Tejas Potato Chips

This is a recipe I reverse-engineered after my stay at the University of Texas in Austin. These homestyle chips were served at the Carillon Bar and Grill in the AT&T campus hotel. A killer complement to smoked beef brisket and fine tequila.

Ingredients:

4 large potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into thin planks 3 tbs. salt 2 quarts cold water

~

2 tbs. ground smoked paprika 2 tbs. ground ancho chili 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. Lawry’s salt 1 tsp. onion powder 1 tsp. ground coriander 1/2 tsp. white pepper 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (makes a little more than 1/3 cup)

Directions:

Prepare dry spices and set aside.

Place two quarts of cold water in a large pot. Add three tbs. salt and mix well. Scrub the potatoes and leave the skins on. Slice in to thin planks with a mandolin and add to the salted water. Leave in the water for at least 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse with cold water. Repeat.

Drain the chips in a colander. Line a cookie sheet with paper towel and arrange the chips in layers between paper towels to draw out the moisture.

Heat 1.25 quarts vegetable oil in a large cast-iron pot until temperature reaches 375° F. Add the chips in two batches, stirring occasionally with a Chinese spider strainer, for about 6-8 minutes until lightly golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towel. Add the chips to a large shaker bag with about 2 tbs. of the dry spices and shake until well coated. Serve immediately.

Do not seal up the chips when hot or they will lose their crispness.

Serves 6

Note: The Breville Sous Chef food processor that I use produces perfectly-cut chips using the #2 setting on the disc slicer.