Did I just hear you loudly gasp an incredulous “WHAT?” Yes indeed dear reader, that post title is correct and the unthinkable has happened: potato chips (or crisps, depending on which side of the pond you reside) that are not deep fried. And they are delicious!
I first saw vegetable chips on my friend Kelly’s blog over at Inspired Edibles, she’s a Dietician who posts incredible and tasty recipes. Kelly’s chips were gorgeous but sadly mine did not work out, perhaps they were just too thick and they shrunk so much I hardly had a chip left, so we didn’t pursue them. And then almost rubbing salt in the wound, Charles over at Five Euro Foods made a wonderful batch here. I thought all had been lost but recently I was at a Winners (TJ-Max for our American brothers and sisters) and spotted this cool gizmo for less than $10, so I got it thinking it would make great chips…
The first batch turned out OK but the chips stuck together (couldn’t be helped because of the size of the device); then it got a bit worse which only made it a challenge to figure out how I could get perfectly unfried chips just like the photos on the package. And after about an hour of experimentation it got a lot worse: my microwave shut down…for good. Yup, I killed it! In all fairness it was older than most of my lovely readers so it owed me nothing, but my $6.99 potato chip maker now ended up costing a whopping $145! Don’t you hate it when that happens? Lesson learned. Or maybe not.
Fast forward a week later we purchased our third microwave of our lives and I’m back at it making chips to take to the cottage (no mw up there). This time I let the microwave sit between ‘bakings’ to cool down. The result? Perfectly unfried potato chips.
Note about the Joie Healthy-Microwave Potato Chip Cooker: I purchased this product after reading a few reviews I instantly googled on my iPhone. Even though it was only $6.99 I hate throwing money away and the google reviews were not bad, in fact they were more good than bad so I decided to purchase it. I should have realized that I was simply trying to justify the purchase and we all know that you can literally justify any purchase you want to make (logical or not) and so my new found wisdom I must tell you it’s just not worth it!
Here is my complete review: It comes in 4 pieces, a bowl, a mandolin top, a hand protector and a cooking rack; it’s plastic but reasonably well made. You remove the cooking rack and replace the mandolin top to make the cutter. The mandolin does cut thinner slices than my regular mandolin (you really need less than 0.5 mm or 1/16″ thick) but there is a design flaw in that the blade is too close to the edge and the slices end up cramming at one end (solution: open and remove potato slices frequently). All in all you really don’t need this gizmo, just a super thin slicer and some paper towel!
Unfried Potato Chips (Crisps)
5-6 people, allowing about 1/2 potato per serving
Ingredients:
- 2 good size white or red skin potatoes (large diameter)
- 3 tbsp sea salt (more if you prefer a saltier chip)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (to prevent oxidation)
- 2-3 L very cold water for soaking
Directions:
- Wash potatoes skins well.
- Dissolve the sea salt in very cold water (I used an immersion blender to help dissolve the salt in 1 cup of hot water). Pour into a large bowl of very cold water, add lemon juice and stir.
- Working on 1 potato at a time, cut 1 potato in half diagonally; using a wafer thin mandolin slicer, slice from the cut end of each potato tossing the cut slices into the cold salt water bath and allow to sit for 2-4 minutes.
- Remove slices from water and lay in one in a single layer on a clean linen cloth (allow to sit for 15 minutes if you have time).
- You may spray with some good quality EVOO or leave them plain like I did.
- Lay two layers of clean, unprinted paper towel in the microwave and layer potato slices on the paper towel so they do not touch each other. Microwave on 100% for 2 minutes or until some get a bit of colour. Open the microwave door and allow the hot humid air at escape for 1-2 minutes (and the machine to cool down). Then cook for an additional minute on high, watching carefully as they burn quite easily. I found the slices I placed in the centre of the turntable cooked faster than the outside slices so I moved my larger slices into the centre. The slices will continue to cook a little after you remove them so don’t worry if they are a wee bit wobbly, but they shouldn’t be overly wobbly.
- Remove from paper towel and cool completely before putting into an air-tight container. Repeat slicing, soaking, drying and cooking until all slices are used up.
- When totally cool, store chips in a air tight container.
- Serve with your favourite home made dip.
Notes:
- We bought the Panasonic NNST652W Mid-Size Inverter® Microwave Oven from Walmart for $119 (white because it sits in a cupboard so I didn’t care if it was stainless ($179)).
- Microwave ovens cook food by exciting water and sugar molecules within the food with high frequency electromagnetic waves. The only power setting on a microwave is high, therefore to achieve lower settings the microwave pulses these waves intermittently. That’s why the power setting is described as a percentage and not a temperature; 50% means it’s pulsing 50% of the full pulse rate! An Inverter Modulates the power so it delivers a steady stream of power at the percentage required, thereby being able to cook food more evenly. If you want to read a good article on our microwave, click here
[…] oil) when it dawned on me that I could nuke them, the way I nuked thinly sliced potatoes to make potato chips. Yes, […]
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What a great way to have your chips and your health, too! These look amazing.
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The chips look fantastic. Thank you for the review of the chips maker too.
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so good yummy 🙂
http://www.chilishake.it
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Amazing! Your chips look incredible and I would have thought fried for sure. If only we could buy microwaved chips at the shops. That’s a great price for the microwave xx
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Well now how genius are these little beauties! We would love these! Especially Mike and Mr. N. They are chip fanatics. I love that they are a much healthier version. I’m definitely going to try these very soon. Perhaps when I make sweet potato fries (which they won’t eat). It will be a nice treat for them and could end up being a good snack for the kids school lunches.
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Hi Kristy, the sweet potato versions didn’t turn out well, too much moisture I think; Barbara Bamber said she would give them a try.
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I’m like John and have no control. But that doesn’t stop me from buying potato chips and now looking into making ones that look as good as yours!
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WOw, looks pretty thin and crisp,
one thng i really hate about it, it’s always gone too soon, hehehe
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I’ve made tortilla chips in the microwave, but never potato chips. But I will! Terrific idea — thanks.
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You absolutely must share that!
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no way! No freaking way! I don’t believe you. I mean I do but I just can’t believe that they are not fried. I can not wait to try them. IN the microwave of all things- I am amazed and excited! Awesome job
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What a fantastic and quick idea for yummy, homemade crisps! 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
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Never would guess those chips were made in the microwave if they were served to me. You did not peel the potatoes, correct?
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Hi Norma, no I did not peel them. I think red skinned potatoes would be even prettier!
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Wow, Eva, your chips look incredible and I’m just amazed that you got them to crisp up in the microwave!! That’s a wonder in itself. How great is Kitchen Stuff Plus?! Do you know, at one time I actually considered opening a store in Ottawa I love the concept so much. We don’t have a microwave but I will certainly pass along this technique to others ;-). Sorry the other veggies didn’t work for you but so glad you found something that did – yummers!
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I’ve made a few vegetable chips in the microwave before. I was amazed at how well they turned out. They are a bit of a faff to make though, but worth all the effort.
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While I like me some fried crisps, and chips, I like the idea of not frying them. Frying is a big gross mess. These look wonderful.
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Wow I didn’t realise that you could make them in the microwave! It’s all about vegetable chips here in our household at the moment too 🙂
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I’m sure it makes very tasty and healthy veggie and potato chips but when I indulge, I want the full fat and salt experience. 🙂
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These look way healthier, I’ll have to give it a go. I have the mandolin and the microwave;) I wonder if sweet potatoes would work as well? It’s so nice to be back visiting your blog, hope your summer at the lake is fantastic so far:D
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Hi Barbara, I tried sweet potatoes as well as carrots and they didn’t work out as well, probably have a higher moisture content, if you do try it, buy the largest diameter you can find as they shrink a lot!
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Great.. maybe I’ll do a mix of both:D
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Neat, Eva! I don’t normally buy potato chips but that’s only because I’ve no control. If I bring a bag into this house, I’ll eat them all. Better I just avoid that aisle in the grocery altogether. I’m still going to pin this, though. If I do get the urge for chips, better to eat a small potato’s chips prepared this way than a bag of the others. Now I need to see if my mandolin will do the job. Fingers crossed.
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I made some sweet potato chips with my dehydrator…delicious, but took too long time. Can’t believe these crisp chips made in the microwave. Excellent!
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I made these once years ago back when I had teenagers and it didn’t make enough to feed the hungry horde of football players. Now that I see yours, this amount would work for the two of us! Yum.
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Oh my! How absolutely delicious!
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