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| Gluten-Free Staple: Pan-Fried Potatoes, Eggs, Bacon |
When you first go gluten free, choosing simple foods and dishes can help make the transition easier.
With wheat and barley so prevalent in our manufactured food supply, taking the time to step back from what you've been doing and focusing on basic foods can greatly simplify the process.
Gluten-free basics like:
With wheat and barley so prevalent in our manufactured food supply, taking the time to step back from what you've been doing and focusing on basic foods can greatly simplify the process.
Gluten-free basics like:
- eggs
- meat
- fruits and vegetables
- potatoes
- rice
- and dairy products (if tolerated)
In addition, if you throw out the outdated idea that you have to have cereal and toast for breakfast, sandwiches or burgers for lunch, and meat and potatoes for dinner, that will free up your menus and enable you to take advantage of the foods that are cheapest in your area.
Pan-fried potatoes make a great foundation for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Since baking-sized potatoes run about $6 for an 8-pound bag at Walmart, and a 5-dozen flat of large-sized eggs are less than $9, pan-fried potatoes and eggs are not just a Sunday morning treat at our house.
Fried potatoes and eggs are a staple for us, so they often show up on the dinner plate paired with bacon, sausage, or ham.
Since baking-sized potatoes run about $6 for an 8-pound bag at Walmart, and a 5-dozen flat of large-sized eggs are less than $9, pan-fried potatoes and eggs are not just a Sunday morning treat at our house.
Fried potatoes and eggs are a staple for us, so they often show up on the dinner plate paired with bacon, sausage, or ham.
I might also toss the leftovers into scrambled eggs the following morning or chop them up to make an extra-special beef-and-potato taco filling. I've also been known to use the leftovers in quesadillas or throw them into a pot of soup.
I didn't grow up eating pan-fried potatoes though.
Mom was more likely to bake them.
Occasionally, she would boil them and grate them for something called Funeral Potatoes, a potato casserole with cream soup, sour cream, green onions, and grated cheese that's quite popular in Utah.
Every now and then, home fries or instant mashed potatoes would surface for dinner, but that was the extent of my potato education.
Occasionally, she would boil them and grate them for something called Funeral Potatoes, a potato casserole with cream soup, sour cream, green onions, and grated cheese that's quite popular in Utah.
Every now and then, home fries or instant mashed potatoes would surface for dinner, but that was the extent of my potato education.
I didn't learn how to cook with real potatoes until after I'd been married for awhile.
Pan-Fried Potatoes are Not Really Fried
Fried potatoes are not really fried.
They aren't even submerged in oil.
Instead, they are gently sauteed with fragrant onions, garlic, and colorful bell peppers in a heavy skillet using bacon grease, shortening, or oil.
Seasoned with granulated garlic powder, Lawry's seasoning salt, some dried basil, and Lawry's seasoned pepper, cooking them always makes the house smell like it's a lovely Sunday morning, even on a cold chilly night.
They aren't even submerged in oil.
Instead, they are gently sauteed with fragrant onions, garlic, and colorful bell peppers in a heavy skillet using bacon grease, shortening, or oil.
Seasoned with granulated garlic powder, Lawry's seasoning salt, some dried basil, and Lawry's seasoned pepper, cooking them always makes the house smell like it's a lovely Sunday morning, even on a cold chilly night.
No one ever minded that we were eating eggs for dinner.
In fact, pan-fried potatoes quickly became a staple for the kids and I once I learned how to make them properly.
When money was tight, they were literally a life-saver at our house. They made a cheap but filling dinner, especially with an easy over egg dripping over the top of the potatoes and a few apple and orange wedges served on the side.
When money was tight, they were literally a life-saver at our house. They made a cheap but filling dinner, especially with an easy over egg dripping over the top of the potatoes and a few apple and orange wedges served on the side.
To really perk up the meal, you can also top those eggs with a little bit of homemade Mexican salsa.
How to Make Fried Potatoes Crispy
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| Slice the Potatoes About 1/8-Inch Thick |
Lately, I've been scrubbing my potatoes and slicing them up with the skin still on them. You'll want to slice them to be about 1/8-inch thick, or so.
I use about 4 to 8 medium-sized potatoes, depending on their size. Or just 1 or 2 large baking potatoes, but if the potatoes are super-large, you might want to cut the slices in half.
I use about 4 to 8 medium-sized potatoes, depending on their size. Or just 1 or 2 large baking potatoes, but if the potatoes are super-large, you might want to cut the slices in half.
Make enough slices to fit comfortably in the pan with room enough to flip them over. If your family objects to eating potatoes with the skin, you can certainly peel them first.
To get extra-crispy potatoes, you'll need to soak them for a few minutes to get rid of a lot of the starch. Place the slices in a bowl big enough that you can cover the potatoes with lots of salted water and let them sit while you're chopping up the goodies.
Chop up about half of a large red or yellow onion.
Red onions are sweeter than the yellow variety, so they will bring a mellow flavor to your fried potatoes. Yellow onions will be more hearty. Either one will work fine.
Red onions are sweeter than the yellow variety, so they will bring a mellow flavor to your fried potatoes. Yellow onions will be more hearty. Either one will work fine.
If I happen to have a huge bag of yellow onions in the house, I'll use a whole onion, but I haven't seen a 25-pound bag of onions since we left Utah.
Onions that come in the large economy size bag tend to be smaller. Plus, we've never been able to make it through the whole bag before they get moldy.
Onions that come in the large economy size bag tend to be smaller. Plus, we've never been able to make it through the whole bag before they get moldy.
Since CostCo always has large red sweet peppers at a good price, we hardly ever use green bell peppers anymore.
Occasionally, we'll buy the variety pack, but since the yellow and orange peppers cost more and red peppers are super high in Vitamin C, we usually opt for the red.
Sprouts is also a great place to pick up economical peppers. Before we got a CostCo membership, we were able to get small red peppers for 3 or 4 for a dollar there.
Occasionally, we'll buy the variety pack, but since the yellow and orange peppers cost more and red peppers are super high in Vitamin C, we usually opt for the red.
Sprouts is also a great place to pick up economical peppers. Before we got a CostCo membership, we were able to get small red peppers for 3 or 4 for a dollar there.
Peppers give the potatoes a nice color and improve the flavor tremendously, but you don't have to use them if they're too expensive.
The type of fat also matters.
When I first learned how to make pan-fried potatoes, I used shortening or real lard.
Solid fats are better at preventing the potatoes from sticking to the pan, especially if you're using a cast iron skillet.
However, when solid shortening manufacturers reformulated their product to remove the meat fats, it didn't work as well as it used to. However, solid fats still work better than oil does.
Solid fats are better at preventing the potatoes from sticking to the pan, especially if you're using a cast iron skillet.
However, when solid shortening manufacturers reformulated their product to remove the meat fats, it didn't work as well as it used to. However, solid fats still work better than oil does.
Some people believe that a non-stick pan will interfere with the frying process. I haven't found that to be true. Perhaps they are trying to fry potatoes with no fat at all.
I almost always spray my pans before adding fat to the pan. I find it much easier to clean them afterwards, and it helps to keep food from sticking.
I almost always spray my pans before adding fat to the pan. I find it much easier to clean them afterwards, and it helps to keep food from sticking.
However, no matter what type of fat you use, the fat needs to be quite hot before adding the potatoes. That will keep the potatoes from soaking up too much grease.
Since oils smoke at high temperatures, peanut or grapeseed oils are best for frying potatoes if you're partial to oil.
I usually use a combination of bacon grease, peanut oil, and sometimes a little bit of butter for flavor. While you can still use shortening, I personally have problems digesting it and the amount I'd need for fried potatoes would be too high.
I usually use a combination of bacon grease, peanut oil, and sometimes a little bit of butter for flavor. While you can still use shortening, I personally have problems digesting it and the amount I'd need for fried potatoes would be too high.
With the last batch of potatoes I made, I used just coconut oil, and they turned out great.
While the fat is heating up, drain the potatoes and dry them very well. This is an important step. Wet potatoes will steam in the pan, rather than fry.
Also, make sure that you don't get the pan too hot.
Medium is best to start with because you don't want the potatoes to burn.
While the fat is heating up, drain the potatoes and dry them very well. This is an important step. Wet potatoes will steam in the pan, rather than fry.
Also, make sure that you don't get the pan too hot.
Medium is best to start with because you don't want the potatoes to burn.
After the oil is hot, toss in the dried potatoes, onions, and bell peppers if you're using them. Give all of that a good flip-and-stir with a pancake turner.
I never measure my seasonings when making pan-fried potatoes. I just sprinkle the herbs and spices across the top.
Ordinarily, I use:
Ordinarily, I use:
- seasoning salt
- seasoned pepper
- some garlic powder or freshly minced garlic
- and sometimes a little dried basil
Once I have the potatoes well seasoned, I give them another flip, turn the heat down to low, and cover the frying pan with a lid. The low heat does steam the potatoes, helping them to cook evenly, so you don't want to leave the lid on too long.
Also, beware of flipping the potatoes over too often. The idea is to let the potatoes caramelize, so they get crispy on the outside.
Also, beware of flipping the potatoes over too often. The idea is to let the potatoes caramelize, so they get crispy on the outside.
When the potatoes are about half cooked through, remove the lid and turn the heat up just a little bit to medium-high. That will enable the potatoes to begin browning.
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