Microwaves are a convenient, simple way of reheating food – or in some cases, cooking it from raw. They are such a useful kitchen gadget that you would be hard pressed to find a house without one these days. Because of their widespread use, the “can I microwave this?” question is one that is often on our lips. If microwaves are so useful, surely you can put just about anything in them and have it come out steaming and delicious, right? With that in mind, can you microwave frozen fries?
If you ever wanted to know the answer to this questions, then this is the read for you!
What are frozen fries made from
All fries are made from potato. You can make them at home by simply slicing and cooking potatoes however you fancy; while in the case of shop bought French fries, this is a long and complicated business that involves many machines and a factory line to make the potato completely skinless, exactly the right shape and easy to cook evenly.
Frozen fries are a great addition to any freezer; it is so handy to have something that you can just tip onto a baking tray at the end of a long day when you’re hungry but can’t really be bothered to cook!
Or, they are a great addition to a healthy balanced meal with all the food groups.
How to cook fries from frozen
Frozen fries are generally cooked in the oven. If you put any form of frozen potato in the freezer and try to reheat it, you generally end up with a soggy, mushy mess!
That being said, you can find specific microwave fries, which are specifically designed to be reheated in the microwave, and are made with an extra crispy outer layer so you don’t get the problem of a mushy finished product.
Microwave fries are available in supermarkets, or you can find them online – many brands stock them, so have a look around until you find what you’re looking for.
Can you microwave frozen fries?
Most things can be microwaved, but some things respond better to this method than others. Frozen fries generally fall into the latter camp!
Microwaving them tends to make them soggy and mushy, unless they are the type that have been designed specially to be microwaved. Your best bet with frozen fries is to oven cook them; this way they will cook and stay crispy, just the way you like them.
If you want a fast way to heat your food that fits in the same sized space as a microwave, it may be worth looking into an Air Fryer.
This small kitchen gadget heats up food fast, like a microwave, but it uses convection heat rather than radiation. it is a similar size and principle as the microwave, but it works differently enough that it won’t leave your fries soggy and inedible.
Read also: Can You Freeze Arugula {Tips & Tricks}
Microwaving home made fries
You can also make fries from scratch in the microwave, as long as you use fresh ingredients and don’t freeze them first!
- Slice your potatoes into fry shapes, then run them under the tap and blot dry.
- Add seasoning like salt and pepper, if you like.
- Place them into a microwave safe bowl, and place into the microwave for 4-5 minutes.
- Take the container out and shake it to stop the fries sticking together.
- Return to the microwave and cook for a further 4 minutes to finish off the cooking.
- These will be softer fries than you are used to, but they will be thoroughly cooked and the ends may have a crunch.
Frozen fries are the ultimate in convenience food. They make a good addition to a main meal, or a quick, hot snack to dip into your favourite sauce.
Read also: How To Cook Smoked Mackerel In Microwave?
You can try to make them even more convenient by buying frozen fries that you can microwave, or you can make your own from fresh potatoes and microwave those.
But it’s best to not try microwaving with standard frozen fries – they are not made to be cooked this way, and it will show!
