While the plain-water-cooked fries had broken down by the time they were cooked through, the fries cooked in the vinegar-spiked water stayed perfectly intact, even after boiling them for 50 percent longer than the other fries Despite their smooth-looking exteriors, I knew that by boiling them for so long, I’d burst plenty of starch granules With the excess sugars washed away and the pectin strengthened and ready to buttress the thick, crisp walls my fries would develop in the deep fryer, all that remained was to give them a first fry at 325°F to burst any remaining starch granules and begin crust formation, followed by a second fry at 375°F to bring them up to a perfectly crisp, golden blond Frying them up proved it: they came out positively riddled with tiny, crisp microbubbles: ...time they were cooked through, the fries cooked in the vinegar-spiked water stayed perfectly intact, even after boiling them for 50 percent longer than the other fries Despite their smooth-looking... boiling them for so long, I’d burst plenty of starch granules With the excess sugars washed away and the pectin strengthened and ready to buttress the thick, crisp walls my fries would develop in the deep fryer, all that remained was... give them a first fry at 325°F to burst any remaining starch granules and begin crust formation, followed by a second fry at 375°F to bring them up to a perfectly crisp, golden blond Frying them