When I was little, my family used to go to the fair every year. My father would always eat french fries and load them up with malt vinegar. For me, it was grown-up food at its finest. My mother would turn her nose up at the fries, preferring her’s plain with salt. There is one thing about my father, he knew his way around potatoes, in whatever form they may have taken.
I am a product of my food environment, appreciating my fries plain or with malt vinegar, my mashed potatoes creamy, and my baked potatoes baked without a foil wrapping so that the skin can get full flavored from the oven heat. In my food preferences, potatoes rank second only to bread. And french fries? They are at the top of the potato list.
Recently I was making oven fries, thick wedges with the peelings left on. On a whim I decided to toss the uncooked potato wedges with malt vinegar. Those days of going to the fair with my parents in the still hot South Carolina October evenings came floating back into my mind when I took my first bite. It was a pretty good memory, especially when I recalled my father standing by the french fry stand happily dowsing his fresh, hot fries with a bottle of malt vinegar.
For these fries, I used large russet bakers, unpeeled and cut into thick wedges. The malt vinegar gave the fries a pleasant tang, not as deep and zingy as it is all on its own, yet somehow better. Smoked paprika brought some depth, hinting at woodsiness and warmth. The salt and pepper? They did what they do.
John and I couldn’t stay out of the fries. We ate way too many, but something about them was just irresistible. Maybe next time around, I’ll make the fries as a main course and have a side salad of something healthy. Or maybe they will be a side for our favorite homemade hamburgers or sloppy joes. Or maybe we’ll just have a heaping plate of fries, all by themselves, beautiful in their oven-fried glory.
Malt Vinegar Oven Fries
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut into wedges (I used large russet baking potatoes, but medium size potatoes will work, too. Cut the wedges so that the thickest edge is about 1/2-inch thick.)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup malt vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400-degrees F.
- In a large bowl toss all of the ingredients together.
- Spread in a single layer on a lightly oiled baking sheet. I lined my baking sheet with foil, then lightly oiled the foil and placed the potatoes on the foil.
- Pour any remaining mixture from the bowl over the potato wedges.
- Bake for about 30-35 minutes, turning potatoes over halfway through baking time. Bake until golden brown and tender when pierced with a fork, but do not over-cook.
Russet potatoes work great for oven fries. I used these large baking potatoes.
Scrub the potatoes and don’t peel them. Cut off bad spots, of course. Slice into wedges at least 1/2-inch thick on the outer edge (the edge with the peeling on it).
Put the potatoes in a large mixing bowl..
I don’t really measure the olive oil. I just pour it over the potatoes until they are well coated, but measure it if you’d rather.
Sprinkle the salt over the potatoes.
I’d like to strongly encourage you to use SMOKED paprika. Its flavor is amazing.
Now just pour the malt vinegar over the potatoes. I’ll admit that I did measure the vinegar. The first time I made these potatoes, I just poured it over them without measuring. But, since they turned out so well and I wanted to share the recipe with you, I measured the vinegar. It was a good exercise for me.
Toss everything around until the potatoes are well coated.
Oops. Don’t forget the pepper.
Put the potatoes on the shallow baking pan. The potatoes need to be in a single layer, otherwise they will not cook properly. I lined this particular pan with foil to help save on clean-up.
There is going to be lots of the important good stuff in the bottom of the bowl. This is the heart and soul of the flavors for these potatoes.
Pour that heart and soul over the potatoes in the pan.
Tilt the pan gently in several directions to redistribute the cooking liquids and seasonings.
Bake in a 400-degree oven for about 15 minutes…
Then take the pan out of the oven and turn the potatoes over so that the side that was against the pan is now facing up.
Bake for another 15-20 minutes until the potatoes have a beautiful rich golden brown color. You’ll probably like them best if the edges of a darker brown color…let’s use the word “crispy”; not crunchy…just slightly crispy.
I put the fries on some paper towels in another baking pan to blot some of the oil off them.
Absolutely wonderful and totally addicting.
Oh my, they look so delicious! Why does fall make me crave carbs?
Susan, me too on the craving carb thing. Crave is a good word to describe it.
These look seriously good!! Think I will try them during the week 🙂
Thought I’d tip you about a really good Swedish Cinnamon bun recipe ( actually the best i’v tasted!) I put up during the week since it’s the National Cinnamon bun day in Sweden on the 4th of October!
Have a lovely Sunday!
Anna
Hi Anna, I was just thinking about you!! Thanks for the Swedish National Cinnamon bun day and the recipe!
Oh, my, these look good! I definitely need to try these with my kids who love french fries. I’ve gotten them hooked on using apple cider with our fries.
Thanks, Barb! Vinegar and potatoes just go together so well. 😉
Saw your recipe on Country Cook Weekend Potluck Link Party #37. The Malt Vinegar fries look tasty. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Reecea!
I am so excited to try these because every year we go to the beach and get them. Now I can make them at home….yeah! Thank you so much for sharing at Mix it up Monday 🙂
Lisa, thank you. I look forward to your link party each Monday. I always comes away with so many fun ideas.
Oh my lord, I started drooling right away when I saw the photo. YUM!! I’ve done oven fries, and duh, it never occurred to me to add the vinegar. Genius! Adding malt vinegar to my shopping list right now. Oh, and found you on Mix It Up Monday, just os you know.
LOL. I just had to go to the store for more malt vinegar; I bought two bottles!
Hi! Just wondering… I can’t get malt vinegar where I live. What other vinegar can I use? Cider?
Hi Anonymous. Apple cider vinegar will probably work fine. You might have to play around with the amount to suit your taste. Start with the stated amount and work from there to decide whether you need more or less. Let me know how things work out for you.
and will you make me some of these too?
I made these today and my entire family went nuts over them. Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe. 🙂
Diana, I’m so glad that you and your family liked these fries. They are one of my favorites, too. I can’t stop eating them once I get started. Thanks for taking the time to come by and leave a such a nice comment.
Made these for dinner. I was REALLY mad because I had to go in and make another batch! The piglets aka 2 large teenagers and one extra large child (the husband) left me hardly any and had the nerve to want more! So I guess thank you for this wonderful recipe that has enslaved me to the kitchen! 😒….. Just kidding on the angry part! Lol! This was fantastic!!! I followed the recipe to the letter. It was a huge hit and I really did have to make a second batch. Gonna make these when I’m at home alone and can enjoy more than the few I got both times!
Hahaha!
Such a perfect recipe. It takes me back to my girlhood rainy days in Rose City, Portland, USA.