"Toppings like citrus juice, vinegar, hot sauce, and pickles contrast the richness of the crispy fries.". That's a win-win and a disaster averted. Preparing fries in an air fryer or in the oven on an open rack can make them crispier. Because food will freeze at even warmer temps, if youre having issues, the key here is to have a freezer thermometer, which can keep watch for you. Their frozen fries, on the other hand, have very little seasoning. I thought it must be a slow news day. Can frozen french fries go bad? - I'm cooking And when they do, you should never eat them! What were the poems other than those by Donne in the Melford Hall manuscript? So the USDA recommends tossing uncooked roasts, steaks, and chops after a year in the freezer, and uncooked ground meat after just 4 months. Frozen fries offer convenience pop em on a cookie sheet and toss in the oven. The other 1/5 brands don't smell bad, yet have the exact same ingredients - potato and some mixture of plant based oils, usually palm and/or rape seed. How to Tell if French Fries Have Gone Bad, How to Store Your French Fries to Last Longer in the Fridge. 7 Best Cookie Sheets and Sheet Pans, Tested by Food Network Kitchen The potato flavor tasted slightly artificial, almost like instant mashed potatoes, but otherwise these were a reliable choice that cooked up nicely according to package directions. Freeze the French Fries First, freeze the fries in a single layer on a sheet pan so they don't stick together. RJ Harvey, a professional chef who is the culinary director at Potatoes USA, told Insider that you should make sure the oven is hot enough before adding your fries. Get our best recipes, grocery finds, and clever kitchen tips delivered to your inbox. The New York Times ran a story about French fries with a conclusion that shocked no one: French fries aren't a particularly healthy food choice. Yes, there are healthy options of these popular frozen foodsyou just have to know what to buy! Kroger. These tasted so bad that youd think something fundamental might be missing. If your favorite part about a trip to Red Robin is the chain's bottomless french fries, you may be tempted to purchase their frozen seasoned steak fries. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); Prep a batch of these cheesy beauties and keep them in the freezer for at-the-ready meals. If you're factoring in value when selecting your frozen french fry brand of choice, Great Value fries deserve to be in the conversation. But like every other food, they can go bad. Sorry, I am sure you were hoping for a different answer. Anguiano agreed: Great crunch. The fries werent seasoned enough for most but would be fine with ketchup, said Kassin. And even thoughfreezer burn doesnt make food unsafe, it definitely doesnt taste or look great! Well fill you in on the pros and cons, plus give you a homemade alternative. While most french fries have a shelf life of 12 to 18 months in the freezer, they may already lose some of their quality and taste after 6 months. How long do frozen, uncooked fries last at room temp ? Kassin called it gaseous. The fry was crispy-soft, and the lingering grease flavor was mild enough to yield to sauce. Pat dry, remove towel and spread fries out in one even layer. What differentiates living as mere roommates from living in a marriage-like relationship? Frozen french fries are surprisingly versatile. The seasoning is perfectly balanced and is so potent that you won't need to dip it in anything. But into Orieda frozen French fry that tasted and smelled like horse poop. Were they cooked? Frozen fries are still fried! They taste far superior to the frozen variety, plus you can get an unlimited amount. While their Organic Yukon Select Fries are the way to go if you're craving traditional french fries, it's Alexia's Sweet Potato Fries that will steal your heart. Famous Seasoned Fries made by Checkers (also known as Rally's) are truly glorious. Your french fries will last for 3 to 5 days in the fridge, but if you are not intentional about how you keep them in the fridge, they might not last that long. Ding ding ding, we have a clear winner! To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Something like 4/5 of frozen fries brands in the store essentially smell like synthetic piss to me when you start cooking them and it doesn't go away. All rights reserved. A staple in American homes, frozen French fries can be healthy if you choose the right kind. When your fries leave the freezer, their shelf life will be significantly reduced compared to when you take them out of the fridge. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. I've been baking all kinds of delicious things for over 10 years now and decided to share my best baking tips and tricks on this website. Sure, it may look like food that you'd find at a cafeteria, but you'll be shocked at how delicious it tastes. The fry: made with vegetable oil; salt; and dextrose. Facebook. The taste: These are the thinnest fries we tried, a width that bordered on shoestring. She also felt that a condiment was unneeded, even though she eats fries and ketchup to almost a 1:1 ratio. Theyre about as thin as Alexias fries, but nowhere near as dry once cooked. Just make sure to cook them within that 3 to 5-day time frame! If you're cooking fries with toppings or ingredients that could drip, be sure to line the bottom of your oven first for easy cleanup. No matter if you cook Kroger's fries in an oven or in an air fryer, you'll always be dismayed by the sogginess of the resulting fries. That said, they're still a far cry from the best of the best. If you've ever purchased frozen french fries, you're familiar with Ore-Ida. One such item is their Crinkle Cut French Fries. For example, if you kept them in a sealed container, the temperature will accelerate reasonably quickly and humidity. Throwing french fries away might hurt, but it is a better alternative compared to eating spoiled food. Well fill you in on the pros and cons, plus give you a homemade alternative. Frozen french fries can be transferred to the fridge to thaw slowly and be kept for 3 to 5 days before going bad. The taste: Texturally, these -inch-thick potatoes were like something youd find inside a fish and chips packet. And despite being made with one of the shorter ingredient lists of the bunch, Kassin was getting a chemical-y aftertaste. A good choice for the crunch-heads willing to BYO salt. Frozen fries are still fried! For context, a small box of McDonald's French fries packs 160 milligrams of sodium and clocks in at 230 calories. But, frozen french fries that are thawed in a bowl of water or in the microwave should be eaten immediately. So the less caloric and sodium-ridden they are the better. Clean the inside: Make a paste of warm water and baking soda and use it to gently scrub down the interior of your freezer. However, this time duration does depend on some factors. "Lightly coat the fries in the batter and add a little Cajun seasoning," Mendoza said. This generally results in excess fat absorption and a greasy flavor. On the company website, Ore-Ida says "Our crunchy Golden CRISPERS! If you can't eat real fries, pick something else rather than these forgettable veggie fries. We independently select these productsif you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Cut Off the Freezer-Burnt Parts This method, however, works for all foods. These increasing factors can lead to faster bacterial growth and decrease the safe time window even further. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); Like dirt, said Kassin. But your fries could get freezer burn, and their quality will begin to degrade. How to Get Rid of Freezer Burn Taste? [In Meat, Bread, Ice Cream, Fries] With a few minutes of prep time, they can take on the role of a delicious breakfast side or topping. The chef Jose Mendoza of the Great Oak Steakhouse in California told Insider that smothering your fries with extra toppings could easily transform them from side dish to entre. Every Ore Ida French Fry, Ranked Worst To Best - Mashed Were they frozen? Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. So it would make perfect sense to buyfrozen Arby's curly fries that you can store in your freezer until the time is right. What to prepare first, the fries or the burger? While researching fries, we discovered that even before you bake them at home, bagged frozen fries have already been cookedtwice. A lot of us buy frozen fries to cook and enjoy at home. To maximize the shelf life of cooked French fries for safety and quality, refrigerate the French fries in shallow airtight containers or wrap tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Food may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40F or below, however, its quality may suffer . Nathan's Jumbo Crinkle Cut Fires are extremely low in sodium and calories, which is why they rank so high on this particular list. Taylor Classic Dial Fridge/Freezer Thermometer. If foods from the freezer appear tough, shriveled, discolored in spots, or covered in ice crystals, they are probably freezer burnt. Although these fries are priced right, are only 140 calories per serving, and have an aesthetically-pleasing uniformity about them, they're not good enough to recommend. French fries, tater tots, and hash browns can keep in the freezer for six to 12 months. They used to be two different fast food chains but they merged and now the food is basically identical at both establishments. Do Frozen Meatballs Go Bad? French fries food poisoning can also occur from contamination before serving through unsanitary practices. Cool, then set the cookie sheet they were baked on in the freezer until they are frozen solid. "Slightly thaw the fries so that you're able to cut through them," Mendoza said. Food poisoning can affect general well-being adversely. Green potatoes contain solanine a nerve toxin that can result in headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, and even paralysis if consumed in high quantities. Discovery, Inc. or its subsidiaries and affiliates. Most french fry-lovers are usually faced with a dilemma; the struggle to eat their leftover fries or throw them away. It is not safe to let french fries out overnight because bacteria will grow inside them after two hours. Why do most precooked frozen fries smell bad and what to do about it The taste: This fry is reminiscent of something youd find in a burger joint, said Anguiano. Do other people have the same reaction to the same fries? You'll never be disappointed. If you can't decide which of McCain's many french fry varieties to try first, go with the Classic Cut Fries. The Best & Worst Frozen French FriesRanked. The one drawback that stood out to all: These fries delivered a funky aftertaste. xhr.send(payload); Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Using an Ohm Meter to test for bonding of a subpanel, Short story about swapping bodies as a job; the person who hires the main character misuses his body. If they smell other than what french fries are supposed to smell like. Chick-fil-A's famous sauce, of course! If the salt seems to fall right off your fries, you may be seasoning them at the wrong time. The first thing you need to do is to smell and the french fries. And those you will not get rid of, even if you refreeze the fries! The french fry (*note: Only 1 french fry out the whole packet) looks normal, but one bite and it emits the smell of drainage water/ unprocessed pig innards. With a few minutes of prep time, they can take on the role of a delicious breakfast side or topping. If this occurred over a day or two, you should be fine to heat them up. There's a rancid or off odor. My Hash Browns Have Thawed. What Do I Do?! Amongst potato connoisseurs, no other state's potatoes can compare, and for that reason, the Grown in Idaho brandof frozen french fries comes with lofty expectations. We prepared them according to package directions, and resisted dunking them in ketchup before tasting for flavor, seasoning, and texture. These fries are a little too chewy. Smiles are likely something that was a part of your favorite lunch in elementary school. First of all, the seasoning is completely different. This means, if you have a good fridge, keep them in the deep part of the fridge. For just 90 calories, about 14 of these frozen French fries will eat up more sodium than what's in a 20-ounce bottle of Gatorade Lemon-Lime Thirst Quencher, which has 270 milligrams. While there are a lot of options when it comes to Great Value frozen fries, the best choice is their crinkle cut fries. Which French fries are the healthiest? - Eat With Us While Whole Foods 365 finished third in our ranking, this brand actually finished second in a Mashed survey of best frozen french fries. Better yet, opt to make your own. How Long Do Pizza Rolls Last in the Freezer. If you have a hankering for some salty French fries but need to watch your sodium intake, this is a great option to satisfy your taste buds. A bag of frozen french fries will last for approximately 10 to 12 months if it is sealed. How to Tell If Your Frozen Fish Has Gone Bad | eHow And so freezer odors are particularly offensive because, for one, youre not expecting them. Learn why this favorite warming spice may be a friend to your body as well as your taste buds.