Animal Style Fries (Printable Version)

Crispy fries topped with melted cheese, caramelized onions, and tangy special sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fries

01 - 2 lbs russet potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch sticks
02 - Vegetable oil for deep frying
03 - Salt to taste

→ Animal Style Toppings

04 - 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 4 oz American cheese or cheddar cheese slices

→ Special Sauce

07 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
08 - 2 tablespoons ketchup
09 - 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
10 - 2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
11 - 1 teaspoon white vinegar
12 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar
13 - Pinch of paprika

# How to Make It:

01 - Pour vegetable oil into a deep fryer or heavy saucepan to a depth of at least 3 inches. Heat to 350°F over medium-high heat.
02 - Rinse the cut potato sticks in a large bowl of cold water to remove excess starch. Drain thoroughly and pat completely dry with clean kitchen towels.
03 - Fry the potato sticks in batches for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly golden but not yet crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
04 - Return the blanched fries to the hot oil and fry for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until deeply golden and crisp. Transfer to a clean paper towel and season immediately with salt.
05 - While the fries cook, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the diced onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 12 to 15 minutes until deeply browned and richly caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside.
06 - In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, yellow mustard, sweet pickle relish, white vinegar, sugar, and paprika. Stir until fully blended. Refrigerate until ready to use.
07 - Arrange the crisp fries in a single layer on a baking tray. Lay cheese slices evenly over the top and broil for 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling.
08 - Scatter the caramelized onions generously over the melted cheese. Drizzle with the prepared special sauce. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • The double fry method gives you that shatteringly crisp exterior that holds up under a mountain of toppings without turning to mush.
  • The special sauce is so good you will want to put it on everything from burgers to breakfast sandwiches.
  • Caramelizing the onions low and slow creates a sweetness that balances the salty, cheesy, tangy chaos happening on those fries.
02 -
  • Skipping the second fry will give you soft, limp potatoes that collapse under the weight of the toppings.
  • Drying the potatoes thoroughly after rinsing is critical because even a little moisture causes violent oil splatter.
03 -
  • Soak cut potatoes in cold water for at least thirty minutes before frying to pull out surface starch and guarantee a crispier result.
  • Drizzle the sauce from a squeeze bottle or zip top bag with the corner snipped off for clean, even coverage instead of messy spoonfuls.

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