Friends in an online canning group introduced me to the idea of canning French fries. When I found red potatoes on sale, I decided to try a canner load to see how they turned out. I prefer to peel my potatoes for canning to eliminate any possible dirt and, therefore, any possible botulism producing bacteria. Peel the potatoes, cut them into French fries (I cut mine in 1/2-inch fries) and soak them in vinegar water overnight. Drain well after rinsing and put the potatoes into widemouth canning jars that are tipped on their sides for ease of loading. Add boiling water and salt and process according to these instructions.
To make French fries, gently slide potatoes out of the jar (this is why you want to use wide-mouth jars) and carefully rinse them. Pat them dry on a towel or paper towel. Heat 1/2 to 1 inch of oil in a skillet. When oil is very hot, carefully put fries into the oil. Fry until browned, turning as needed. Drain. Salt will not be needed since salt was added in the canning process.
Home canned French Fries can also be oven fried (roasted) instead of frying them in oil.
Preheat oven to 425o. Gently slide potatoes out of the jar and carefully rinse them. Pat them dry on a dish towel or paper towels. Coat with a small amount of olive oil (1 tablespoon per quart of potatoes). Place potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet sprayed with olive oil cooking spray. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
