A Thrifted French Fry Gadget & Deep Frying in COLD Oil 🍟 Will It Work?

[@JaniceWithTheTarlovCysts]

We had one like that when I was growing up and my Mom would get my Dad to put the potatoes through the machine. The fries were the best 😋 I can still hear my Mom calling for my Dad's strong arms - "Harry!" 😂 Oh my word, I miss them so. 😢

[@barongerhardt]

The fry's or parents? Either way, sorry for your loss.

[@EF.7.]

I love you have fun and beautiful memories I hope they bring more happiness then tears. My dad is gone and I understand what you mean. I'm hanging on to my mom as close as I can, for as long as we have, because I know there will be so much sadness when I have lost them both.

[@marilynnail7225]

I'll be 71 years old in November. I was given one of these French fry cutter when I was 13 years old. Try spraying some spray oil on it let it set a while and see if that works . I still have mine andit still working great.❤

[@Dysgyzed]

@@EF.7. Your comment is of more importance than you could have known when you wrote it. For the past couple of hours, as I have on and off for months, wondered if others grieved for their still alive and doing well loved ones, as I do for my mama. There's no real preparing for he loss; I know this and yet I just can't help but to feel a *PANG* of sorrow that hits me unexpectedly. It's of comfort to know that I'm not the only one who goes through this. My Best Thoughts and Wishes to you.

[@ronnielee33]

Same here--1950s/60s/70s kid, we had one, mom had dad use it. They are bith gone now.

[@richardnixon5068]

You are correct about wall mount. You can put it up about 4-5 feet and yank down with your body weight. Make sure you use big screws and a stud sensor. I used to fill 5 gallon buckets of fries with a unit just like that in very little time.

[@raytribble8075]

My American grandmother had the exact same model you are using in 1969 when we moved from Japan to the US. I just remember standing up, jumping, mashing fingers and swearing never to use it again lol. Watching you brought back a frustrating and funny afternoon at grandmas

[@jeffreyphipps1507]

Shorter people often anchored the device to the wall or a place over a bowl to catch fries. Don't continually stop to remove fries. Put the next potato in and it will push out the prior potato. Clean out the last potato only.

[@Twilson1986]

I was just about to comment this exact thing!

[@ClanImprobable]

Of course!

[@perfectlyimperfect2368]

My parents and Grandma both have this device and always use it when making fries. Great device. I'm 31 and remember it being used in my childhood so it's at least 30 years old. Ours has a suction like thing on the bottom so it's not sliding all over.

[@AntonGully]

You probably had the plastic version. It made smaller fries. None of the originals had the suction feet. If you can get a picture of the bottom of the lever there will be an embossed figure showing the model number reference which will let me identify it when you message me. If it IS one of the older ones they can be worth surprising amounts of money.

[@Frinxmodi]

You can reuse the oil few times before dumping them 😊

[@TheErador]

Yeah was gonna comment about it being a massive waste to toss it when it's that clean

[@Frinxmodi]

@@TheErador ikr! And saw some hack for cleaning out the reused oil too . Better that than to just throw it out!

[@AntonGully]

She's American. I don't think she cares about wasting resources. Likely a Trump voter.

[@gristlevonraben]

old timey restaurants would pre-bake the potatoes to a softer level, then cut them and fry them. A&W did it that way.

[@jd0-f5y]

Hi Emmy, instead of putting a towel under it, try something non-slip like a silicone trivet, or maybe even dampen the towel so that it doesn't slide all over the counter. My mum had one of those French fry cutters back in the 60s, and I think she used it standing at the kitchen table, so it wouldn't be so high. Very funny video today, Emmy. I really enjoy your videos and recipes.

[@kmoecub]

I just use a wooden cutting board, unless a wooden countertop is available.

[@rs2143]

Your using big hard baking potatoes 🥔 small regular potatoes are best . My mom had one . Small red potatoes to

[@BluestoneGargoyle]

Thank you for the cold oil technique!! I have avoided deep frying French fries because of oil spatter burns in the past! This will remove most of that risk.

[@TracyKMainwaring]

If your (fresh).fries are really dry and room temperature, you shouldn't get much splatter. That usual comes from too much moisture in the fries, especially if they were frozen

[@barongerhardt]

@@TracyKMainwaring Splatter when frying is almost always water. Wash them and dry them. Soak them in salt water then dry them. Par boil them and then dry them. Put them in the fridge or just leave them out to dry. Lots of methods to remove a lot of the moisture before they are fried. Also, use a spider or basket to gently place them in, no need for big splashes.

[@cltimbes]

The Ekco Miracle French Fry Cutter was manufactured in the United States during the 1960s.

[@AntonGully]

It was a copy of a Belgium product, popular in the late 1920s. Became less popular in America, and worldwide, because potatoes got bigger.

[@spoonergirl75]

This takes me waaaay back...this exact gadget is how we made our fries when I was a kid! Same box. I was a kid in the 80's and it was handed down from my great grandmother. My dad mounted it on the wall to make it easier for me and my brother to work it. My mom worked for a potato farmer, packing russets, so we had a LOT of potatoes and a million ways to make them!

[@michaelshada262]

I still have that french fry cutter from my mom.🙏 I'm 70 now and still use it Sometimes pushing is impossible. Hold the device by the base WITH FINGERS CLEAR OF ANYTHING THAT COULD CUT OR SMASH THEM, then with the other hand, pound on the handle like you're hammering a nail with your fist. It's short little movements but it always works for me when the potato is stubborn.😁

[@vlmellody51]

My late father bought one of these from a garage sale back in the early 70s. He only tried to use it once; we all learned new swear words that day. 😅

[@amandagreen4332]

It also helps to peel the fruit or veggie being cut!

[@ajay-vu6or]

I have one that I bought for $5.00 at a community sale. Watching this reminded me, I need a workout and some fries!😆🤣

[@angelarovai7937]

I believe the back "legs" are meant to hold the edge of the countertop.

[@MeToo-rp6ny]

We have one and that's what we do, hook the back onto the counter so it holds it still for the push. Then another potato to push the rest through. The only fries we pull out are from the last one. Great fry cutter.

[@judylapointe3507]

I have the same one and the box. It's still as sharp as a razor. I "inherited" from my Pipi (grandpa). I am 74 I remember him using it my whole life. He made the best fries, cooked in lard of course. LOL

[@Dana-ie2bh]

Yea, lard is better than seed oil like Canola (rapeseed) oil. Mickey d's use to use beef tallow.

[@FireSilver25]

Lard is so great for cooking

[@gwentracy4751]

My father, who was born in the 1920's told me that In the 30's, 40's & 50's, the great big potatoes were used as cattle feed, unless you were starving. The large ones were not popular until the 70's, when potato bars were all the rage.

[@barongerhardt]

They can get massive. Like feed a whole family with one. Nothing wrong with them for taste, texture, health. It is just stores don't want them because people don't buy them. Similar thing for lots of other fruits/veggies. Wrong size, color, or other blemishes. They are fine, but cannot sell them. So we feed the fam and farm hand with them.

[@AnniCarlsson]

Well small young potatoes is tastier

[@ajay-vu6or]

@@barongerhardt. Nowadays it will cost you your farm just to buy a small bag of potatoes at safeway. That is why I go to the farmers markets and support local farmers. The best produce ever! Where would we be without our wonderful farmers.

[@barongerhardt]

@@ajay-vu6or Skip the farmers markets. Go straight to a farm and buy it from them. Not much cheaper, if not more, than the stores, but I doesn't spend weeks in processing or coming from thousands of miles away.

[@omarmohamad815]

I love Emmy's thrift store finds!

[@lemonz1769]

These are some of my favorites too!

[@monicanolan2211]

A lot of restaurants use an industrial size version of this.. ex chef here.

[@patrickdurham8393]

Ex-chef? Decide to only eat crappy food?😊 You cook because you must cook!😊

[@DennisHalifax]

@@patrickdurham8393 he is not a slave but an ex chef. What kind of crazy up reality do you live in? People can retire or move from the kitchen industry for various reason.

[@Silentgrace11]

“Squarelinders” 😂 never change, Emmy! Lol

[@jeaniegobin1375]

Emmy about 35 years ago I worked at pizza hut. They had that gadget hooked on the wall for chopping all the vegetables for toppings. If you notice there is a screw hole on it to be mounted. Thanks Emmy

[@pigoff123]

I have my grandmother's but have never used it. Might try it now.😊

[@juanofthecross]

I just can't believe with what you did with the oil

[@hollyyoder1213]

Cut the potatoes in half so it’s easier and no waste!

[@italiana626sc]

That was my thought, too!!

[@tiahc3]

That's what we did when my Mom made fries!!

[@CloudCuckooKing]

Came here to say this!

[@marim0y]

Came to say just this

[@flop5409]

Your videos are very comforting

[@pamguyton4597]

I have a similar cutter. Cut your potatoes to make sure they fit vertically & horizontally. I usually do half each way for no waste. These cutters were to be permanently mounted for ease of use. That way all your strength is transferred to the handle rather than half to cutting & half to stabilizing the device.

[@francesjohnson8025]

hi Emmy your supposed to place another potato behind to push it out

[@jessicab2202]

I thought that too! It would make it easier for all the potatoes except the last one.

[@sandrasawyer5523]

I love the gadget videos!

[@kevindelaurentis8666]

My grandmother had one and we used it every time we visited her. Hers was much easier than the one you're using and it also made slightly thinner fries. My mom now has it and I don't know if she still uses it. I forgot about it, I should ask her if I can have it. I had forgotten all about these things. Thanks for the memories.

[@jasonbell9212]

I've never used it, but I have the exact same thing. Now you're inspiring me to use it.

[@rivards1]

Hi, we had one of these too! Leaving the peels on potatoes is a relatively new concept, my Mom always used peeled potatoes. You could just halve your large potatoes and put them in, no wasted ends. Thanks for the fun video!

[@ProvingSpooky]

That was dangerous 😂 the blade just flings out 🤣😬

[@MultiGemgirl]

I don't remember having such a hard time using a commercial one at work years ago

[@AmyMLevy]

A US-available product for solidifying the oil is called FryAway (we use it all the time).

[@PurpleWillowArts]

I have to try the cold method now. Never have before. 💜💜

[@CriticalEatsJapan]

Perhaps if you slice them in half along the length it would theoretically take half as much force to push them through...

[@TheCotzi]

by then u can cut them into steak fries and be faster

[@bjdefilippo447]

I was thinking if she put it on a lower table, she might be able to generate more force.

[@AKCFTW]

@@bjdefilippo447This is actually something that comes up in several of her videos. She doesn’t have the height, nor the upper body strength to use some of the vintage gadgets properly, and she usually ends up saying it “doesn’t work”. They work; they’re just not designed for someone as tiny as her.

[@Slaintemaith]

We've been craving these since you've made them. We used a not-archaic kitchen gadget, and our induction wok. These are hands down the best fries I've had--home made or no. Thank you for this!

[@gilgarcia3008]

We had one in the 1960’s that worked really well. Us kids used it all the time!

[@ClanImprobable]

It was a delight to watch you not resist those fries!

[@emilystearns1258]

Upstate New Yorker here!! Love that you’re wearing a Finger Lakes shirt!❤❤❤ sending all the love from the finger lakes!❤️

[@rachelalexander2177]

Our best friend is letting us house and use a vintage Veg-O-Matic!! I use it at least once a week to make homemade french fries and it works fantastic!! I love the old gadgets!!!

[@Unbridled13]

Burger joint we went to had it mounted on wall. It was fun to watch. All potatoes were sliced fresh and fried. They were so yummy.

[@alnenasosa2984]

I love how you do so much for your parents! And I love your parents reactions to the new food you introduce to them! You’re a wonderful daughter and son in love!

[@maryrottman1530]

Hi Emmy. I think you need a lower surface so you have better leverage to push down. We had one when I was growing up, the thing could make quick work of cutting potatoes for a family of four.

[@celiawaddell4526]

I never thought of fries as fluffy. That is a funny word. Thanks for being adorable.

[@johnr1348]

When I see one of your videos pop into the feed....It's An Automatic Watch! You Are The Best Emmy! 😁❤

[@cbird4922]

There is a variety of potato called a Kennebec that is the ultimate potato for french fries. They’re what I use whenever I need to put scratch fries on a menu. Try them if you ever find them. Also, I have that fry cutter at home. It behaves badly, but I still use it because the uniformity of the fries makes me happy.

[@sekhmet9808]

Whenever I've seen potato cutters like this, mostly in restaurant kitchens, they're mounted on the wall which makes it easy to apply the force needed to cut the tater.

[@steampup8834]

sometimes i wont watch your whole video, but i'll just tune in for a few minutes just to see your calm, sweet, bubbly attitude and give you a like

[@jeffreyphipps1507]

Started in 1888 as the Edward Katzinger Company in Chicago, the company would go public in 1945 as EKCO Products Company. It was bought out in 1965 by American Home Products (AHP). In 1984 Ekco was sold to investment partners Gibbons, Green, Van Amerongen. They sold it to Centronics Corp. in 1987 which re-branded itself as Ekco Group, Inc. Corning purchased it in 1999. Corning is Corningware and Corelle, though this isn't a plate or a baking dish. My parents had this and when they died I inherited it. Does a good job, as does some of the variant choppers of today.

[@KNPrince]

We have two fry shacks here in the city I live in... the only thing they sell is fries.. with salt and apple cider vinegar.. you can see the ladies using one of these cutters or something similar to it to prep the potatoes.. Best fries ever...!

[@TheEvilEve2012]

I HAD THAT AS A KID!!!

[@JiHu-d8c]

Omg me too 😏🧿🪬🤣

[@DragonTigerGateMerchant]

More modern versions of things like this typically have a little grid cut of the part that pushes into the cutter so that they pop out easier.

[@PrincessBlumie]

Yes the fast food one is vertical! Didnt work at in and out but worked at another fast food place. Youd have a sink or bucket of cool water directly under the mounting so the fries go right into the water

[@mrhalfstep]

As a 6 YO in 1961 I remember watching my dad cut fries for supper on something just like this. Mom was afraid of it for some reason and she made Dad do the cutting and cleaning the blades. As I remember, it was his job to do the deep frying, too. She was afraid of the spatters from the deep oil and wet potatoes. It's funny that you mentioned that the potatoes had to be just the right length. Dad would chop off the ends and me and my younger brother would salt them and eat them raw. I still eat a raw potato from time to time. It really invokes some fond memories for me. Left over mashed potatoes, cold out of the fridge was sometimes a lunchtime snack before I started going to school. I remember that he was also responsible for making the potato chips that we ate while we watched the Beverly Hillbillies. He used a gadget that looked sort of like a fan with a hand crank on the back to drive it and a pressing chute on the back that let you force the potato into the razor sharp rotating blades while keeping your fingers safe. It shaved off slices of potato, that were ridiculously thin, in a fraction of the time a mandolin would require. As near as I remember it was constructed very ruggedly like the french fry cutter. Maybe you could find and demonstrate one of those.

[@Mir_Teiwaz]

You probably could have used that oil at least 2-3 more times...why waste oil like that?

[@sindento1942]

Yes, oil last ages doing just chips. It's protein that ruins the oil, like fishfingers.

[@NaGromOne]

I pour the cooled oil through a paper towel in a funnel back into the empty bottle again, so it can be used later.

[@TamarLitvot]

@@NaGromOne exactly!

[@ReptileAssylum]

I would use it 20 times minimum

[@chev39rsh]

here is a trick; Put fried potatoes in a paper bag (rare these days) add salt and shack to coat fries and removes excess oil..

[@happyfreeky]

Squarelyinders. Love it

[@Eddie1536]

My family had one of these back in the 70s. We used it all the time. My parents still have it. Still use it.

[@summerf3022]

Yahoooo! You know how to make our Saturday nights, Emmy! Also your hair is so stinking adorable !!!! ❤❤❤

[@The-farms-101]

We would cut our potatoes in half, then you don’t waste the ends

[@BulletproofPastor]

I worked as kitchen staff at a restaurant while in college and used a cutter like that but ours was mounted on the wall. I sure made a LOT of fries with it.

[@barbbette6159]

My mom had one of those in the early 60's & she would always bake the taters, just til slightly fork-tender & then they would pop right through the fry cutter. My mom favorite use of it was to cut cheese sticks out of blocks of cheese.

[@sourdoughhome2571]

Someone suggested a non-stick silicone trivet, which is a good idea. You might also put the cutter on a lower surface such as an unupholstered chair which might give you more leverage. The cold oil technique is great, but you can only use it once in a session - it takes too long for the oil to cool.

[@danielcschell2989]

Yup! The In-N-Out Burger ones are mounted vertically. I have a modern version of this device too and it has suction to hold it to the counter

[@tonik-o3949]

I thrifted one of these as well and I love it! 🥰

[@akashicvizion]

Hullo, Ms. Emmy! My aunt had a similar device for making fries, and there were 'tips' in the instructions to avoid the "hung up potato" situation: First, pre-cut your 'taters to fit; second, you follow one potato with the next, the following 'tater will complete the cut on the first as it starts thru... When all 'taters have been pushed thru the machine, use one of the 'cutoffs' as a sacrificial piece to clear the last 'tater fron the machine! My mom has a vertical chopper (since '61!) called a "Veg-O-Matic"-- I remember whacking a lot of cabbages thru it when I was growing up to make coleslaw for family get-togethers..... (it had julienning blades as well as the old 'cubing' style)..... And although I have heard of the 'cold oil' method, I have never attempted it, since there's usually multiple baskets of fries lined up to be done, and no time to start cold for every one! You keep on keepin' on, and as always, Blessed Be, & Peace! 🙏☮

[@daddynitro199]

I love your finger lakes shirt! I worked out there for nearly a decade!

[@MrCalypso84]

I have one of these, i actually mounted mine to a wall, makes it way easier to use.

[@aryah1513]

I wait for the oil to get warm enough to BARELY bubble using a dip test (way before it gets hot enough to make an audible sizzle) and I use a basket. So after they get beige, I hang the basket over the oil while I turn the heat up to 400F and drop them back in 10 minutes later. I get a beautiful crunch and it looks like restaurant fries.

[@fionapaterson-wiebe3108]

I’ve lately seen demonstrations of people cleaning oil, using a slurry of starch and water. It’s added to the cold oil and slowly heated. The starch clumps together as the temperature rises, trapping particles from the previous cook. While it’s not good to reuse oil too many times, this can be a saving, rather than using only once.

[@richardhardin9469]

Ron Popeil is turning in his grave! ;-)

[@Shamazya]

When the dirt popped out with the blade I got a good laugh

[@jeffreyphipps1507]

Some versions had different shape blades (some easier to use than others). I found that cutting the potato into shorter pieces (quartering them) often made it easier to cut them. Yes, it's more work, but for smaller fries blades it was a huge help. Electric cutters and screw cutters don't have this much trouble.

[@aquila0212]

And now you know why it was practically new, in the original box ;)

[@markw208]

Petrified Potato 🥔 Particles

[@carchitectress1]

Yes, the in n out cutter for french fries is vertical, but it cuts in a different mechanism, and forces it down through the blades on a downward pull. And there is a rubberized square grid that helps force the full potato all the way through. At least that what it was back in 1999 when I worked there.

[@mikecrabtree8200]

This and one other device is what my mom used to make French fries. 99.99% of all ff we consumed were made from these things and they were delicious.

[@BoHumphries]

checking in from THE FINGER LAKES! Love the shirt!

[@Wayneburg]

18:13 When characters in tv shows hum their theme song in the tv show lol. I gotta try cold frying fries now!

[@glenlapwing8468]

My mother had one of those when I was little in the 50s !

[@Serenity_Dee]

Yeah, those French fry cutters are a sign that the restaurant is using fresh potatoes for their fries. They're typically anchored vertically over a big bowl or bucket to catch the fries. There used to be a phenomenal burger place in Greensboro, NC that had one right in the front of house kitchen area so you could see and hear that ka-CHUNK.

[@wtmac02]

I have that exact French fry cutter, got it from my Grandma who to my knowledge never once made French fries with it. I love to make fries with it from time to time, but yeah it does have its quirks getting potatoes to feed through it. I slap the handle, seems to help. Think I might make some tonight thanks to this video.

[@sandramonk1]

Hot oil is supposed to seal the outside of the potato so they don't absorb so much of the oil. And yes, let the oil cool, filter it through a coffee filter or paper towel and re-use it several times.

[@S.B.433]

You seem to have a better thrift store than I do. Never find anything cool like this

[@joyinthemorning44]

So THAT's where my french fry cutter disappeared to! 😂😂😂

[@ajay-vu6or]

😆😂🤣

[@frankperkin124]

My dad used one all the time when I was a kid. I'm 67 so yeah, it is pretty old. I wish I had one.

[@gaia35]

4:09 I'm pretty sure it was difficult because the potato was cut flat. Many blades started cutting at once. vs a more gradual cut from a rounded potato. I'm also pretty sure my grandma has the same one, and I remember it requiring a good amount of force.

[@x.y.7385]

First, very quick, glance at the thumbnail i thought it was an antique treadmill 😂😂

[@stephaniesosna8213]

I've seen the fryer oil powder at Walmart in the baking isle. I've never tried it, but I am intrigued 😊

[@amyschneidhorst1384]

I need an outside kitchen studio to deep fry foods!

[@allentowngal4769]

... carnival & boardwalk French fry vendors use the same cutter... only it's mounted to a wall or counter with a 5 gallon bucket under it to catch them when they fly out.

[@m.a.zaleski733]

Memories ❤ They were yummy!

[@SauerPatchGardening]

I have one of these that was handed down from my in laws, I went and got it out of the basement, washed it up and did this along side you. I had never used it. The only way I could get the potato to go thru was to set it on the floor ( on a silicone mat) and push down on the lever. I couldn't get it to go all the way thru otherwise..lol I also had to trim my potatos..mine were also huge.

[@miriammartin175]

I lived in France as a teen, and had to go to school on Saturday mornings. When I came home, we would usually have a special lunch including fresh fries cut with this gadget. Really special memories!

[@highcommander2007]

If you use ice cubes in your water and add salt to super cool the water it will help crisp up the fries even more. Dry and fry them right after for best effect.

[@Mike-gm8fd]

If not mentioned already, easy way to clean cooking oil is to let it cool down a little and in a cup of cold water dissolve 4 tablespoons of corn starch. Add the mix to the oil and stir every few minutes.

[@judithwright7280]

I used mine tonight! Only way to make French fries. I use my air fryer instead of deep frying!!!

[@jennifere3851]

I love hearing the chickens in the background 😄

[@clairedesnoyers6530]

Wow, this is new for me. Thank you!

[@Debber0401]

Emmy, you need to put it on some of that non-skid, rubbery, material that you can use under carpets or open jars.