Dinosaur Bar-B-Que's French Fries

2 Potatoes recipes in a row? Featuring fried potatoes? Have I no shame? Evidently, no. This recipe is my 4th featuring the awesome food of Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Syracuse, NY. My previous recipes from this cookbook include: jalapeno cornbread,  fried green tomatoes, sweet potato & pecan pie, and oven-fried cajun chickpeas. You may wonder why I, a vegetarian, have such allegiance to a BBQ joint, but their sides are awesome and many of them are veggie. They also have outrageously good french fries.

Since I live about 10 hours away from said BBQ joint, if I want their fries, I've gotta make them. Fortunately, their cookbook includes a recipe. Unfortunately, it's a time consuming process!

You've gotta cut the potatoes in equal sized slices:

You gotta heat the oil, then fry the fries...

Drain 'em, cool 'em, and fry 'em again! Still interested? Here's how to do it!

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que French Fries

• 2 qt peanut oil
• 1 1/2 large russet potato per person
• salt or other seasonings to taste

1. Thoroughly wash and thoroughly dry your potatoes. Leave the peels on Cut into 1/2 pieces, trying to keep your fries as evenly cut as possible.  
2. In a heavy-duty pot (I used cast iron) begin heating the peanut oil to 325 degrees. While the oil is heating, prepare a baking sheet covered in paper towels for draining the fries. 
3. Once the oil has heated, begin to add the potatoes in small batches. Continue to monitor the temperature of the oil. Heat each batch for about 7-8 mins or until the potato yields slightly when you squeeze it. Remove from heat and drain on the paper towels. Allow to cool to room temperature and continue until all the batches are completed.
4. Prepare another sheet with fresh paper towels. Increase the heat of the oil to 375. Again, in small batches, fry the potatoes for 2-3 mins or until crispy. Drain and salt or season as desired. Serve immediately. 

Kitchen Notes: This recipe requires a lot of patience. It's really important to fry only in small batches, otherwise the temperature of the oil will plunge and the potatoes will not cook properly. Additionally, the original recipe called for the second batch to also be fried for 7-8 mins, but this crisped the potatoes into oblivion. You may new to test a few fries to see what works best for you.

Verdict? These taste a lot like their Syracuse counterparts. They are delightfully yummy fries! However, they are a lot of work. If you have a great fry place in town, silently give thank your lucky stars, and pony up the $2.99.