French Fries!

No. It’s not earth-shaking. French fries should be (Note the rarely used word, “should”.) cut and fried just before serving. There is simply no excuse for those pre-cut, pre-fried frozen potatoes that are poured from a bag to be reheated and served along with hamburgers which taste more like cardboard than beef.

I don’t often eat meat anymore. Most often, when I do, it is a lamb chop or a rib-eye steak. Even less often do I eat hamburgers. And perhaps once a year I may indulge in French fries. I am very particular when I do.

To be considered edible, the potatoes must be cut and fried on premises, preferably immediately before serving. My taste is for potatoes cut with a cross-section about 3/8 inch on a side and with the skins left on. But others may like theirs without skins and either larger or smaller in cross-section.

Very few restaurants do French fries in this way. Most, even fancy restaurants which charge heavy prices, simply pour those abused potatoes out of a bag. A few refry them so that they are tough and almost burnt. One has to search well to find potatoes done correctly. And if a friend tells you of such a restaurant, consider it a great gift.

Of course, with only one exception, none of the hamburger chains can be included. The In N Out burger chain is the lone chain that does it relatively right. They do cut and fry on premises, and if not to order, at least the fries are not kept warm for long periods.

Hamburgers are another matter. An excellent hamburger should be cooked to a rare point. Unfortunately, because of the factory beef production, hamburger meat is not necessarily safe to eat when cooked rare. That very pink meat may well harbor bacteria and other bugs. Sometimes the bugs are actually insects that get mixed in through lack of cleanliness. We consumers had learned to depend on the FDA to keep tabs on our food supply. We know that the FDA does not do all the inspections they should and often let the meat packers do their own inspections.

Only hamburger meat ground at a restaurant from clean and inspected chuck (or other meat) should be considered safe to eat rare. Otherwise medium to medium rare is best. The patty tastes best if it is still juicy, not dried out from overcooking.

Again, only In N Out comes close among the chains. BurgerKing does a reasonable second quality. McDonalds, Jack-In-the-Box, Wendy’s, Carl’s Jr, Sonic, among the other chains do not even come close, in my opinion.

In N Out Burger, grinds their own chuck which is one factor they get right. The resulting burgers are still overcooked but not as badly as in many restaurants and JIB, etc. If a friend recommends a local burger place, it may be worth trying. Then, if they measure up, treasure them—and your friend.

I said it is not earthshaking. My physical health would be better if I refrained altogether, but a lifetime of meat eating has left me with an occasional monkey on my back. On rare occasions, you have to give in.

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