I Made McDonald's French Fries Better

If we can do this then did we make the best french fry in the world?
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[@rozasupreme]

McD's fries are an enigma. One day they will be the greatest thing you ever tasted, then the next they taste worse than the Cardboard they're served in.

[@agumon1605]

Specially the sad soggy ones

[@Michael_Brock]

The cardboard box has better nutrition.

[@warmox1215]

My main job at mcdonalds is going on the fries/hashbrowns. The reason why they're soggy is that they're old, we're not allowed to throw away old fries because they were kept at the right temp so TECHNICALLY we can serve them and we're still losing money so we need to save every cent(at least thats what im told by the managers). You can ask for fresh fries if you don't want to risk it(this also makes it so we don't have to rush so your fries will be better overall) or just ask to exchange your fries for a new one if it ever happens again. Or the guy on fries sucks ass.

[@sambarker6141]

When they're fresh out of the fryer they're amazing, the problem is that McDonald's doesn't give a fuck about keeping them fresh, if you go after the lunch rush or late at night you're getting some stale ass fries

[@dicerson9976]

Its all the freshness. McDs fries are pr. good when they come straight out of the fryer. But that *only* happens if you get them either during the busiest time of day, when new batches are pumping out every 5 minutes or late at night (IE like 2-3am) when they have to fry new ones for health n safety reasons.

[@yvaelle79]

Having worked at McDonald's there is a sweetspot on their own fries for even tasting good. The fries have been lightly fried ahead of being frozen. They go through a final frying at the store to dethaw them and get the final amount of frying needed. The frying part is a few minutes, so its a task that gets put to the side as people do other stuff. Sometimes workers pulls the fries early. Others will pull them too late. You frequently end up with fries that haven't been fried long enough or get cooked too long and edging on burnt. The other part too is the bin they get put into are meant to have a sort of short drying period after having come out of the fryer with a single salt shake over the entire batch. The cooling oil on the outside is a little wet still which will let the salt adhere to it. Sometimes people skip the salting and other times they don't wait long enough for the oil to rest, so you end up with a hotter/oiler than normal batch out of the window in the rush that hasn't solidified yet. There is also a 'freshness' period as well. The fries are meant to be eaten like 3-7minutes after having come off the fryer and into someone's hands for the 'fresh' taste. If you let it go too long it just tastes like a sad potato. Honestly, that's why most home cooked foods taste good. You get to eat something fresh. Fast food chains are supposed to keep stuff 'fresh', but due to how business isn't constant sometimes you get served overdone or underdone food. Most of the time the afternoon will be the most risk of having sat around too long. Going while during a rush is when you are more likely to get food that's 'fresh' tasting rather than sitting around. Every home cooked meal I've had is 1000% amazing fresh, then you try to have leftover and its like.... I'll cook something fresh.

[@hhy_au]

Respect to anyone who read all of it (I didn’t) 🫡

[@pawasmishra4930]

@McDonald's some oneis leaking your secrets 😂

[@charliebaudoin]

Beef fat is super famous in Belgium for frying potatoes. In the South West of France we use duck/goose fat, and maybe it's just a patriotic thing, but I think it completely annihilates the fries cooked in beef fat. If Joshua ever sees this I hope he'll give it a try because this would be worth a video of its own beef vs duck fat fries.

[@lucas.2.3.9.4]

I've had potatoes cooked in goose fat and it's incredible

[@cyphre]

I LOVE fries using duck fat. There is a famous restaurant here in LA that does everything using duck fat; fries, fried chicken, etc.

[@Talador12]

He definitely uses duck fat in other recipes. Duck fat fries are king, easy to swap those. Do a duck fat fried spicy chicken sandwich with duck fat fries. That would be a real contest with a burger and beef fat fries

[@charliebaudoin]

@@Talador12 sounds deliciously unhealthy

[@jansteyaert1]

Being a culinary nerd myself, I have tried both. I prefer beef tallow fat when enjoying the fries with a burger or a good steak. Duck fat I find better with gamier protein. In Belgium the traditional way is indeed to use beef tallow for the poaching (5 minutes 140 C/ 285 F). Depending on the fry shack (literal translation, we have thousands of them) they will fry in vegetable oil or beef tallow for the high-temperature frying. You let them cool completely and fry in vegetable oil (3 minutes 180 C/ 355 F). Belgian fries and, I think, traditional French fries are also way thicker. In Belgium there's even a ideal thickness (0.51 inch (1.3 cm)). We never precook in water, don't rinse (you want that starch for color and texture), and use a very starchy potato (Bintje, Challenger, ...).

[@Grrness]

For anyone wondering about sodium acid pyrophosphate it's a very common leavening agent used in bakery goods (it's often in baking powders you use yourself too,) also it's used to prevent struvite crystals in canned seafood, so it's not something only Maccies are using. Saying this all because people get scared off hearing about chemicals but when it comes down to it everything is chemicals ~

[@grabble7605]

The people afraid of chemical names probably can't read your comment.

[@gfer66]

Sodium acid pyrophosphate is as "chemical" as sodium chloride. I hate this chemophobic fad that many chefs are imposing.

[@createdbybrian]

Also dextrose is literally just sugar. Annnnd baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, another chemical used as a leavening agent. ....Scary stuff......

[@Grrness]

@@gfer66 Yup like with msg people get scared off by due to it's chemical name being monosodium glutamate but completely ignore salt is sodium chloride, its dumb. The thing is though he's okay with msg too but not sodium acid pyrophosphate... I don't get it.

[@Grrness]

@@createdbybrian Yup, I just don't understand the logic of thinking ones okay but not the other when they're all food safe products.

[@Zer0ThePlagueDoc]

If I recall, the salt/phosphate mix gives a different salty type taste that works with their soda syrup mixture.. its weird, but makes them taste better.

[@X-SPONGED]

So that's why people dunk McD fries in their sundaes and sodas

[@asharahmad1068]

Joshua the kind of guy who will go to a birthday party and make his own cake

[@thecateatingasian]

Wait, people don't do that?

[@iseiyoulaitre]

With.....texture

[@Omniplot14]

bro became western for a solid 10 seconds

[@TurkynakKorn]

I think all those guys blow bubbles together 😂

[@ghostplasma-hh4ld]

​@TurkynakKorn foreal dude can't come up with his own recipes so he "steals" and claims he did it better

[@warmox1215]

As someone who works at McDonalds, I've always wondered how much better our food would be if it was made fresh and made with better ingredients rather than cheaper ones (fun fact, our eggs are all fresh, which made me surprised given at how much of our shit is pre-made). Edit: I was surprised when I saw fresh, uncracked eggs in the walk in fridge

[@feitocomfruta]

Yeah, precooked and frozen eggs just don’t taste the same, so I get why they’d opt for fresh.

[@BlakeMadsen]

My friend worked for Schreiber, the manufacturer who makes McDonald's cheese. It's surprisingly high quality

[@l0lLorenzol0l]

Given how fast eggs can go bad and how easy it is for them to age I am not surprised McD chose to go for fresh for safety and marketing rrasons

[@turboboy0]

i never get the "folded egg" on any sandwich. instead i substitute the "round cracked egg"

[@alexburgdorf419]

If this is a mcdonalds psyop its fuckin worked on me ( I only get the breakfast at mcd's)

[@cosmickoffee]

If the fries were cooked in the same medium, either vegetable oil OR beef tallow, it'd be a better comparison for texture and not the chemical recipe. It's the beef tallow flavor that helps Josh's recipe win, which is why some people complained when McDonald's changed replaced beef tallow with less flavored oil. I'm getting the recipe regardless because **potatoes** lol

[@notme2day]

McDonald's got rid of beef tallow fries bc they lied to vegans about it. And since even vegans get a craving for unhealthy McD's fries, they weren't going to just exclude a growing community and walk away from making $$$.

[@4dstellatedhypercube558]

True, I buy frozen french fries from the store and cook them in beef tallow and it makes them taste 100x better

[@mxspokes]

There was beef flavor in the fry boil

[@mikeisgettinupset]

The beef "flavor" was in the bath. That will never compare to literally frying in beef fat. WAY more flavor from frying in fat than boiling in some beef bouillon@@mxspokes

[@matprotium1205]

What 99% of people don’t realize is that seed oils (canola, soy, peanut, etc) have been created less than 200 years ago. They are factory made oils created through a long process of chemicals to extract the very very small amount of oil contained in each seeds. It’s basically ultra processed oils that are man made and never ever seen in nature throughout history. The BIG problem is that the food and pharmaceutical industry tell people in 2023 that seed oils are the healthiest fats : BIG LIE. Compared to that, animal fats like tallow and lard have existed for ever and are as natural as possible. These are literally the only fats humans used for ever and it’s only in very recent history that somehow stupid humans started doing everything the ‘’health experts’’ tell them to do. That’s how magarine replaced butter, that’s how canola oil replaced tallow or lard for frying and that how soybean oil replaced olive oil in salad dressing.

[@stebstebanesier6205]

It doesn't happen often, but when McD are fresh, hot and perfectly salted, there are none better.

[@verekertam8921]

Asked for fries, no salt. Then get salt packed on the side. They will be forced to cook a new batch for you

[@TritonBrunt]

@@verekertam8921 Or just ask for fresh fries... Fast food workers aren't out to get you my guy.

[@jbond.007]

When they're fried in tallow instead of vegetable oil they're 10000x better.

[@Erndea]

McDonald's used to fry their fries in tallow, but were forced to change it. Most people who have tried both agree that they taste better fried in tallow. I have to agree. They were so good back then, now they're kinda meh

[@fkujakedmyname]

wendys are better and the still suck

[@quirkyviper]

I actually really like floppy fries. Texture is really important but I think it's more important that you get the texture that you like, vs what things are supposed to be.

[@bobbymarie8002]

Ditto! I like the mixture when digging in a bag of fries. Tall crunchy, Floppy, the extra salty one. Mmm, it's still early🍟

[@alliepachecoflores2808]

This! Everyone always makes videos as if ONE opinion is the be all. All kinds of different people love all kinds of different things

[@joker-ze2tm]

I also like floppy fries 😂 but I also like crunchy ones

[@anthonynguyen8355]

My wife introduced me to this channel and i absolutely love it. I bought her the first cook book !

[@stevenking997]

thats messed up lol, you basically told her to cook, YOU should learn how to use it. thats like buying her a vacuum as an xmas gift.

[@kingkase0079]

@@stevenking997you’re jumping to conclusions, he’s also watching this channel meaning he could also be doing the recipes and maybe the wife asked for the cook book as she WANTS to do it, cooking is fun imo and maybe the person who is commenting is also using the book. Don’t be jumping to conclusions and thinking that everyone else thinks “oh woman should cook not the men” you don’t even know much information so tbh your reply is messed up

[@EeveeRealSenpai]

@@stevenking997 you know people are allowed to choose to cook regardless of gender right?

[@stevenking997]

lol i hope ur right, i really do. in this situation i hope im in the wrong. @@kingkase0079

[@gerardopadilla2666]

@@stevenking997 So, honey, I bought you this gift from the guy whose content you like... I mean all the other comments already pointed it but, how do you try to spin that into a negative? Woke much?

[@firefly.8381]

the long awaited “but better” has finally arrived! you really inspired me to learn how to cook, and for that I appreciate you so much. I will definitely make these, thank you!! 😊

[@ineverreply5844]

Hope he can do some woodworking tutorials too 😮

[@naterivers6107]

McDonold's fries are the best thing on the planet for about 10 minutes after they've been fried and properly salted. After 10:01 they become long thin packing peanuts.

[@designaddict101]

yes but they're the same packing peanuts in every country...

[@Cutthecamerasdeadass1899]

They gotta be hot too

[@HammerShock23]

The problem is that they usually sit in the "warmer" for 15 minutes unless you're there during a rush. Tip: If you want fresh fries, order them with no salt. They'll need to work from a fresh batch (though the employees may not appreciate it).

[@kurokiniro]

​@@designaddict101the recipe is diffetent in europe, if you read the ingredients here there are only 3 and we dont use canola oil. Dunno how it affects the taste tho.

[@naterivers6107]

@paulmarkel9159 If you luck out and hit that 10 minute window, they're amazing. It's that one good experience everyone refers to when they praise the fries.

[@nicksreviewsmiami]

There was this place called Burger and Beer Joint a few years ago that had the most amazing Duck Fat Fries. Yes they cooked hand cut French fries in duck fat and those were hands down the most amazing fries I have ever tried.

[@charleahar]

I feel like the "but better" series misses something- which joshua almost gets to with the nostalgia thing: Sometimes the mildly shittiness of something makes it better. When I want pizza, I'll get the gourmet shit from downtown. But when I'm properly craving PIZZA, I'll go to the house of pizza that you always have to dab the grease off with a napkin first. When I want fries, I'll get some nice fries from the burger joint down a ways. But there's something about the mild sog of a McDonald's fry that really just hits different. The better options are in fact objectively better, but sometimes you really just want a shitty McDo fry.

[@aumimaaldouise1910]

FRRRRRR so trueee

[@nomanejane5766]

True, but he is serving them cold Macdonald fries against freshly makes ones, ofc tge fresh ones win

[@GorgeousxNightmarex]

Well said!

[@boobtuber06]

That’s a question I have had too

[@codyjackh8051]

Feels like he's been working on this one forever

[@itssharktime6560]

Probably because he has, this started years ago

[@Kelwix]

How do you know he just uploaded the video

[@2kchallengewith4video]

I was here

[@gerardopadilla2666]

And his solution was to use McDonald's own recipe from before the vegetable oil nation attacked...

[@tomgreen2058]

If it's that hard to beat then they can't be that overrated can they?

[@BludFan]

Dude... you gotta take these taste tests to the streets. No more "On the Payroll" taste testers. Bring it to the people Josh

[@Mav10]

nah, it's better imo if it's the guys behind the camera. makes their job a much worth it job than an average one

[@Terra12345X]

Totally agree, I mean, they are his employees, of course they won't say in front of boss it's not good :) And I don't say this to be rude or mean, I follow Josh for years, I like this channel...but this should be his next step

[@pollypockets508]

@@Mav10 I think BludFan just wants to taste Josh's food. 😉

[@Bundalaba]

Nahh . Too messy

[@boartank]

Interacting with random people is a bit scary especially in the west coast. Stay strapped.

[@joshhigdon4951]

It's not overrated Joshy. It's the fact that some of us that remember the beef tallow days and just love reminiscing. Fries of the 80s and early 90s from McDonald's were unbelievable!

[@mubblr]

I’m assuming you didn’t watch the full vid 😂 he said dat pretty much.

[@joshhigdon4951]

@@mubblr dont assume. I dont miss a video. He did say McDonald's frys are over rated, no? My comment was due to his youth, he doesn't remember the beef tallow days. Maybe you missed my comment.

[@Dealanach]

​​@@joshhigdon4951at 3:20 Josh says "I'm using beef tallow to get that classic McDonald's taste". 2 mintes later he goes on a whole tangent about beef tallow.

[@joshhigdon4951]

@@Dealanach you're arguing a point I am not making. He said they are the most over rated food. Which they are, now. But he is too young to remember the old fries, WHICH IS MY ARGUEMENT. They are overrated and over bought by us who do remember them. We eat them in hopes to bring back that memory. Has nothing to do with him cooking them in beef tallow. You must be born after 1996 by your line of argumentation.

[@Dealanach]

@@joshhigdon4951 Leaving a comment saying "They're not overrated, you just don't know about the Beef Tallow!" on a video where he spends this much time talking about beef tallow is the reason it seems like you didn't watch the video.

[@feralworm]

There's a chance that the beef tallow alone made a difference enough... how and why McDonald's changed their fry oil is an interesting story in and of itself. Malcolm Gladwell did a whole episode of his podcast about this, along with a blind taste testing segment. Would be interested in seeing a straight comparison of the different parboil stages, fried with the same oil, to find out if that is what makes a difference beyond the type of oil used for frying.

[@acefighter911]

That would mean putting a Josh recipe on level playing field. Bro will never do that. His recipes have to have an advantage 😂

[@bobbymarie8002]

That would be cool to see those comparisons. Also, If McD's used Beef Talon still today, They would have cow-fat milking warehouses across the globe 😷

[@telih]

@@bobbymarie8002 they already have the meat from the cows, it would very likely decrease animal waste. Since most people don't use tallow, it gets thrown away. all that cow meat from their burgers had fat around it, that could have been used at tallow. Now its in the trash, to opt for a garbage monocrop.

[@bobbymarie8002]

@@telih Eew, you're probably right

[@nyanachase7741]

I tried this years ago. Kept it simple no par boil. Used veg oil. The key for me was grinding the salt to fine. Then using MORE than you would reg ground salt. It works that way. They were great and satisfied my mcd fry cravings.

[@danielle-yd5dp]

The crunchy but soft fries from McDonald's are my favorite. The extra crunchy hard ones I usually don't like

[@maxineeeee693]

we're opposites HAHAHA I absolutely adore crunchy fries!

[@watchinvidzwatchinvidz7691]

Yeah order them well done bc its a totally different fry

[@remyllebeau77]

Checker's / Rally's has the best seasoned fries.

[@zachcody3673]

@@maxineeeee693yes the crunchy ones SMACK OMG ESPECIALLY the little crumbs yum yum yum

[@clashwithkeen]

The best fries I've ever had are made by a method I modified from watching many fish and chips recipes. The biggest factor for flavor is adding salt, chicken bouillon, vinegar, lawry's, old bay, onion powder, garlic powder and Tony's creole seasoning to the boil water. Then for texture I do the standard method for chips by refrigerating after the boil and then double frying. I just do a light sprinkle of salt but I honestly don't even need to since they're already perfectly seasoned all the way through.

[@theboringchannel2027]

.chicken bouillon, lawry's, old bay, and Tony's creole all contain salt, so no reason to add straight salt as well. also got a good dose of MSG in there as well.

[@bherber]

I'm writing that down right now to try sometime lol

[@theboringchannel2027]

@@bherber look up something called CHICKEN SALT

[@ffwast]

Like six of those are redundant

[@Alex-mv3ig]

Having lived in belgium for almost 30 years, I can definitely say that Josh is doing it right. The best fries in belgium are always cooked twice, once to get a soft interior, and a second time for a crunchy crust. They don't freeze them though, they just let them rest for a bit, so I'm curious if it makes a difference.

[@inazuma3gou]

I have visited Belgium and I can confirm you guys do your "frites" exceptionally well.

[@HillsPatrolTD42]

The double fry has been known, around the world, for decades. Belgium ain't nothing special. Neither is Joshie.

[@serisothikos]

@@HillsPatrolTD42 Weird vibe, my guy. This is like saying Julia Child or Prosper Montaigne were nothing special because back in 1300 someone wrote Le Viandier.

[@DjDolHaus86]

I'd assume freezing them allows you to get the exterior crispier without risking turning them into oversized chips/crisps. Probably not necessary with the finger thickness variety

[@HillsPatrolTD42]

@@serisothikos no, that would be like saying that the double fry was a Belgian creation because they invented the fried chip. Neither of which is actually true. So the comment about "having lived in Belgium for 30 years" and using that as an authority to state Josh is doing it right, is irrelevant, since Belgium likely did not invent the damn things. It's like saying having lived in New York for 30 years, you attest that Josh is making Neapolitan pizza properly. New York has nothing to do with Neapolitan pizza. The claim that Belgium invented them is based purely on hearsay, with no actual documents supporting it. In fact, more claims are related to them originating either, as the name suggests, in France, or, in Spain. Ironically, even a Belgian Professor has stated the origins as Spain. Regardless, it doesn't mean the best chips are made in Belgium anyway. Ironically, your comment actually supports that. You're saying that McDonald's chips are nothing special because someone fried a potato in Belgium in the 1600's... way to kick an own goal champ!

[@phasm42]

New to the channel (learned of it in the cooking subreddit), but this video sold me on the book 😁

[@savannahrae9030]

I'm actually obsessed with McDonald's fries. I like the burnt ones, the oil saturated ones, the little crispy bits. I just love them😩

[@hevytimes]

McD's fries are iconic to me due to consistency. Pretty much any part of the world, they taste mostly the same. Let me tell you, on a layover after being away from home so long, that helps.

[@Applez357]

A good hack for salting your fries is to use popcorn salt. It sticks waaay better than regular salt 🤓 😋

[@alex46215]

I have started to use, Onion Powder on my fries...yea, game changer.

[@SanDukey]

Popcorn salt is great for seasoning any flour dredge too, as it's light enough to distribute around the flour more consistently

[@nathanmartinez4718]

Now this sounds good

[@bobbymarie8002]

That's what McD's used to use

[@lostboy8084]

​@@alex46215Now this is worth trying thanks

[@the48thronin97]

Here’s the thing: I like mcD’s fries for different reasons than I like good fries. McD’s fries being soggy/flaccid are part of the allure imo, especially when they’re hot. They’re not as good as good fries but man sometimes it’s what I’m looking for.

[@ginny9577]

exactly, there's just some fast food items that we know aren't the best but they scratch the itch for that specific thing (ie McD's fires, McD's McNuggets, Wendy's Frostie). Personally i think Give Guys has the best fries, but they aren't McD's.

[@Sungaze-px3rb]

We don't freeze either, farmers try to avoid that freezing of potats because it turns the starch into sugar.

[@jdam1228]

I love Josh Weissman’s videos, they’re always a treat to watch. But sometimes it feels like his crew is just nodding along to everything. Having some folks around to mix things up with different takes would be great. A little humility goes a long way.

[@YoungGeezy05]

Best fries ive ever had were tossed with garlic confit oil, Parmesean, salt, pepper and chives with Tarragon malt vinegar aioli for dipping sauce.

[@MedalionDS9]

McDonald's used to be really good for a specific reason of how they were cooked... using Beef Tallow fat to cook their fries in, but they haven't done that in forever... and I think people just hold onto a memory than objectively saying they are the best flavor wise.

[@BrianK-zz4fk]

never been the same since.

[@Wooooptywoop]

The salt served at McDonalds has sugar and aluminum in the ingredients.

[@e.dennisvanrumund4046]

I remember that fry. Today’s are bland and sweeter though I still like them

[@soapysantanaful]

Yeah no more floppy and potatoey

[@bobthegamingtaco6073]

So, I adore french fries, often traveling to different places just to try their french fries, and I gotta say, mcdonalds is a gamble, it's either a 10, 8 or 2. Meanwhile I think Wendy's is actually better on average, hitting 6-8 every time. (Of course no fast food chain can top local restaurants or homemade, but that's another topic)

[@Unchartedadventures94]

Unpopular opinion, maybe take your products to the street and get random people to taste test that are not on your payroll and are therefore obligated to say what you want to hear. That said, Josh’s fries look damned good!

[@JangoSkett]

Would Defo make the video better (not that it’s bad)

[@skyelynnae]

Totally agree!

[@dnichl]

definitely my take as well. it's all so subjective and biased. i actually prefer how some of the McDonald's fries have that softer/soggier texture while the majority are still crispy and moist on the inside. ultra crispy shoestring width fries like these end up feeling dry and boring otherwise. it's part of the differentiation. also little things like calling it a chemical bath is borderline sensationalist.

[@Unchartedadventures94]

@@dnichl I agree. Temperature is a huge factor in the overall taste, texture, and experience involving food. In all of the “but better” videos, Josh wins because his food is hot and fresh and therefore doesn’t give the opponent a fair shot in the competition. While Josh’s food might ultimately be better, I can’t help feeling like he’s got his (loyal) employees contractually obligated to vote in his favor. Not hating, I’m just saying make it fair.

[@yukkasarasti102]

And then walk around asking people till you get answers you want to hear and cut the rest out. Come on, if he wants to make stuff fair no need to gk thst far. If he doesnt - your idea doesnt change anything

[@NonEuclideanTacoCannon]

The sodium bicarbonate and vinegar in the blanching step will simply react and form sodium acetate. It isn't much use in food, except as a preservative, or as powdered vinegar flavor seasoning. It will stabilize the pH of the water, which is of little consequence for blanching potatos. My favorite method for french fries is to soak overnight, blanch in water, dry and blanch at 250F in oil, then spread on sheet pans and freeze. The ice crystal formation finishes the work started by blanching in breaking down cellulose. Keep frozen until ready for final frying. The result is fries that have a baked potato like consistency in the middle.

[@Blitzbogen]

Thank you for that comment

[@PoohKhrissy]

I love anything with potatoes regardless!!! I was wondering, have you ever thoughout of dabbling with Caribbean/West Indian Cuisine? Curry Chicken, Jerk Chicken, ackee and saltfish with fried bake, fried plantains, Oxtails???? I would love to see you give that a go!

[@Muffin_]

i like how straight to the point you are, excellent video!

[@EeveeRealSenpai]

It's always that small restaurant you've only been to once and don't remember the name of, that has the best fries

[@grabble7605]

Local tavern type place has the best fries here. Only been twice.

[@lucasmeirelles5918]

Is there any chance you can make a video of your kitchen? It looks beautiful. I love the speed rack idea in the last video!

[@camillehaidar3558]

I wish he would do a close up of his knifes and tools as well,

[@Shawey06]

He’s been working on this forever, im so excited

[@Necroes]

You know, I originally liked the idea of "Let's make fast food, but better at home." It showed people how to make their favorite meals at home, and even how to improve on the recipe. Then it turned into "Hey, lets dunk on fast-food because it's not as good as something that costs twice as much, takes hours to make, and is made using top-quality ingredients." It completely disregards the fact that the entire purpose of 'fast food' is literally the first word of the name. FAST. People eat it because it tastes better than a microwaved dinner, with roughly the same time investment to the consumer.

[@Flipcrypto]

Thank you for adding *faster* techniques for us at home cooks ❤

[@Flipcrypto]

Teach us how to cook an entire “fast food meal” in 25 mins 👀 Burger, fries, chocolate shake?? It’s up to you! But, the ~20 min meal for 2 is what I’m looking for 🙂

[@sciencelabvideosl7558]

I love them skins . You can fry the skins in neutral oil and make rolled tacos with corn tortillas and add sour cream to them or make low carb baked potatoes.

[@grabble7605]

" make low carb baked potatoes" Potatoes are carbs. There are no "low carb baked potatoes".

[@TheOriginalFaxon]

Guga actually figured this out recently that tallow fries better than vegetable oil. Apparently it has something to do with the saturated fat content allowing the maillard reaction to occur faster, allowing for more crisping in a shorter period. I like using 20% tallow in peanut oil since it's cheaper and the two together tastes better than straight tallow IMO, but yea there's definitely a marked improvement in crispiness and flavor when frying with beef tallow, even vs pure peanut oil which is also leagues better than vegetable oil IMO, and interestingly also has like twice the saturated fat. When I used 80% veggie oil 20% peanut oil my fry times were almost 40% longer than they are now for the same crispiness and browning level. I am honestly afraid to move to pure tallow since IDK how my deep fryer will respond to it when it cools and heats up again, but at 20% in peanut oil the south chicago packing co wagyu tallow I'm using stays melted at room temperature in the peanut oil. I feel like it would actually overheat the oil that's melted before all of it even melts, but that's just me lol. My electric deep fryer heats up pretty fast and it has warnings about not using fats that harden in it unless you cut them with enough to keep it liquid at around room temp, so it can convection mix until it gets to temp.

[@lawdog369]

Please research vegetable oils. They are some of the worst foods on the planet for human health. Check out Weston A Price foundation for wise traditions for more info. I only use olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil. All the other stuff is not only bad but most of the time rancid even when bought new.

[@michellean893]

You can also use old newspaper when peeling. That’s what we use in my home when preparing veggies

[@paddyboy207]

Printing ink isn't the best stuff to bring into the compost. It's usually mineral oil based and the pigments tend to be unhealthy, too. If course If you just put it into the normal mixed waste, it doesn't matter a bit ...

[@krash2fast99]

Don’t waste those skins! Fry them up in the tallow and add a little salt. Delicious

[@pieflies]

And if you don’t have old newspaper, you can also just use your hands, or put them in a bowl or something that doesn’t need to be disposed of. The baking paper “hack” is stupid and wasteful.

[@DavesPlace99]

I love how every video is just Josh going on about how much better his food than everyone else's

[@douglasernst9477]

Love your comic relief when revealing your oops blank recipe page. Nice touch

[@jordanloux3883]

I know it's probably not in your area, but you should do your version of White Castle sliders. They're totally different from other burgers being steamed on a bed of onions. Plus I love onion rings more than fries, and their rings are great.

[@notme2day]

I did not know this ... might be because I don't eat meat so I've never had one BUT my hubby eats meat... I might try making his next burger that way. Thanks for the tip.

[@palaceofwisdom9448]

If you have access to Culver's, their onion rings are battered and much more generous in size (i.e. onion content per bite) than White Castle. And yes, sliders are their own animal entirely, by far my favorite chain burger.

[@wisdomlounge4452]

The big problem with these fry tasting contests is how time is of the essence, how fresh the fries are making a huge difference. The freshness of the fries and the fact that they should be immediately consumed is more critically important when it comes to french fries than it does with many other foods that maintain their flavor for a lot longer when sitting around. Just as soon as the fries start cooling down, the taste and texture quickly deteriorates. The fries in this competition are, at best, barely warm, having been brought over from each restaurant. So while they're lollygagging about McDonald's fries and practically giving us a wikipedia recitation about them, THE FRIES ARE GETTING COLD!!! And that's why I'll take these evaluations with a grain of salt. No matter what they say here, it's best to try each one of these fries on different occasions yourself and arrive at your own conclusions.

[@remyllebeau77]

And then realize that seed oils are toxic and never eat fast food fries again, if you can help it.

[@JK7H]

Dude it's not that deep, it's just a scripted video. This is not suppose to be a fair contest

[@wrash]

Kevin's energy is everything I want in a taste test.

[@camillehaidar3558]

yes so true !

[@DC-ik1tk]

I was so happy when he said he was going to fry in tallow!! YES!! FYI: Buffalo WW still uses tallow to fry wings and fries, and whatever else. (It’s so much better for you than soybean oil. Sadly, most places have been pressured into using these bad, cheaper oils)

[@horriblegelatinousblob2196]

IVE WAITED 87 YEARS FOR THE FRY VIDEO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!🍟🍟🍟🍟🍟🍟🍟🍟🍟 I’m lovin it

[@Mealball]

I'm 99.99999% sure they upgraded their camera

[@revengeofthepancake6231]

Probably

[@gregs4400]

@joshua - would love to see you try to figure out the spice mixture of Checker's fries. They're the best by far, hands down :)

[@Tele-Gram-user_MrJoshWeissman]

I've something special for 📤🤟

[@aumimaaldouise1910]

yepppp

[@cristianmolina6375]

anyone else waiting for Joshua to make an educational video on how to use spices and herbs and how they complement each other?

[@aumimaaldouise1910]

YESSS

[@kkepdawg1]

I peeled russet potatoes, cut into 1/4" squares. Soaked in sugar water for 1/2hr. Put a teaspoon of veggie oil in a zip lock and added a beef Ramon flavor pack to the oil. Drained the water and patted dry with paper towels. Tossed the raw fries in the oil/flavor pack mix until all fries were covered. Air fried at 370 shaking basket every minute or so, until crispy. Very light salt. Tasted way better than any micky d's ever!

[@JamesHill-m1j]

I made these today. They take me back to my childhood when McDonalds fries were good. I almost cried a little.

[@Zelmel]

I don't know that I'd ever say McD fries are the "best fries" but they're certainly a passable and accessible version of the best *style* of fries, the shoestring fry.

[@grabble7605]

A.K.A. French fries. The 'French' refers to a 'French cut', more technically called a julienne. Any fry not cut that way is, indeed, merely a fry.

[@michigangeezer3950]

Of all the brands of fries one can acquire through a drive-thru I'm partial to fresh outta the grease Wendy's fries.

[@Gerdoch]

At this point we can't trust any of these videos. Joshua literally always wins. Statistical impossibility, or (more likely) obvious bias. Having his friends "blind" testing stuff is unreliable.

[@disinfectedape1808]

Shh just buy the cookbook, don't question anything....

[@jonathan-xz5gz]

Maybe it has something to do with the fact he used tallow, fresh ingredients and were freshly made…. Trust me, his fries taste a lot better

[@kylepaup]

The soft chewy fries are the only ones from McD's that I actually enjoy. I will comb through my fries looking for them and only eat the rest if I'm still hungry.

[@DClaville]

whats often overlooked with fries or pommes frites as they are called. is that the use of super fine salt is so vital at home grind some salt in a morter or spice grinder and use that for pommes salt can also buy something called popcorn salt in some places thats much finer then normal fine table salt.

[@raphaelhudson]

When you get a fresh batch of MD chips, they are uniquely soft and just a little bit crunchy but not crispy/crunchy like Josh's. They are great because they are that weird soft experience

[@swagatrout3075]

The thing to note here is that the flavor and satisfaction you're talking about primarily come from the beef tallow. I live in India, a country with a majority of vegetarians. McDonald's can't simply use animal fat to cook food here. Yet, interestingly, the McDonald's fries here and in the USA still taste the same because they both use vegetable oil. Therefore, McDonald's remains the King, even though there might be better-tasting fries out there.

[@BOYKE-uz6tl]

this guy made me good at cooking and i dont even like cooking thanks papa Josh ;]

[@notme2day]

I'm good at cooking and I like it ... he made me better at it. Me and my family say thanks as well ;]

[@mikeisgettinupset]

Once again Josh is skewing the tests in his favor. Of course a french fry that's been fried in beef fat is going to taste better than anything fried in Canola oil. Josh should re-do the experiment and do BOTH in the same oil.

[@docmilou9296]

KZbin commenters discovering that the guy making "but better" recipes actually changes the recipes to make them better : 😮😮😮

[@devintippets3050]

That's literally the point. He's trying to show that proper technique, slightly better ingredients, and minor changes can result in better results than corporate, food science hackery. The beef tallow fries are literally cheaper and more accessible to a home chef, so I don't see what the issue is.

[@mikeisgettinupset]

@@devintippets3050 it’s not a head to head comparison. If he did the diversion in the tallow I bet the get ranked higher than his version.

[@devintippets3050]

@@mikeisgettinupset Bro... It LITERALLY IS a head-to--head. Go look up the definition for me real quick. The only things he changed for his version VS. the copycat version are the chemicals and the frying oil (which he only did because McDonalds doesn't use beef fat). He didn't use a completely different technique and he didn't use rare, expensive ingredients. If this were an actual competition (because that's what this is, not food science), with completely unbiased judges, nobody would give a shit. Differences in recipe are the point of the competition and choice of frying medium is a totally valid part of that. Actual competitors wouldn't be copying their competitions blunders to make it more "fair", they'd be trying to win. "Once again Josh is skewing the tests in his favor." Bro, that makes it sound like you just hatewatch these videos to try and find little, nit-picky reasons to invalidate him and justify your dislike. I've explained twice now that trying to give his cooking the edge over the competition is the entire point, so I won't get into it again. But I will say that there are plenty of reasons not to be into Josh, totally understandable. And there are plenty of ways these videos are skewed in his favor (as is to be expected on his KZbin channel, in promotion of his cookbook), if you really wanna get that serious about it, but the one you chose to make such a big deal about is stupid as hell and borderline invalid as a criticism in this format.

[@TheDrago12]

I understand the practicality of tying your hair up, but Josh just looks so beautiful with his hair down. Love ya, papa

[@wholenest3708]

These frying techniques are fascinating! Just wanted to share that Honey Lavender Magic has been a lifesaver for me when it comes to healing minor burns at home

[@ahadmrauf]

Both fries seem awesome, but after the results most of the reviews were for the taste of the beef tallow, not for the texture of either fry 😂

[@Salmomlox]

Awesome episode. You are so inspiring, education and funny. I just love your channel. Now I want fries. 😋

[@nataliestillwell7430]

I feel like josh always goes for crunchier but I just don't really want that all the time. I like the bendier mushier fries mixed in with the crispier ones it is one of the reasons I like mcdonalds fries. Crunchy does not automatically equal better. I have sensory issues and if something is unexpected it throws me off when i make a McDonald's frie recipe I wanna get as close to that as possible not saying his are bad just good in a different way. I felt the same about the Popeyes sandwich where he said the bun was all soft and chewy which to me was apart of the appeal.

[@chaseis1badmonkey]

I love to cook and I've learned that the best way to make something is how you like it. That can be wildly different between individuals. He may feel like he made something better, but if you prefer the other then that's the best one on your plate.

[@ThisIsTheInternet]

Josh: Food's better without added chemicals Also Josh:

[@VisesYT]

I’ve never not wanted a cook book more

[@zantar04]

It has the potential to be the best or the worst depending on which you get (the crispy nice one or the flaccid cold no salt one).

[@Itsnotgoodatall]

It’s only unreal when they are super hot, fresh out the fryer and crispy. Which now seems like a myth!

[@DamOneMan]

I guess the other two blind taste testers chose McDonalds over Josh's fries so he edit them out of the video

[@aaronwright3257]

I always enjoy your videos, because I love to cook. So was thinking why not have a cook of with some fans ? Like they make a dish they say their the best at and you try to beat them

[@chubnuckles9942]

I would love to see a video where you cook using protein powder, couldn’t find anything tasty online but i know you can make something amazing

[@AlexanderMason1]

I personally don’t like McDonald’s fries. They are edible but definitely not “the best”.

[@stevenbakenhester]

In my opinion you should’ve cooked them in the same oil because like you said, they don’t use the beef fat anymore. We all know that would be a huge ass difference lolol

[@Happyface1981]

I’m old now but this video hits me in the nostalgia 😊 To be fair MCD fries haven’t been nearly as good as they were about 20-30yrs ago 😢 I’m so sorry for the younglings who never got to experience them or the fried pies. (cherry was my favorite 😍) Back to the fries… In my youth we would “make them at home” because when mom would ask: do you have MCD’s money? The answer was no and the question meant she didn’t have it either 😂 So we used some of the saved fat in the fridge (what us old folks used to call drippins) for frying then we would salt the fries add a pinch of sugar then Ba Da Boom Ba Da Bing! MCD fries! 🎉 If I want fast food nowadays I don’t even bother going to MCD These days I’m more of a Wendy’s kind of girl because the fries look and taste more like potatoes

[@thecateatingasian]

also im pretty sure the fry recipe where i live was never as good as the ones in america

[@WeathermanMilSim]

I'll be honest...i don't do the extra steps to get that crisp on my fries and i still like home made over store bought or fast food fries. I'll try your method soon and see if the crunch makes that big of a difference to me. Might have to buy your cook book

[@jonnyvanhelsing7528]

It's 3am and I can't sleep, let's watch this guy with an extraordinary goatee make french fries

[@Raprada]

Wow after spending way more time making small batches of fries, you managed to make it better than the dude who have to make a lot of them while being paid minimum wage. Congratulations!

[@benjaelee]

C H E E S E

[@Mason-hs9oz]

With how many chemicals you have used in previous videos, it's weird that you're so judgemental about McDonald's use of them.

[@staceya9580]

Favorite video of ALL time!!!

[@shannonwest7560]

McDonald's fries are the best widely available fast food fry for me. When I was in Texas, I tried Whataburger and thought the fries were identical, but the rest of their menu, that I tried at least, is sooo much better than McDonald's. I wish they were a national chain.

[@Tass807]

Who else missed . B roll? 👇

[@missl7382]

Boycotting McDonald’s for its support for Israel

[@joeyrobbins7186]

Where did you buy the wire rack always used for removing things from oil? Can't find them in Amazon!!!

[@YoungST23]

This technique is my favorite but with the skins on... I used to make it this way for a restaurant lots of labor but yeah people came there just for the fries...and the seasoning I put on them, basically the Wingstop fry seasoning

[@AlexKuro1]

Speaking of Childhood Nostalgia, one thing I wish I could see replicated is the Old-School Chicken Tenders from Burger King, as they were in the Mid-80's and Early-90's. And then I'd love a recipe for a better version.

[@NoHandle2000]

Crispy Fries with Tallow Ingredients: - 3 quarts (or 3 liters) of water - 1 teaspoon (3g) baking soda - 1 1/4 tablespoon (18g) kosher salt - 2 tablespoons (28g) white distilled vinegar Instructions: 1. In a stock pot, add 3 quarts (or 3 liters) of water. 2. Stir in 1 teaspoon (3g) of baking soda and 1 1/4 tablespoon (18g) of kosher salt. 3. Add 2 tablespoons (28g) of white distilled vinegar. 4. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and boil for 1-2 min 5. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. 6. Dry the potatoes thoroughly using paper towels. 7. In a separate large and heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, fill it halfway up with 2 and 1/2 to 3 quarts of Tallow (rendered beef fat). 8. Heat the Tallow to 350°F (175°C). 9. Add half of the potatoes to the hot Tallow and fry for about 1 minute until a pale dry crust forms on the outside of the fries. 10. Remove the fries from the Tallow and place them on a baking sheet. 11. Freeze the fries until they are solid (approximately 3 to 4 hours). 12. Store the frozen fries in the freezer until ready to use or use them immediately.

[@8unnylover]

would be incredible to get an A&W onion rings but better, those suckers are super good when they thoroughly coat them in whatever seasoning they use but usually they're mostly underseasoned :')

[@RicardoAgain]

What if you make mash potato, put it in a piping bag, square hole, push out french fry shapes? Double fry those.

[@whatsuphomedawg]

BRI THE FRYS ARE SO GOOD!!!

[@joel2783]

I was born '83 but remember fries when they were made in tallow. It was amazing😊 In Toronto, they stopped using tallow around 1990. I still liked the taste but wasn't as excited about it. I thought the problem was the mcdonald's by my house but soon realized that the taste changed everywhere😢. I'm gonna try these but tallow is crazy expensive.

[@ArcaTubism]

I don't often comment but... damn, I enjoyed the humor in your vid. Cheers Joshua!

[@LyraleiLexi]

super good when they thoroughly coat them in whatever seasoning

[@Beatrice_bb]

Tesoro, tempo di procurarmi quegli ingredienti in polvere e le preparo. Grazie come sempre per le ricette ❤❤❤

[@speakgeekstudio1867]

McD’s fries are only good if you get them fresh (which is a crapshoot) and if you eat them immediately. I’m curious how long the fries were sitting out before your taste test. Love the channel BTW!

[@jakersn27]

Whats the function of adding baking soda AND vinegar. They have opposite effects when boiling potatoes, i.e speeding up vs slowing cooking, so surely using both cancel each other out?!