For Perfectly Cooked Frozen French Fries, Your Pan Matters More Than You Think - Tasting Table

"Dropping frozen fries onto a preheated baking sheet shocks the surface starches and instantly starts crisping, rather than steaming. If you pour them onto a cold tray, they thaw before cooking and you'll end up with soggy fries and no one, and I mean no one, wants a soggy fry."

"You'd never drop frozen french fries in room-temperature oil and wait for it to heat up, so why do that when baking them? As the oven preheats to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, let the pan heat up, too. Once hot, drop the fries on top and return them to the oven to bake for 30 minutes, or until they're golden brown and crisp."

"If you don't have a perforated pan, there's still an extra step you can take to make sure your fries are uniform. 'Toss with a touch of oil and a pinch of fine salt before baking - it promotes even color,' Hales says. Refined peanut oil is the best type of oil for flavorful french fries, but you can go with safflower or canola oil."

Drop frozen fries onto a preheated baking sheet so surface starches are shocked and begin crisping rather than thawing and steaming. Preheat oven and pan to 425°F, place frozen fries on the hot tray, and bake about 30 minutes until golden and crisp. Use a perforated roasting pan to allow air to circulate under each fry for even heating. If no perforated pan is available, toss fries with a touch of oil and a pinch of fine salt before baking to promote even color. Refined peanut oil gives the most flavor; safflower or canola are acceptable substitutes.

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