Recipes for Fried Taters 🥔🍳
From a Recipe I Found Years Ago
A lot has changed since I made these potato dishes in 2014 and 2019. But that doesn’t mean they weren’t yummy at the time; or that they wouldn’t be yummy now—if me and hubby could eat them. So, I’ll share the recipes with you readers and hope someone makes them, so I can enjoy them vicariously.
Vicarious
In case you don’t know it, the definition for the word vicarious is: Experienced in the imagination through the feelings or actions of another person. You eat and enjoy, and I’m happy because I contributed the idea.
Fancy Baked Potatoes
You’ll notice the image in the middle of the PIP is pretty obviously russet potatoes. Or something in that family that is larger in size and firm enough to cut in thin slices. Believe it or not, that was one of the hardest parts of preparing that meal; getting the slices thin enough to crisp but thick and strong enough to hold the slices of smoked sausage and still stay together at the bottom as one potato rather than scattered across the dish.
For each potato, you’ll scrub it clean and remove any growths or spots from the outside. Then you’ll want a very sharp knife to slice each potato about 50 times, I’d guess. I didn’t count. But I think I was going for around ¼ of an inch for each slice. I misted them with a little water and then sprayed on a thin coating of safflower oil. That’s my favorite because it’s got a high smoke point and a neutral flavor profile.
I’m not a perfect recipe follower, plus it’s been long enough that I’m not certain about the oven temperature, but I’d guess at least 375° for about 30 minutes to start. Then, pull them out and let them cool enough to pull back the layers and add slices of smoked sausage or whatever other additions sound tasty to you. Maybe some grilled chicken tenderloins and/or slices of green pepper 🫑 or onion 🧅. Spritz a little more oil over them to help them crisp when you return them to the oven for 20-30 minutes.
Finishing up
The final steps will be pulling them out to add some cheese then giving them another 5-10 minutes to fully melt it. Add salt, pepper, and sour cream if you like, and serve with some sliced cucumber or a salad. It was yummy, but I’m not sure it was more yummy than making potatoes in a skillet without the extra time of trying to get the uniform slices.
From Grandma’s Kitchen
And that’s the background image. Fried taters ala Thelma (my grandma) that were served at least once a week growing up. Some of my best and fondest memories from youth include my grandmother—and especially her puttering around the kitchen. I think she was already sick with her cancer the first time I made these for her and my grandpa, but they were both impressed at how well I’d learned from her.
For the pan fried potatoes, you can use russets or Yukon gold potatoes (I think the red ones and the super small gold ones both soften too much), and then the first trick is in the slicing. There’s no uniform slicing for these. You simply grab a paring knife and cut toward you in semi-circular slices. There will be mixed thickness based on how the knife grabs the potato meat and whether you leave the skin on. That’s my preference for both flavor and texture.
Once you have a pan full of sliced potatoes, you’ll add your choice of dry seasonings. I prefer a lot of onion powder, a little garlic, and a generous amount of smoked paprika. Sea salt is a must unless you’re salt free. I add about ¼ cup of water before adding the safflower oil because it helps the potatoes steam, and it seems more oil drains off after they’re cooked. But I’m generous with the amount of oil while cooking.
Steam to Soften
Now the next trick, which is a well-fitting lid. If you don’t have one for your chosen skillet, fold some foil to make a nice thick cover from edge to edge. Next, simmer over low heat (I liked flame when I had a gas stove) for about 20-30 minutes to soften the potatoes. Russets take a little longer. Then turn up the heat and cook another 10-15 minutes to create some nice crispy edges. When you’ve got them just the way you want, remove them from the heat and drain them. A thick stack of white, food-safe paper towels can absorb excess oil as well. If you can’t get them to crisp right, you may cook them a bit longer after draining.
Ready to eat?
Now, they are ready to eat right then, either as a main dish or a side. But my favorite way to eat them incorporated the smoked sausages mixed in during the cooking, and fresh onion unless hubby was eating them. They are also great with some eggs scrambled into the mix with or without the meat. And, of course, some cheese on top. I used to add sour cream to mine, and hubby added some mustard. Both are delicious, and sometimes, a little ketchup is perfect.
Closing
So now you know how to make really tasty potatoes. And my quick reasons for mostly giving them up as I used to make them are these: Hubby is on dialysis and cannot have potatoes at all due to the potassium. I even make our stews with rice now. If I make a small batch for me, I no longer add any cheese because it stirs up yeast in my system. So enjoy them as I’ve suggested, or create your own potato-centric dishes and be sure to tell me what worked and what you changed. If you create your own post with some pictures, please put a link in the comments, so I can get my vicarious tater fix. 😋
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