Crispy Oven Baked Yukon Gold French Fries

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450°F. Line two half sheet pans with baking and cooling racks if you have them, or parchment if you don't (no worries).

Step 2

Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water. Cut the potatoes into french fry shape using a mandoline or a knife. (There's no need to peel them.) Add cut potatoes to ice water as you work and let sit for 15 minutes. Drain and dry well with paper towels.

Step 3

Dry out the bowl and add potatoes, oil, and a few generous sprinkles of salt, probably more than you think. Toss gently until all potatoes are glistening.

Step 4

One by one, place the potatoes on the baking sheets in nice orderly rows so that they don't touch. This is my least favorite thing ever and is super-tedious, but it's worth it to get crispy, evenly cooked fries. You've come this far. Don't drop the ball (or all the fries into one crappy pile) now.

Step 5

Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate pans and their position in the oven and bake about 10 minutes more, depending on the size of the fries, until crisp on the outsides and tender inside. Sprinkle with more salt if you like and serve immediately.