I’ll just start out by saying, this is not a fancy recipe. These are the fried potatoes I grew up eating; made in a cast-iron skillet and fried in bacon grease over controlled heat. The recipe isn’t complicated, but mastery of it takes time. A lot of time.
In my case it took somewhere around 10 years.
There are no times associated with this recipe. In all actuality, it’s more a set of guidelines. You have to be able to feel when it’s time to move on to the next step. It’s not hard, but it’s not easy, either. It’s kind of like walking, simple as an adult, but it was a bugger when you first started doing it!
The first time I tried to make fried potatoes my mother’s way it was a total disaster. The potatoes stuck to the pan. Once I’d pried them loose, they burned almost immediately. The onions were nothing but black bits.
It was horrible.
And she just smiled.
I was 16 at the time. Relegated to kitchen duty because it seemed that my sister and I had taken my mother a bit to much for granted. Our penance for this oversight (and it was one!) was that each of us was to take charge of the house for one week. I will admit to failing miserably at it, but mom got her point across.
I never quite got over the burnt potato bit. I would try to make them, but if they looked perfect on the outside, they were raw in the middle. If they were done in the middle, they were either steamed instead of fried, too greasy to eat, or blackened beyond recognition. The heat was either too high or too low, or something else.
I remember that when they came out properly, my mother would always say.
“Granny was with us, they’re perfect.”
I tend to say something like
“Mom musta’ been here, these are perfect!”
These spuds are my ultimate comfort food, especially when paired with beans and cornbread.
I will share with you what I can of the magic that is Dorris’ Fried Potatoes, and I wouldn’t suggest you give up if the first attempt fails. The result, when it comes out properly, is nothing short of amazing.
Dorris' Fried Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8 Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 251Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 75mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 4gSugar: 2gProtein: 4g
We all have our own “Ultimate comfort food.” What’s yours?
we have to be related that was dinner twice a week this recipe is a standered on my side of the Dorris family but it had to be served with beans and cornbread and dont for get the gravy
Thank you for this recipe and the suggestion about “walk away” and do not move them around. I have been trying to figure out what I’ve been doing wrong for years and now I know. Mine weren’t burning…they were just mushy because all the good crunchy part was stuck to the bottom of the pan. Another good tip is to use a metal spatula as it is easier to “dislodge” the potatos.
Wow. The internet is a great thing. Two and a half years after you post a recipe for fried potatoes, I find it via a Google search. In 40+ years of cooking I have never had success with fried potatoes. Getting that crispy crust without destroying the tater, without leaving it all stuck to the bottom of the pan, well, that just eluded me. And now, in one shot, I found what I was looking for. Thank you. Walking away was HARD but I kept pushing myself away from the stove. And they turned out perfect. Unfortunately, now my wife is going to want them at least once a week!!!
The recipe was great, I like to fry about 1/4 lb of deli bacon until crisp and use that grease to do the potatoes. I have never had a problem with them sticking when I use a cast iron skillet to do this. Crumble the bacon on top and yum.
Hey,
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and back story. Always wondered what I was doing wrong, can’t wait to try this now. Thanks again, from Ireland
Rachael,
Glad I could help!
Hi Jerry,
Thanks for this recipe.. It worked! ..I would never have believed it would.
Can’t stress enough on the ” walk away” step of the recipe! :-) As you mentioned in the recipe, as soon as I added the potatoes to the skillet.. They “stuck like cement” … Took a lot of nerve to walk away!
Great recipe!
It’s the hardest part to learn without a doubt! Once you have the method down, they come out perfectly though.
I have always sliced my potatoes, maybe chunks would be better.