It's not just chips that tend to get soggy over time when left out in the open air for a long period – nachos, cheese puffs, pretzel sticks, pretzels, and other snacks also simply taste best on the first day the package is opened. Chips taste best when they are nice, crispy, and fresh, but that quality fades – especially after two or three days, there is no crunch or crispiness left to be found.
Re-crisping chips in the oven
If the chips and cheese puffs are only half as crunchy as they used to be, a simple trick can help give the salty snacks a new lease on life. To do this, simply place the chips on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and slide them into the oven. At approx. 100° Celsius the snacks will be refreshed.
Tip:keep the oven door slightly ajar. To do this, simply take a wooden spoon or a folded kitchen towel and wedge it between the door and the oven.
Now leave the chips in the oven for about a quarter of an hour.
Extra tip: This also works with cornflakes, pretzel sticks, crackers, or cheese snacks that have gone soft.
What happens to the chips in the oven?
During the resting phase in the oven, moisture is removed from the salty snacks, allowing soggy cheese puffs or nachos to become crispy treats once again. This trick works with all kinds of salty snacks, although the time for pretzel sticks should be shorter. Testing it yourself is simply essential here.
Can you make chips yourself?
Making chips is no feat, and anyone who wants to try their hand at self-created treats should take these tips to heart.
It all starts with the potato. Naturally, it is first washed, then peeled, then washed again. Now pat the potato dry with a kitchen towel and cut it into paper-thin slices. A mandoline or a vegetable peeler makes this work a breeze.
Now place the individual potato slices in a bowl of cold water for about an hour. The reason for this is to wash out the starch contained in the potatoes. After the resting phase, remove the potatoes from the water and place them on paper towels. Here, the potatoes can be patted dry.
Afterward, separate the potatoes from each other so they do not stick together. In the meantime, prepare a deep fryer or a suitable pot with frying fat. In this fat, deep-fry the potato slices for about 2 minutes until the chips achieve a wonderful golden-yellow color.
Caution: do not take your eyes off the potato slices for too long – the line between golden-yellow and dark brown is unfortunately very thin. Anyone who wants to show off successful chips should not stray too far from the deep fryer or the frying pot during this time.
After deep-frying, place the now-cooked potato chips on paper towels again to drain the excess fat. Now you can season them as you like with seasoning salt, salt, paprika salt, as well as pepper or chili. A few fresh herbs and a homemade dip also round off the experience.
Surprise your guests at a party or celebration with homemade potato chips – they not only taste better, but the flavor can be varied much more.
Is it even worth making potato chips yourself?
Anyone who only occasionally gets a craving for chips will certainly not be able to resist the enjoyment. Chip lovers who snack on these salty treats regularly, however, will likely lose interest at some point and go back to the bagged variety.
For a bit of kitchen fun in between, however, making your own chips is a little highlight.
Image by Janine, meinhaushalt.at
