EXPERT REVEALS SURPRISING HACKS TO MAKE YOUR FROZEN CHIPS EVEN CRISPIER
Chip, chip, hooray! Frozen chips are a freezer favourite for a reason, from midweek dinners to Friday night fakeaways, the humble chip acts as the heart of so many classic British dishes and a crowd pleaser for all the family.
Getting the perfectly crispy chip can be just as much an art as it is a science, so to break down the process, Johnny Durant, Product Development Manager at Birds Eye, has revealed his top expert tips for getting the most out of frozen chips – including one unexpected kitchen hack that helps take the crispiness to a whole new level.
Johnny Durant’s top tips for perfectly crispy frozen chips include: “There are a few key hacks you can do at home to help get perfectly crispy frozen chips. Whilst quite simple, some of these small changes and techniques can make a big difference to the final result.
1. Get your oven HOT!
It might be tempting to put your chips in while the oven is still warming up, but giving it time to reach the right temperature is key. A properly heated oven means the chips can begin cooking and developing their crispy outer layer as soon as they hit the tray.
2. Avoid overcrowding
Resist the urge to pile your chips onto one tray. Instead, arrange them in one layer with a little room between each one. This allows the heat to move around the chips more effectively, helping them cook and crisp more evenly.
3. Skip the baking-paper
For an extra-crispy finish, leave the baking paper in the cupboard and place your frozen chips straight onto the tray. It might mean a bit more cleaning up, but giving the chips direct contact with the hot surface transfers the heat straight into the potato, helping the outside of the chips to develop a deeper, crunchier crust.
4. The mid-bake shuffle
Halfway through cooking, give the tray a good shake or turn the chips over. This helps redistribute the chips across the tray and give each side a chance to benefit from the heat, which is key to achieving an even, golden finish. Don’t worry about damaging the edges, as any roughed areas will just get extra crispy while they cook.
5. Pop them in the microwave first (AKA THE THREE MINUTE HACK!)
To take the crispiness to the next level, pop the frozen chips in the microwave for 3-5 minutes before finishing them in the oven or air fryer. The microwave helps warm the centre of the chips first and redistributes the moisture, meaning the oven or air fryer can focus more on creating the crispy outer layer, while also reducing the overall cooking time.
6. Choose chips with a special crispy coating
The science behind a crispy chip comes down to what happens at its surface. As moisture escapes during cooking, the outer layer dries out and forms the golden crust that gives chips their characteristic crunch, so it’s important to choose chips with the right coating to support this process. Birds Eye Crispy Straight Cut Chips are made with a specially developed coating that is designed to deliver that coveted crunch.”
Frozen chips are an affordable, efficient and versatile staple of British dinnertimes, making it easy for families to reach into the freezer at any time and serve up a range of delicious meals that everyone will enjoy. From popping them in the microwave first to skipping the baking paper, these simple, but genius steps help get the perfect golden crunch every time.
Shoppers looking for chips specially designed to provide a delicious, crispy crust can pick up Birds Eye’s Crispy Straight Cut Chips from £2.50 at retailers, including Iceland, Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s.
