The Apple Slicer Hack For Restaurant-Worthy Steak Fries
There's nothing like thick-cut potato wedges and thick-cut steak fries. Maybe they're nostalgic if you got them from the hot bar at the grocery store growing up, or maybe your favorite steakhouse makes them a certain way. When made well, they're crispy on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside. Texturally, they have a completely different vibe than shoestring fries, which are crunchier throughout. Wedges and steak fries are perfect when you're wanting to make crispy potatoes and enjoy the soft, unctuous inside texture.
If you've been hoping to make perfectly uniform potato wedges or steak fries at home but seem to be coming up short with a knife, there's a simple trick you can use to cut every potato wedge the same size. Enter your apple slicer (not to be confused with your apple peeler). This handy gadget can cut perfect and evenly sized potato wedges. They can then be sliced in half, or in thirds with a sharp paring knife to create perfect steak fries.
An apple slicer is all you need
To use your apple slicer to create steak fries or potato wedges, you'll first want to choose the right potatoes. Russet potatoes work best for baking and frying, and they have the fluffiest inside texture. You can also use sweet potatoes if you want more nutrient-dense fries.
When the potatoes are washed and ready to go, decide if you're keeping the skin on or off. Some folks like the texture of the potato skin on the wedges; others choose to peel a portion or the entire potato skin off. Next, cut the bottom of the potato off so you have a flat, stable surface to work with. Place that flat part of the potato on your cutting board and push the apple slicer down the length of the potato until the wedges are formed. For steak fries that are a bit thinner, cut each wedge in half length-wise to create a steak fry shape.
Once you've got your slices, it's time to get your fries cooking. If you love fried potatoes and you have the means to fry them to golden-brown perfection, then get after it. If you choose to bake them instead, be sure that you use enough oil that they won't stick to the pan and fall apart while baking. You can season your fries however you like. Be sure to season them before baking or after frying.
Why not use a potato slicer?
While it might seem counterintuitive to use an apple slicer to create potato wedges or steak fries, the bottom line is that most potato slicers won't get this particular job done. Most commercial potato slicers are more reminiscent of a mandolin and will give you thin, flat potato slices, or they're meant to cut potatoes into long, thin strips that resemble traditional french fries.
While slices are perfect if you're frying potato chips or making potatoes au grain, and strips are great for making thinner french fries, neither shape is conducive to making steak fries or potato wedges. If you want that true wedge shape, an apple slicer has you covered.
Another bonus to using the apple slicer is that it will core the middle of the potato, which means that your wedges won't have a paper-thin point on one side that can easily burn. (Still, you can adjust their shape with your knife if you want that.) With an apple slicer, you'll get perfectly uniform potato wedges that will cook evenly every time.