THE OFFP Tests: Microwave French Fries

THE OFFP Tests:
Microwave French Fries

Due to the continued requests received for a review of microwavable French Fries (and due to hunger and no burning desire to cook), we performed the long-sought-after, definitive experiment, insofar as testing so few products can be called definitive.

The experiment was performed in the Select Ware Laboratories Culinary & Food Technology Division Testing Labs. The equipment used was an 850W microwave oven and a 10" (25.4cm) plate. A second plate and some Georgia Pacific Advantage High Bright 20-lb (75g/m²) printer/copier paper was also used.

For total fairness, we used Heinz Ketchup as the standard condiment. We like all kinds of condiments (except chocolate milkshake), but chances are that you'll be eating your French Fries with Heinz ketchup, too.

With this experiment, we break from the usual method of reporting results and present a side-by-side comparison, since there are many differences

For reasons of things we forgot to do, we had to re-run a few tests, and the second results were considerably better than the first. And tastier. So tasty, in fact, we often did third and fourth experiments just to be sure. We're nothing if not comprehensive.

Brand:	Ore-Ida Snackin' Fries (new version)	J. R. Simplot Micro Magic	J. R. Simplot Low Fat Micro Magic	Ore-Ida Snackin' Fries (original)
Cost: (New York City, 1999)	US$1.69 for 3 3.5oz. (99g) about $0.16/oz. (28g) Per 3.5oz. serving: $0.56 (+ tax)	US$1.99 for 3, each 3oz. (85g) about $0.22/oz. (28g) Per 3oz. serving: $0.66 (+ tax)	US$1.09 / 3oz. (85g) about $0.36/oz. (28g) Per 3oz. serving: $1.09 (+ tax)	US$1.09 / 5oz. (141g) about $0.21/oz. (28g) Per 5oz. serving: $1.09 (+ tax)
French Fry Inches: (total length of fries laid end-to-end)	147 inches (373.4 cm) (More than 10 feet of French Fries!)	49¹/₂ inches (125.7cm)	59¹/₄ inches (150.5cm) (Almost 5 feet of French Fries!)	53 inches (134.6cm)
Average Fry Length:	2½ inches (6.3cm) (About 30% over 3")	1¾ inches (6.3cm)	2 inches (5cm)	2½ inches (6.4cm)
Method to cook: (times listed in minutes)	Remove tray from carton, remove plastic wrap from tray. Arrange French Fries in single layer, cook on high for 2:30-3:15 rotating the tray ¼ turn halfway through cooking. Salt or season to taste, no waiting time.	Pull tab open (difficult not to rip box). Place in microwave on high for 1:30-2:00 (with extra timer instructions for idiots who can't figure out that "1½ to 2 minutes" is entered into digital microwaves as "1:30" or "2:00"). Hold lid closed, shake to separate. Salt to taste (needed quite a bit). Let stand for 2 minutes to get crisp.	Pull tear strip on front side of carton. Lift top flap and fold underneath carton (diagram provided). Place in microwave on high for 3½ - 4 minutes. Remove carefully from microwave. Shake to separate fries and let stand for 1-2 minutes to get crisp. Salt to taste.	Open flap and fold under carton. Place in microwave on high according to chart (which for us ended up being about 3:30). Remove carefully. Carton will be hot (it was). Empty fries onto paper plate and let stand 3 minutes to develop crispness (see notes below) Separation of fries is necessary.
Procedure notes:	Flipping some French Fries during cooking aids crisping, but not necessary.	None.	None.	We had no paper plates so we used some printer/copy paper on a plate instead. Second test: no paper plates at all.
Special packaging technology:	A special microwave-reflective film inside each tray, as shown: No tearing required.	Cardboard.	A special microwave-reflective film inside the cardboard, as shown: (box top is folded over to bottom, where it sticks after cooking	A special microwave-reflective film inside the cardboard, as shown:
Out of the oven and waiting to crisp:	No waiting time required.	This letting the fries sit to get more crisp was rather counter-intuitive, even with the Snackin' Fries, since you don't leave them in the box on the hot film. But you need to do it. Really.
Out of the oven and waiting to crisp:	This is actually the Before picture; the After picture would look the same, except that it's somewhat more brown. But you get the idea.			(Three sheets of paper on a plate worked as a substitute for a paper plate, having about the same thickness and absorption properties)
Observations:	Very simple to make, although there's so many French Fries that it actually takes some effort to find room for all the French Fries to lie flat on the tray. We're not certain that this is a good or bad thing, but we're leaning towards "good", since we would have a hard time labeling "more French Fries" a "bad thing".	Quite simple to make. They looked almost oily as they came out of the microwave; there is some oil used (in the form of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil). However, they were not greasy or oily to the touch (but we admit to some finger-licking).	These fries had rather a lot of oil which the paper plate is supposed to help drain. A napkin is NOT a good substitute due to the consistency of the finished fries. The second test may have cooked these a bit longer, and the consistency was found to be much better. While they were still oily, it wasn't to the same degree as the first test, pictured here	Note paper after transfer of fries to final serving plate (to demonstrate scale, text is 12pt, 1.5 line spacing):
Final preparations are made:
General observations:	What a difference a review makes! We can no longer find the original Snackin' Fries (kept off to the right side for archival purposes). They won't be missed. The NEW version shows that maybe people at Ore-Ida look at these pages. These are French Fries! They're shoestring sized, the flavour is full and the outside is crispy (and flipping them halfway through cooking helps make them even crispier).	The Micro Magic French Fries are all generally quite short, with many nubs and "shorts" not found in normal consumer French Fries. They're crinkle-cut and uncoated. In the second test, there weren't as many shorts. Micro Magic French Fries are also not oily or greasy, and because they're not coated, the ingredients list is quite short. Although they weigh less, there seemed to be almost as many fries as in the Snackin' Fries.	These French Fries are all longer than the "regular" version. They're crinkle-cut and uncoated. We note that the cross-section is not square but rectangular and that all pieces are cut very thin, but not so thin that there isn't a good middle for body. Micro Magic Low Fat French Fries aren't oily or greasy, and despite being a "low fat" product, the ingredients list is short.	The (original) Snackin' Fries are crinkle-cut and coated, presumably to get some of the crispness which is so difficult to obtain in microwave French Fries. The weight of a "serving" is 60% larger than the Micro Magi Fries. Snackin' Fries are also quite oily, again, presumably to get a crisper French Fry. The second test produced much crispier French Fries which seemed less oily.
Taste:	French Fries. Period. These French Fries were crispy and the inside was moist. They were quite flavourful and with a little salt, were barely distinguishable from home-cooked shoestrings or those from well-known fast food restaurants. We didn't even use the ketchup for the first half of the taste test.	These French Fries were not at all crispy, and the "solidity" of their shape seemed to come from a lack of moisture more than anything else. Not so the second attempt. The taste was a bit bland ("Dull", said one tester), and they were also chewy. In the re-test, the taste was better but still not quite what we had hoped for. Lots of ketchup was needed. The second time we also tried mayo.	Thanks to the use of the microwave film in the container (and the shape of the cut) these French Fries became surprisingly crispy. We got a whiff of "Eau du Real French Fry" as we opened the microwave door. Like their cousins, these Simplot French Fries were also on the chewy side. Unlike their cousins, they tasted very good. It was a considerable French Fry taste and, sometimes, texture.	The first thing our testers noticed was the oil, despite the draining. They were a bit "gummy". Had it not been for the continual irregular lengths and sizes, our testers would all swear these are formed products, rather than fries made out of single potato sticks. They certainly had some crispness, partially due to the oil and the metallic foil in the packaging, and partly due to the coating which includes rice flour. While the second test showed less oily fries, they still had less French Fry flavour more that of the spices used in the coating. This coating does have a nice flavour and is quite crispy all around, and not just on the one surface in contact with the metallic cooking film. Lots of ketchup was needed the first time, not as much the second.
The good part?	Everything. The price is low, the quality is high, the form is standard shoestring, the taste is French Fries, the total preparation time is about five minutes.	These are for 3:00 a.m. hunger attacks or for vending machines (we've seen the small Micro Magic boxes in cafeteria vending machines). Quick and easy to prepare but lacking in flavour.	A bunch of good parts! 1) tasty and microwavable 2) ready in about 5 minutes 3) almost half the calories of the others.	The old Snackin' Fries were somewhat crispy (at least on one side), but were too oily as a result. The best part: They've been replaced by what you see in the first column.
Scale of 1-10 (vs. normal French Fries)	9.5	5	7	4
Why:	See above under "The good part". They missed the 10 because our judges are pretty tough, and unfortunately, they don't crisp on all sides evenly, but you have to eat a lot of French Fries side-by-side to notice things like this.	These have some French Fry taste, if not texture. They're also rather simple to make and easy to clean-up afterwards. These French Fries previously received a 3, but after re-testing, the fries attained better texture and had more flavour and the score was amended.	These have a lot of French Fry taste and some of the texture. They might rate an 8 if the price/oz was lower or the package held more. (Note: because of the reflective film, all French Fries must fit on the bottom of the box.)	They're French Fries technically, but the flavour isn't. They are quite pleasant, but not what one expects when one orders French Fries. These French Fries previously received a 2, but after re-testing, the fries attained better texture and had more flavour and the score was amended.

Important:

Almost every microwave French Fry package we've come across says to let them sit for about two minutes after cooking to let them finish crisping. While it sounds superfuous, this waiting time is crucial. If you don't let them sit they won't crisp.

Why did we only test these three brands? They were the only ones available at our supermarkets. We'll keep testing as we come across more brands. If you feel the urge to send us some of another brand for testing, please contact us first and be sure to pack it in plenty of dry ice.