Loaded ‘animal’ fries
Fries that are truly worth the hype
I couldn’t be the Potato Queen online without leaning into a few of the viral trends, and trust me when I say I’m fully aware there are a lot of duds out there. At one point, for example, people were boiling ready-salted crisps (US chips) to try and recreate mashed potatoes. Those kinda viral recipes will not be featured in this book. Animal fries, on the other hands, are absolutely delicious and a trend worth the hype. Try them for yourself and let me know what you think.
Animal fries, though?
These are not a fad that will disappear into obscurity; this is a proper good plate of chippy chips.
The iconic American fast-food version inspired this recipe and animal fries are everything I want from a potato-based dish. We’ve got crispy fries, the kinda cheese you get at the cinema (much better), and a sauce that makes you want to lick the plate clean. They’re indulgent, comforting, and absolutely live up to their viral explosion, which can be rare in internet food land.
This version keeps things simple but punchy, using ingredients you probably already have knocking about. It’s got that fakeaway energy with minimal faff and maximum payoff. Try them once and I promise they’ll be entering your regular rotation.
The saucy bit
The magic really happens with the sauce. For this recipe, I’ve made a quick burger-style sauce using mayo, ketchup, sweet onion relish, white wine vinegar, sugar, sweet paprika, onion granules and garlic granules. It’s tangy, slightly sweet and dangerously moreish.
I also think it’s the addition of sweet onion relish that immediately gives that takeaway feel.
Cheese and other bits
To make these fries feel properly authentic, I’ve gone in with that glorious, luminous yellow American cheese. You know, the processed stuff. Now this sounds a little odd, but I microwave the cheese with a splash of milk to loosen it up into a pourable, saucy dream, then drizzle it generously over the fries. Don’t dismiss this step, it adds a perfect level of cheesy creaminess to the chips.
From there, load them however you like:
Crispy onions
Pickles
Jalapeños
Crispy bacon
Extra sauce (always)
FAQs
Can I use store-bought fries?
Absolutely. This is a judgment-free zone. Frozen fries work perfectly, but just make sure they’re cooked until properly crispy before loading them up as you can lose some of the crispy bits when the sauce hits.
Can I make these in the air fryer?
Yes! Air fryer fries work brilliantly here and ideal if you need to save on time. I have the perfect air fryer chip recipe.
Can I swap the cheese?
You can, but American cheese gives you that classic melty texture. If you must swap, go for something that melts well and compliments your other toppings. You want to make sure you’ll still taste that delicious sauce.
Is this recipe in your book?
It absolutely is! This recipe is an exclusive from The Potato Book. I know, I’m spoiling you. And, if you like what you see (and there are another nine recipes from the book hiding on my website), you can grab your copy of The Potato Book and dive into full potato obsession mode.
Trust me, once you make just a couple of these potato recipes, there’s no going back to “normal” potatoes ever again. No bog standard roasties, lumpy mash or burnt chips. It’s pure beige heaven with a side of butter, garlic and usually a bit of bacon or cheese. What more could you possibly want? Get yourself a little treat or gift someone the perfect recipe book.
Loaded ‘animal’ fries
By Poppy Cooks
https://www.poppycooks.com/recipes/loaded-animal-fries/
Ingredients
For the fries
- 800g long, thick Maris Piper potatoes, peeled
- Neutral oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 5 slices of American processed cheese
- Splash of whole milk
- Salt and black pepper
Metric
Imperial
For the saucy topping
- 5 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon sweet onion relish
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- Pinch of sugar
- Pinch of sweet paprika
- Pinch of onion granules
- Pinch of garlic granules
Metric
Imperial
Instructions
- Carefully slice your potatoes into fries and pop them into a pan of heavily salted, cold water. Place over a high heat and bring the water to the boil. Boil the fries for 5-7 minutes, until they fall off the tip of a knife. Gently scoop the potatoes out of the water with a slotted spoon so they don't break.
- Very gently, spread the fries out over a rack placed over a tray (be careful so as not to break up the fries). Place a tea towel over them and leave them to steam-dry for 5-10 minutes.
- Pour your oil into a deep-fat fryer or a heavy-based saucepan (don't let it come more than halfway up the inside of the pan). Place the pan over a high heat and get it to 140°C/285°F on a cooking thermometer (or use the thermometer in your fryer). In batches, fry the fries for 5-8 minutes, until they have a solid outside - no colour, just hard. Remove each batch from the pan and carefully set it back on the wire rack to drain. Leave the last batch of fries to drain while the fryer heats to 180°C/350°F.
- In batches again, return the fries to the oil and fry for 3-5 minutes, until golden and crispy. Drain the fries on kitchen paper and sprinkle with flaky salt. Place the fries in an ovenproof dish.
- During the second fry, heat a splash of oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion. Fry for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown, then season with salt and pepper.
- In a bowl, microwave the American cheese slices and splash of milk until they are melted, and give them a good stir to emulsify them into a sauce. (I know this sounds odd, but it honestly gives the quickest and easiest cinema-style nacho cheese sauce). Drizzle this all over the fries.
- In a small bowl, mix together the saucy ingredients, then dollop this all over the fries and scatter with the caramelised onion before you dig in.