Baked potato (and other roots) chips

[Magictofu]

Probably because I bought myself a new mandolin, I decided to make homemade baked potato chips today. I sliced my potatoes very thinly, then added a bit of lime juice, salt and pepper for flavour and cooked them in the oven at various temperature and with varying amount of oil. I did a total of three batches:

- Lttle oil and cooked at 450

- Little oil and cooked at 350

- More oil and cooked at 400

None of these worked... my chips were either burnt or not crisp at all.

Some partly developped that great transluscent appearance but were often burnt around the edge and soggy in the center.

Any help at improving my chips is more than welcome.

A last note, I used Yukon Gold potatoes because that's what I had... but I would love to make chips using taro, carrots, beets and other roots vegetables... so any advice on these would also be appreciated.

[Ann_T]

I love homemade potato chips and they are really easy to make. But the secret is to fry them not bake them. Somethings just aren't suppose to be low cal.

I always use russet potatoes but I would think that Yukon golds would make a good potato chip too.

I slice them thin and soak in ice water. Dry well before frying in hot oil.

[Magictofu]

I love homemade potato chips and they are really easy to make. But the secret is to fry them not bake them. Somethings just aren't suppose to be low cal.

I always use russet potatoes but I would think that Yukon golds would make a good potato chip too.

I slice them thin and soak in ice water.  Dry well before frying in hot oil.

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I agree with you that some things are not supposed to be low cal but I have seen beautiful oven baked chips... they were everywere as garnishes in the 80s and 90s.

After looking at your chips though... I suddenly have a weird urge to fry potatoes! (that burger looks awesome too!)

[Marlene]

In jackal10's excellent eGCI Potato Primer course, if you scroll way down, you'll come to a part where he demo's oven baked chips. Basically, he soaks them first to remove starch, after slicing them very thinly, then puts them in a plastic bag and tosses them with melted butter before baking.

[Magictofu]

In jackal10's excellent eGCI Potato Primer course, if you scroll way down, you'll come to a part where he demo's oven baked chips.  Basically, he soaks them first to remove starch, after slicing them very thinly, then puts them in a plastic bag and tosses them with melted butter before baking.

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Thanks for the link Marlene... from what I just read there, I might be cooking them as too high a temperature... I will try to experiment with other vegetables soon.

[Lore]

he soaks them first to remove starch, after slicing them very thinly, then puts them in a plastic bag and tosses them with melted butter before baking.

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That's a terrific idea.

I've been soaking sweet potatoes and then squeezing out all the water in a kitchen towel to make a variation on Potato Rosti (adapted from a good recipe in a recent Cook's Magazine), and the soak/squeeze makes all the difference when aiming for a crisp tart.

But I never thought of trying that for potato chips. I, too, have struggled with making good ones at home - especially with sweet potatoes - and now I'm excited to try. Thanks for that link!