to the hot oil and fry for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until deeply golden and crisp. Transfer to paper towels and season immediately with salt.
04 - While the fries cook, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the diced onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 12 to 15 minutes until deeply browned and richly caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside.
05 - In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, yellow mustard, sweet pickle relish, white vinegar, sugar, and paprika. Stir until fully incorporated. Refrigerate until ready to use.
06 - Arrange the crispy fries in a single layer on a baking tray. Lay the cheese slices evenly across the top. Broil on high for 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling.
07 - Scatter the caramelized onions generously over the melted cheese. Drizzle with the prepared special sauce. Serve immediately while hot and crisp.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- That tangy special sauce is basically liquid nostalgia, and you will want to put it on everything from burgers to scrambled eggs.
- Double frying the potatoes is the cheat code to getting that shatteringly crisp exterior while keeping the inside fluffy and tender.
02 -
- Do not skip drying the potatoes thoroughly after rinsing, because even a little moisture will cause violent oil splatter and soggy results.
- The double fry method is nonnegotiable if you want that authentic crunch, since the first cook sets the fluffy interior and the second creates the crust.
03 -
- Soak your cut potatoes in cold water for at least thirty minutes before frying to draw out surface starch, which is the single biggest factor in achieving a crisp exterior.
- Use your broilers lowest rack position and watch the cheese constantly, because the line between perfectly melted and a burnt rubber disaster is about twenty seconds.