By Cassie Johnston
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Ready in 1 hour, 5 minutes
Notice anything new around here? No, I didn’t get a haircut (although, I desperately need one), I got a new website design! After working on it for months and months, I was finally able to launch the brand new look for Wholefully. I’m so excited about it, guys. There were a lot of problems with the previous design both from a technical and a functionality standpoint, and it feels so nice to have a fresh start. I’m still tweaking and adjusting things, so if you see something a little askew, just bear with me as I get it worked out. A big, big, big thanks to my absolutely wonderful host, AcceleratedWP for helping me get everything up and running. Seriously, best guys in the business.
The most important part of the new design? A new recipe index. If you’ve tried to find a recipe on my website anytime in the past year, you know how much of a mess my previous recipe system was. I’m so excited about the new system! And I plan on expanding the functionality even more in the coming weeks to make it super user-friendly to find my recipes. Yay!
I am so thankful for you guys for sticking around while I got this all sorted out. I know that the recipe index was a total, pardon my French, clustercluck for a long time—and you guys stuck with me. I big pink fluffy heart you.
So much so, that I made you some beer-soaked chili cheese fries to thank you.
If you’ve never soaked fries before making them, I highly, highly recommend you try it out. Soaking the fries helps remove extra starch that makes potatoes stick together and lose their crispness—something that is important regardless of your cooking method, but particularly important when you are making oven fries.
Soaking potatoes before you make oven fries is the difference between roasted potatoes and fries. Crisp and crunchy on the outside. Soft and fluffy on the inside. Seriously kids, soak your potatoes.
You don’t even have to use beer, plain ole water works, too (although, c’mon, beer-soaked fries, man). These don’t really taste overwhelmingly-so like beer, but they do have a light beer hint to the taste—I think it’s really nice, because I’m a huge beer fan, but if beer isn’t your cup of tea (pint of brew?) you could definitely just use water and get the same crisp-fry-making results.
You could also experiment with other liquids and see what it does—it’s definitely a nice opportunity for experimentation. I have an idea floating around in my brain for sweet potato fries soaked in apple juice and then seasoned with cinnamon, curry and cayenne pepper. How yum does that sound?
This is one of those recipes that is secretly really good for you. Not like in a hide spinach and black beans in the brownies kinda way, but in a oh wow, when I think about all the elements, nothing is really as bad as I thought it would be kinda way. These aren’t your run-of-the-mill bowling alley chili cheese fries with chili from a can, frozen deep-fried potatoes and blocks of orange processed cheese. All the elements here are made with real, healthy ingredients. Yes, chili cheese fries can be healthy (and still taste good)!
You could serve these for the big game that’s coming up next weekend and all your guests would happily munch on them without complaint—and you’d know you are doing your part to keep your friends and family healthy. That’s a win even if your team isn’t in the game (mine isn’t, womp, womp).
Worth noting, the two big individual elements of this recipe—the chili and the fries—are both incredible on their own. This method for baking fries is my go-to when I’m making non-chili-topped fries. And this speedy chili recipe is a nice way to quickly whip up a small batch of chili without slaving over a stove all day. It’s also the perfect consistency for all your chili-topping needs—coney dogs, baked potatoes, chili mac. Yum!
Enjoy! Print
Soaking fries in beer before you bake them removes excess starch and helps them crisp up nicely in the oven. These beer-soaked chili cheese fries are surprisingly healthy!
Prep time does not include the time for soaking the fries prior to cooking.Don’t like beer? No worries, water works, too.If you prefer, you can use melted coconut oil, but the end result will taste a touch sweeter and, well, coconutty!
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These look really good. I never would have put beer together with fries, but the more I think about, the more I think it’s a great combination.
I have never heard that soaking tip before, thanks! Now that I’ve officially become an American (because I watch football, that’s the only test of citizenship, no?), I might have to try to make something like this next Sunday (while watching the Hawks win the Superboooowl) to complete the assimilation process.
The new design looks awesome!! Also these fires look like pure magic. Thanks for sharing!
I never have soaked fries before! Thanks for the tip – these beer soaked chilli cheese fries look incredible!
I saw this when I got into the office this morning and it made my day! It looks mouth watering.
looks so good! have you tried soaking in any other style of beer? love the idea, thanks!
You can pretty much soak in whatever you like! I haven’t tried it with a porter or a stout, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t work, too. Just maybe avoid a coffee our bourbon-barrel. :)
Holy crap these look amazing! Definitely going to make a veg version of these. Super stoked! Thanks for sharing :)
Love the new design, it looks great. And these fries look sooooo tasty!
Love the idea of soaking the potatoes in beer instead of water. I think I’ll try it with a heavy porter for even more beer flavor.
These are magnificent.
I could eat that entire thing myself! I love how you use the beer in this recipe. This is going on my Superbowl snack list! Great photos!
Talk about the ultimate super bowl food!
LOVE the new look of the website and the color scheme! These chili cheese fries are just spectacular! Can’t believe they were soaked in beer, too!
You need to replace the water in the chili–with Beer. I like to use IPA, because hops are amazing.
Hi just to clarify, is this in degrees celsius?
Nope, Farenheit. :)
Has anyone tried deep frying the fries instead of baking?
They should work just fine deep fried! :)
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