Scrub or peel your potatoes. Slice them as desired, wedges, sticks, or shoestring.
Submerge cut potatoes into cool water for at least 30 minutes up to 24 hours.*
Meanwhile assemble your tools. Place frying pot with oil and thermometer on the stove. Line your baking sheet with paper towels and have extra nearby. Get your spider strainer, salt, and a bowl ready.
When fries have soaked for minimum time, drain off water and rinse fries. Place them on paper towels to dry. Turn your stove onto medium high and begin heating oil to 325°F.
When oil has reached the proper temp, blot any remaining water from the fries. Discard wet paper towels and reline the baking sheet with fresh ones. Begin blanching your fries in the hot oil in batches. For 4 potatoes worth, do in two batches, etc.*
For shoestring fries, blanch for 3 minutes, for classic fry sticks blanch for 5 minutes, for potato wedges, blanch for 7.
Remove fries to paper towels in a single layer and repeat until all are blanched. Now heat oil to 375°F and turn oven on to 200°F. When fries are cool enough to handle comfortably remove to a plate or bowl and discard oily paper towels. Place wire rack on baking sheet and place in oven.
When oil is up to temp, begin the second fry. Have paper towels next to your pot for blotting. Drop in hot oil in batches, frying for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
Using your spider strainer scoop fries from the oil and blot on paper towels, then immediately place in bowl, sprinkle with a healthy pinch or two of salt and toss.
Place fried french fries onto baking sheet in oven in a single layer and repeat until all the blanched fries are cooked. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
*Any high heat oil will do. Canola, vegetable, Grapeseed, Avocado, or Sunflower*Refrigerate potatoes if you'll be soaking them for longer than an hour or so.*If your oil drops in temp rapidly after adding fries and struggles to recover, your batch is too big. Don't overcrowd the pot. Let the oil return to temp before another batch.