Potatoes: When it comes to french fries, Russet potatoes are the best option. Choose the starchiest potatoes possible, which generally have tough, thick skins. Avoid wax potatoes, as these have a lower starch content.

Rinsing: Rinsing the potatoes in water or cold water helps to remove starch, which can cause the potatoes to stick together during the frying process.

Soaking: Soaking the potatoes in water prior to frying removes excess starch from the exterior of the spuds. This not only prevents the potatoes from clumping together during frying, it also helps in creating a crisp exterior in the fries. You can also soak the potatoes in salted water for several minutes before frying.

Frying twice: Frying the potatoes the first time helps to cook them as well as creates a barrier for that crispy exterior. As the potatoes cool after the first fry, however, the natural moisture in the center of the potato begins to leach out, which can result in a soggy spud. The second fry cooks off the excess liquid, finishes cooking the potatoes all the way through.

To avoid soggy oily french fries: Soak the potatoes before frying. Ensure that your oil is hot when second frying. Deep fry the potatoes twice and not once. Be sure to soak and dry the potatoes to remove excess starch before frying, fry first at 135 degrees Celsius (275 degrees Fahrenheit), allow to blot on paper towels and fry a second time at 180 to 185 degrees Celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit) for best results.