Homemade fries usually fail for one of two reasons: the pieces are different sizes, so some burn while others stay raw, or nobody soaked them, so the surface starch turns to glue in the oil.
Both problems are solved at the cutting board. Even batons cook evenly, and a cold water soak pulls out the surface starch that stops fries crisping.
This guide covers squaring off the potato, cutting consistent planks and batons, the soak, and how thickness changes what you end up with.
What You'll Need
- Chef's knife: Long enough to cross the potato in a single stroke, which is what keeps the planks even.
- Large bowl of cold water: For the soak between cutting and cooking. Set it up before you start cutting so the pieces go straight in.
- Board that stays put: You're making a lot of repetitive, firm cuts in a short time, and a drifting board makes them uneven. A ROO Mat grips the counter, and the pouch takes the peels and the trimmed offcuts.
How to Cut Potatoes for Fries, Step by Step
Pick a starchy potato
Russets fry best. Their high starch and low moisture give a fluffy interior and a crisp shell. Waxy potatoes like red or new potatoes stay dense and never crisp the same way.
Scrub, and peel only if you want to
Skin-on fries are fine and hold their shape well. If you're peeling, do it before any cuts while the potato is still easy to grip.
Square off the potato
Slice a thin piece off one long side so the potato lies flat and can't roll, then trim the remaining three sides to make a rough rectangle.
Cut into even planks
Lay the flat side down and cut the potato lengthwise into planks. A quarter inch gives thin, crisp fries and half an inch gives thicker steak fries.
Stack the planks and cut into batons
Lay a few planks flat, line up the edges, and cut down through the stack lengthwise at the same width you used for the planks. Square cross-sections cook the most evenly.
Soak in cold water for at least thirty minutes
Drop the cut fries into cold water as you go. Soaking pulls surface starch out, which is what prevents fries sticking together and stops them crisping.
Dry them completely before cooking
Drain and pat the fries thoroughly with a towel. Water on the surface steams the exterior instead of crisping it, and in hot oil it spits dangerously.
Photo by Guillermo Berlin on Pexels
Upgrade Your Prep: Get the ROO Bundle
ROO is a silicone mat that sits under your cutting board. It grips smooth countertops so the board never slides, and its built-in 7-cup pouch catches peels and trimmings as you cut. The Bundle includes the mat, a rubberwood board, and a reusable storage bag. $54.99.
Shop the ROO Bundle →Common Mistakes to Avoid
The thin ones burn while the thick ones are still soft in the middle. Square off the potato first so every cut starts from a flat, predictable face.
Surface starch makes fries stick to each other and to the pan, and it blocks the crisp shell from forming.
Water on the surface turns to steam and keeps the exterior soft. In a fryer it also causes violent spitting. Dry them properly.
Red and new potatoes hold too much moisture and too little starch. They come out dense rather than fluffy. Reach for russets.
Upgrade Your Prep Workflow: The ROO Bundle
Cutting fries means dozens of repeated cuts in a couple of minutes, and every one of them relies on the board staying exactly where you put it. The ROO Bundle's silicone mat holds the board through the whole batch, and the 7-cup pouch takes the peels and squared-off offcuts so the board stays clear for the batons.
Upgrade Your Prep Workflow: Get the ROO Bundle
Repetitive cuts stay even when the board never shifts.
Check out the ROO Bundle →Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best potato for fries?
Russets. They're high in starch and low in moisture, which produces a fluffy interior and a crisp exterior. Waxy varieties stay dense.
How thick should french fries be cut?
A quarter inch for thin, crisp fries and about half an inch for thicker steak fries. Whichever you choose, keep every piece the same.
Why do you soak potatoes in water before frying?
To remove surface starch. Without the soak, the starch makes fries stick together and prevents a crisp shell from forming.
How long should you soak cut potatoes?
Thirty minutes at minimum in cold water. Up to a few hours, or overnight in the fridge, works fine if you're prepping ahead.
Do you have to peel potatoes for fries?
No. Skin-on fries are common and hold their shape well. Just scrub the potatoes thoroughly first.
Square it off, cut planks, stack and cut batons, then soak and dry. Even pieces and a dry surface are what separate homemade fries from disappointment.