The Best French Fry Seasoning

French fries seem to be the side of choice in most fast-food joints, steakhouses, and even some family-style restaurants. In our home, we don’t eat them often, but they’re a must when making burgers. But, have you ever prepared them as a main? My recipe for The Best French Fry Seasoning will have you thinking that fries are so much more than a side!

Who doesn’t love fries!? They must be the favourite side in North America, right? Whenever I think of making fries at home, I always think about my mom. She loved fries more than anyone I know, and she’s the reason I think fries can be eaten as a meal and not just a side. Of course, The Best French Fry Seasoning makes enjoying them as a main even better!

I remember my mom sometimes making a plate of French fries for her meal. In the eighties, I remember her using an old, large saucepan with a wire mesh insert. She would heat up a bunch of Crisco until it was melted and hot and fry her store-bought, frozen fries until just before they started to crisp. Yes, that’s right, she never did like fries to be crispy. Just under the golden brown and crispy mark was what she aimed for every time.

My brother is a fry fanatic too. I remember him topping his fries with lots of salt and ground black pepper. He would pour some ketchup over top and prepare a slice of my mom’s homemade bread to go with it. He would butter it and eat it with his salty, peppery, greasy fries. I tried it once and it was okay, but to this day, I cannot eat homemade French fries without ground black pepper!

I know that might not be for everyone, but do you know what is? The Best French Fry Seasoning is for everyone! It is really delicious! It turns your hot, crispy fries into a salt, peppery, savoury treat. You can still add ketchup, of course!

ALL-PURPOSE SEASONING

This French fry seasoning is really great and extends well beyond just The Best French Fry Seasoning you’ll ever season your fries with. It really doesn’t stop there. You can use this same seasoning blend to season potato wedges too. And, it’s delicious to season breakfast potatoes or breakfast hash with! In fact, the salty, peppery, smoky flavour can also be used to season burger patties too!

You might want to consider doubling or even tripling the recipe so that you can have this seasoning on hand when the mood strikes. Sprinkle some over a baked potato; it’s a game-changer! Add two teaspoons of the seasoning to a half cup of sour cream and you’ve got a quick and easy chip dip too!

The seasoning blend can also double as a dry spice rub. I’ve used this exact same blend on a batch of chicken wings. Rub the seasoning into the wings and place them onto a wire cooling rack that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray. Place the rack onto a baking sheet and bake the wings at 400 degrees F for 40 minutes or until the wings are crisp and reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Onion Powder 
• Garlic Powder – Use garlic powder and not granulated garlic. There’s a big difference in the taste!
• Paprika – There are three types of paprika – sweet, smoked, and hot. For this recipe, use sweet or smoked.
• Parsley – Dried parsley doesn’t add a lot of flavours, but it does add colour and helps to keep the other dried herbs and spices from clumping.
• Oregano – Dried Oregano adds that homestyle flavour we all love.
• Basil – Like oregano, Dried Basil adds a homey flavour.
• Salt and Ground Black Pepper
• Cayenne Pepper – This is optional, but if you don’t mind a little bit of heat, you can always add more if you want. I like it a bit, but not extreme.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST FRENCH FRY SEASONING

This recipe – if one can even call it that – is quite easy. If you can measure the ingredients into a bowl and stir them together until very well blended, then you can make this! Be careful when mixing the spices together. I like to use a whisk and stir slowly to avoid getting spice dust in the air. If you choose to add cayenne pepper to your spice blend, the last thing you want is to get cayenne dust in your eyes or up your nose!

When you have mixed the spices and seasonings well, transfer them all to a clean mason jar. Be sure to label the jar with the name of the spice blend and the date you made it. Store your spice blend in a pantry or dark cupboard. This will help to keep your spice blend tasting fresh.

The shelf life of spices and seasonings varies and everyone has an opinion about how long they last. For me, I like to buy spices in low quantities so that I know they will be used up in about six months. Some spices though, just can’t be used up that quickly. If you keep them in a dark pantry and sealed well in jars, they can keep for up to a year.

SPICE RACKS

Pre-mixed, store-bought, spice blends can be quite expensive. Compare, if you will, the cost of buying a store blend to the cost of making one yourself at home. Of course, those cost savings depend on whether or not you have an existing stocked spice rack. And, truthfully, most of us do!

Unless you are a seasoned cook, most home cooks will have a spice rack that sits on the countertop. You know the kind I speak of. They are either plastic or chrome and most of them spin around so that you have easy access to the spices.

Some home cooks have an old-fashioned wooden spice rack that is mounted to the kitchen wall. To be honest, these are the types of spice racks I prefer. My mom used to have one of them and I have fond memories of it. When we bought our house, despite wanting to modernize everything, I wanted to keep some old-time charm to it too.

I found this spice rack on Amazon. I admit, it is a little expensive, but when you consider what you’re getting, it’s not that much of a stretch. The rack is well-made with real wood. And, the spice jars are completely full. I trust the McCormick brand and use it often. It was a no-brainer for me. It used to hang quite nicely in our kitchen, but when it comes to spice racks, I rest not, Dear Reader! I’m constantly changing and re-organizing my spice storage system.

LET’S CHAT ABOUT SPICES FOR A BIT!

Anyone who knows me well will confirm that I am obsessed with spice racks and spice jars. John.e can attest to the fact that over the past ten years, I have updated and completely changed our spice storage system at least half a dozen times.

Initially, I had to have all of our spices in mason jars. That lasted for a year or so. Then, I found some really great glass jars with a pull-off lid. The seal was great, but again, they were quite big. Next, I used smaller bottles, and then spice bottles that I picked up from Ikea. I could go on, but I digress.

My obsession has taught me a few things about buying spices. First, keep your spices in a cabinet or at least out of direct sunlight. Yes, I have my spice rack on the wall in my kitchen, but it is as far away from the windows as I could possibly get it.

Secondly, buy spices in small amounts. You should never have more than three to six months’ supply. Spices lose their pungency and flavour. The only seasonings I buy in larger quantities are salt and pepper. That’s why I love the McCormick jars. They’re not too large for me, but keep in mind, I cook quite often. And, when I run out, it’s easy to replace that one jar.