Who says you need a deep fryer to make crispy fries? With just a Baking Steel and a few potatoes, you can cook up fries that are golden, crunchy, and totally addictive — straight from your oven. No fryer, no mess, just pure fry magic. Let’s get crispy!
Think of your Baking Steel as a heat battery — once it’s fully preheated, it stores and radiates intense, even heat like a champ. When you place a tray of fries directly on top of it, you’re blasting the bottoms with direct conductive heat, which is way more effective than just relying on ambient air in the oven. That’s the secret sauce here: the steel kicks off a Maillard reaction (aka: browning magic) almost instantly, creating that crisp, golden crust without needing a vat of oil. It’s like turning your oven into a high-performance fry station — minus the fryer, the smell, and the cleanup.
🔥 Ready to Fry Without the Fryer?
The Baking Steel Original turns your oven into a crispy fry machine. Grab one and transform your sheet tray game.
📝 Crispy Oven Fries (No Fryer Needed)
Ingredients:
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5–6 Russet or Kennebec potatoes, washed (not peeled)
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3 oz vegetable or canola oil
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Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
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Preheat your oven to 450°F with a Baking Steel on the top or bottom rack. Let it heat for at least 20 minutes.
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Cut potatoes into thin fries, about ¼-inch thick. This part matters — the thinner the better. Don’t soak in water.
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Toss the cut fries thoroughly in oil. Make sure every fry is coated.
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Spread the fries in a single layer on a sheet tray and place the tray directly on the hot Baking Steel.
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Roast for 10 minutes, then toss or flip the fries. Return to the oven for another 7–8 minutes until golden and crispy.
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Remove from the oven, season with salt and pepper, and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use any type of potato for this recipe?
Russets and Kennebecs are ideal because they’re starchy and crisp up beautifully. Waxy potatoes like red or Yukon Gold will turn out softer and less crispy.
Why shouldn’t I soak the fries in water?
This method skips soaking to keep surface starch intact — it helps the fries get that golden, crispy exterior when blasted with heat on the Baking Steel.
Do I need a Baking Steel to make these fries?
Technically, no but the Baking Steel supercharges your oven. It acts like a heat battery, turning your sheet tray into a high-powered crisping surface. Once you try it, you’ll never go back.
Can I use parchment paper on the Baking Steel?
We don’t recommend it for this recipe, you want full contact between the pan and the Steel for that blast of heat. Just toss the fries directly on a lightly oiled sheet tray and let the Steel do the magic.
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