Don’t own a $10,000 machine? No problem. You can buy a hand-crank waffle fry slicer for twenty bucks. It looks like a plastic tombstone with a handle.
First, you stick the potato on a spike. Then you push it against a rotating blade. It takes about ten seconds and makes a satisfying thwack sound.
Warning: Your first few attempts will look like a potato crime scene. You’ll get half-waffles and weird triangles. That’s okay. Call them “artisanal.”
The Ultimate Hack: Freeze the Potato
Professional chefs have a secret. They blanch the potatoes first. Then they freeze them. This creates a starchy shell that fries up perfectly.
That starchy shell is what makes your waffle fry gloriously golden. It’s not just oil. It’s science.
Also, frozen potatoes don’t stick to the blade. They slide through like a dream. So next time you buy a bag of frozen waffle fries, thank the freezer.
How To Cut Waffle Fries With A Mandolin