Step 1

Peel and cut: Rinse the potatoes and pat dry. Peel the potatoes, if desired. Cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch-thick sticks or your desired thickness.

Step 2

Blanch: Bring the water and salt to a boil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add 1/4 of the potatoes and cook for 2 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare a large bowl of ice water. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to immediately move the blanched potatoes to the ice water bath. Repeat with blanching and cooling the remaining potatoes in 3 more batches.

Step 3

Dry: Drain the chilled potatoes from the ice bath and lay them out in a single layer on paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Pat with more towels to dry completely. Place the fries and oil in a clean, dry large bowl and toss to combine.

Step 4

Freeze: Place the fries in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet and freeze until solid, 6 hours or overnight.

Step 5

Bag and store: Transfer the frozen fries to a gallon zip-top freezer bag. Label the bag with the contents and baking instructions and store in the freezer.

Step 6

Bake: When ready to cook, bake on a rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack of a 425°F oven until golden-brown, flipping the fries halfway through, 20 to 25 minutes total.