Onions, bell peppers, and some (optional) garlic flavor these skillet fried potatoes. These home fries are the perfect side dish to serve with a hearty breakfast or brunch. They’re an excellent dinner side as well.
The best potatoes to use for home fries are waxy or medium starch, like red bliss or round white. New potatoes have fabulous flavor when fried, and a good choice if the season is right. You can also make this dish with leftover potatoes. See the tips and variations below the recipe.
Peel and slice the potatoes into rounds…not too thin unless you want potato chips. Keep them in a bowl of cold water until you’re all done slicing. Always rinse the taters a couple times.
INGREDIENTS
Enough peanut oil to wet the entire bottom of your pan
2 tbs unsalted sweet cream butter
1 lb Idaho Russet or Red potatoes (I like Reds – but that is just a personal preference)
Salted water
½ medium sized sweet onion like Vidalia
Salt and Pepper to taste
Garnish with paprika and fresh basil
INSTRUCTIONS
Place a heavy 9” cast iron skillet over medium heat (just a little more than medium on my electric stove).
Pour oil into the skillet and add the butter as well. Allow this to heat until the oil is shimmery on the surface – not smoking – if it starts to smoke, pull it off the heat and let it cool some until it is shimmery again.
Cut up the potatoes into pieces that are the same size – chips or cubes – your choice.
As you cut, place into 4 cups of water that has 2 Tbs of salt mixed in.
Cut up onion into bigger chunks than you cut the potato.
After 5 minutes, drain the potato VERY WELL and dry with paper towels
When the oil is ready (shimmery) put the potato and the onion into the oil. Do not crowd the potatoes. If there isn’t enough room for them to lay side by side, then let some cook, remove them to drain on a paper towel and then cook the rest.
Cook for about 4 minutes on one side then flip and cook for another 2-4 minutes on the other side.
Drain on a paper towel. Salt and pepper as soon as you remove from the oil
Garnish and serve hot.