PAT In our house there’s always some barbecue going on (even if we’re not grilling, we’re adding the spice). These chips are dusted with paprika, garlic, sugar, and salt, and once they’re out of the fryer, they quickly disappear (so make two batches!).

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　Peanut oil, for frying

　　2 tablespoons paprika

　　1 tablespoon garlic powder

　　1 teaspoon sugar

　　1 teaspoon kosher salt

　　1 pound russet potatoes (about 2 large), well scrubbed

　　

Step 1

Preheat the peanut oil in a deep-fryer or Dutch oven to 375 degrees F. (For tips on deep-frying, see page 19.)

　　

Step 2

Whisk together the paprika, garlic powder, sugar, and salt in a small mixing bowl.

　　

Step 3

Slice the potatoes into very thin (1/8-inch) slices (you can use a knife, but a mandoline with a straight-blade attachment is helpful).

　　

Step 4

Fry the potatoes in batches, only a few at a time, for about 3 to 4 minutes. Once they reach a golden-brown color, remove the chips from the fryer and drain on a paper-towel-lined sheet tray. Sprinkle the chips immediately with the barbecue seasoning.

　　

ALTERNATIVE: Baked BBQ Potato Chips

Step 5

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

　　

Step 6

Toss the potato slices with 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, and season with the barbecue seasoning. Spray two sheet trays with nonstick spray. Arrange the potato slices in a single layer on the prepared sheet trays, leaving some breathing space between them.

　　

Step 7

Bake for 20 minutes, then start watching the chips closely. After another 5 minutes, they’ll start to brown; as soon as you see the browning, take them out of the oven. They turn on a dime from browned to burned!

　　Reprinted with permission from The Neelys' Celebration Cookbook by Pat and Gina Nelly. Copyright © 2011 by Pat and Gina Nelly with Anna Volkwein. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.Pat and Gina Neely are restaurateurs, best-selling authors, popular speakers, and hosts of the Food Network hit series Down Home with the Neelys. They recently opened their first New York City restaurant, Neely's Barbecue Parlor. They live with their daughters in Memphis, where they enjoy cooking at home with family and friends.Ann Volkwein is a best-selling food and lifestyle author based in New York City and Austin, Texas. Her previous books include: The Arthur Avenue Cookbook, Chinatown New York, Mixt Greens (with Andrew Swallow), and, with Guy Fieri: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; More Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; and Guy Fieri Food.