I’m not sure if I ever had a store-bought French fry before high school! Mama made these home fries and served them with fresh-off-the-grill burgers. They’re the perfect side for Herb’s Fried Catfish (page 106) and Mama’s Cornmeal Hushpuppies (page 140).

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　6 medium white or red boiling potatoes

　　1 tablespoon salt

　　4 cups peanut oil

　　

Step 1

Peel the potatoes and slice them into 1/4 × 1/4-inch sticks. Put the sticks in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Sprinkle the salt into the water. Refrigerate the potato sticks in the salt water for 1 hour.

　　

Step 2

In a deep-fryer or cast-iron Dutch oven, heat the peanut oil to 375°F. Transfer half of the potatoes to a colander and drain thoroughly, leaving the rest in the cold water. Carefully drop the drained potatoes into the hot oil and fry until light brown, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with additional salt while still hot, if desired. Bring the oil back to 375°F. Drain the remaining potato sticks and add to the oil. Keep the first batch of fries hot in a 150°F oven while you fry and drain the second batch. Serve piping hot.

　　Reprinted with permission from Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen: Recipes from My Family to Yours by Trisha Yearwood with Gwen Yearwood and Beth Yearwood Bernard. Copyright © 2008 by Trisha Yearwood. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Trisha Yearwood is a three-time Grammy-award winning country music star and the author of the bestselling cookbook Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen. She is married to megastar Garth Brooks.