Fried Potatoes (How to make them and when to eat them!)
There aren’t many cultures who haven’t, at one time or another, relied upon potatoes as a staple in their diet due to their availability, adaptability, taste, and tendency to be very filling. Southerners, of course, are no different. I remember my great grandmother, Lela, telling about how she used to be picking cotton in the fields with her kids (when you were a sharecropper, the entire family had to work the fields) and they would walk back to the house at lunchtime and dig up some potatoes to go in and fry for their lunch. Its hard to hear things like that and not look at this bowl of potatoes as a connection to your ancestors, you know?
~Sigh~ I miss Lela.
Alright, moving on to the food part…
Now y’all know that when a Southerner gets a hold of a something, there’s generally gonna be some frying involved if we can help it. There is a great misconception about frying in the south though. Folks seem to think Southern Food = deep frying. That’s not the case at all. In face, much of our “frying” doesn’t even include oil. How can it be frying then? Well, its just a matter of what we call “frying” differing from what those outside of the south define frying as.
You see, to us, a skillet has always been called a “frying pan”. Therefore, when a person in the south tells you to fry something, sometimes they are just telling you what type of pan to use. A great many of our dishes such as “fried corn” have nothing to do with oil, but are just cooked in a skillet! I actually seldom use oil in my cooking, I am much more likely to use it in my baked goods, instead.
Fried potatoes are not so very different. You are really just barely coating the bottom of your pan with oil as potatoes do have a tendency to stick. Myself and absolutely everyone I know loves fried potatoes. There is no meal they can’t pop up at, either. They are just as likely to be served at breakfast in the south as they are lunch or dinner. Despite what you may think, they do NOT taste like a baked potato or even mashed potatoes. Fried potatoes are a treat unto themselves. This is the potato flavor at its finest, better than any other, honest!
Still, they do tend to be a regional thing. You’ve either heard of them and love them or are entirely confused by the very concept. Once, when Granny Jordan was visiting us (who was the epitome of everything a Southern Lady should be), we had prepared a large breakfast at my mother’s house.
Mama put a big old bowl of fried potatoes on the table and Granny Jordan leaned in and asked in her deep drawl “Well now, those look interesting! What are they?” Mama and I hid our surprise as Mama responded that they were just fried potatoes. To which Granny Jordan replied “Well now, isn’t that neat. I bet those sure will be good!”.
Born and raised in Atlanta and had never had fried potatoes?
Lets get some on y’alls table as soon as we can, alright?
Ingredients Instructions
*If you haven’t clicked the link to verify your subscription to my new email service, you will no longer receive emails from Southern Plate after tonight, that includes my weekly printable recipes I’ve been sending out! Be sure to verify today so you can also get the free e of Reader’s Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes!
Y’all have a wonderful day!
Gratefully,
Christy
Posted by Christy Jordan
on Oct 24 2008. Filed under Side Dishes, Southern Classics.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
Actually, when I fry bacon, I always keep the drippings in a can in the fridge. There’s nothing better to use when frying potatoes. I always use bacon grease swiped on with a paper towel when making pancakes too (black cast iron skillet) and my grandkids say I make the best pancakes in the world. Just a thought.
Kay, that’s the kind of fried taters I grew up on! Gives them the best flavor! Thanks for bringing back memories. My dad was the main cook in our house and this is how he taught me to cook them! Even now, if I fry them in oil, I’ll still put a dab of bacon grease to bring out the flavor.
My mom always floured the potatoes, then fryed them up. So good.
mmmmmm….love fried potatoes and so do my kids, i add garlic salto to mine…tasty
We always had fried potatoes with our Sunday breakfast and just about every night of the week also. The only time we would have something different was when Mom fixed mashed potatoes. I rarely have fried potatoes for my family. I do miss putting gravy over them for breakfast
My mother made these all the time. In fact, she made them so much that I finally got burnt out on them! I couldn’t look at a fried potato for years! Maybe I could eat some now. If they were cooked right!
I loved it when she made potato pancakes with leftover mashed potatoes, but that didn’t happen often! I guess we didn’t usually have enough leftover mashed potatoes to do it!
I loooove fried potatoes! I’ve had a love affair with them (and potato pancakes) since I was a little girl. I like to fry hot dogs in with them (till they are black!), and an onion and a green bell pepper. So yummy. Making my stomach growl just thinking/typing about it.
I have the same Corelle serving bowl that you served those potatoes in. And the set to match called English Breakfast. I got them for a wedding present in 1996, and they still look good, 13 years later! Gotta love Corelle!
Okay – I love you for posting this!
Just looking at that plate made me think of my Nanny. And boy, do I miss her! 
Howdy!
I just had fried tators tonight for supper. I was born and raised in Kentucky and have been eating fried tators since I was in diapers and sitting in a high chair.
I have fried tators at least 3 nights a week. I make them with my steak, chicken livers, fried tuna patties etc. But My all time favorite is with just macaroni & tomatoe juice, and lucks pinto beans (in a can, yes I know, they normally should be homeade but i like the can better its quick and easy)
If im home alone hungry and dont feel like fixin a whole meal, Ill just eat them by their selfs. Yummy. They sure are a southern comfort meal.
When I cut them up I do it differently depending on what time of day it is. I slice them for dinner, small french fry type for breakfast and cube them some times when I feel froggy. And for breakfast I usually dont like to brown them, just cook til tender.
Anyway, I love me some fried tators. And I just wanted to thank you for posting this with pictures and this is the best internet display I have ever seen of fried tators.
Thank you!
S. Lewis
Hazard, KY
Christy,
I just wanted to say hello, and let you know how much I enjoy Southern Plate. I am looking forward to your cookbook being published and will be standing in line to have an autographed copy!
I live in Madison and saw you several months ago w/ your pretty little daughter at Wal-Mart. I was too shy to say hello… My family constantly reminds me that I lost my chance to meet my hero.
I love your recipes and have found myself looking at your site more than foodnetwork.com.
Many Thanks!
Sherell
Hey Sherell!
You are so sweet, thank you so much! I just hope Katy was being good when you saw us! lol And if you saw me in Wal Mart once, I can guarantee you’ll see me again! I haunt Kroger a lot, too. Please please please say hello if you run into me, I’d love to get to meet you!
Don’t you worry one little bit about being shy, I’m outgoing enough for at least ten people!
I haven’t got a shy bone in my body, bless my sainted mother’s heart!
Gratefully,
Christy
Christy,
Thank you for being so sweet, I promise to speak up next time.
BTW, your little Katy was as cute as her pictures.
Sherell
I love fried ‘taters’ and that is exactly how I cook them. I’m from Ky. We eat them with Soup Beans (pinto beans cooked with salt bacon), sour kraut and wienies as well as salmon patties.
Oh and my mom does the plate as a lid thing too.
North of England. Chip Butty (pronounced as in put)other names Chip sarny or just Chippy. A Chip Sandwich, for variation add a slice of bacon or an egg.
In Australia and new Zealand popular one is Potato Scallop. A fried,coated in batter, potato slice.This is also from the North of England.
Had these when growing up in LA(Lower Alabama) all the time! Mom cut hers up in rounds and added onions! She used a small amount of oil and also used a lid to “steam” the taters & onions. Seems like the simplier the recipe the better!!
Christy I have to tell you how much I enjoy your site. But, when I found this “recipe” for fried potatoes, I just had to leave you a comment. You see, I am not a southern lady. In fact, I was born and raised in southern California, in a Hispanic family. And, we ate fried potatoes all the time. When me and my sis were girls, we would fry up a big pan of potatoes for my Dad to have for lunch. She always could get the best browning on the potatoes! We would eat those with some scrambled eggs and tortillas and we were in heaven. Thanks for bringing back those memories.
Girl, you definitely need to add some onions to this. DELISH!!!!!
We always called these “Stuck Taters” cause they stick to the bottom of the pan a little as you brown them.
You have to have onions in your fried potatoes! I cook mine in bacon grease also.
My mother was of German descent and grew up in Missouri, but she sure knew how to make fired potatos. I make mine with bacon grease, onions, fresh garlic, cavenders (used on everything here in Arkansas! LOL!) and a little salt, cooked until CRISPY! Man – there is noting better!
Christy, I love your website. When reading your blog, it sounds so HOME!!!! Growing up we called these SMOTHERED POTATOES. Anything cooked in the frying pan but covered with a lid was…well… smothered. I still cook these for my kids. They are always a special treat.
Hello Christy and All, just had to look up this recipe and loved the tutorial – I am going to make these tonight with home made burgers and some delicious red wine. Love to visit your part of US it sounds marvellous -thank you for great site. Sarah
I bought your cookbook yesterday…and cannot put it down! When I got to the page with these potatoes, I was so excited! This was a “go to” side for many meals at my mom’s table. It was especially a treat when she would fry squash in another skillet next to it! She would actually powder the potatoes with corn meal (as well as the squash)…I loved all the little crumbs that would fall out on the paper towel meant to sop up the extra grease. Thanks for sharing all these wonderful memories in the form of recipes that I will always treasure!
My mom and Granny always just cut them in round slices and fried onions in with them. I love them with pinto beans and cornbread, and of course a good ole jar of tea!
I was always told our heritage goes back to the hills of Kentucky but wasnt able to meet any of the “old timers” just back to my grandpa’s generation. But, I read here and I feel like I have walked into my home! I am a southern girl! Fried taters and soup beans are like bread and butter in my life.. never seperated! I didnt think I would ever meet another person outside of my family to say that! And here I find out its common knowledge in the south!!!!! Thank You all for making me feel like a part of a bigger family!
when times get rough here, I fix up a pan of them fried taters and whoop up some onion to go in them too. Then I make some gravy to smother them with! MMMM…..glad it time for supper! Guess what I’ll be scraping up tonight!
Thank you SO MUCH for this!! My mom always makes these (except also with onion) and i wanted to make some with dinner tonight. I couldn’t get in touch with her and Googled taters to death trying to find the “right” fried potato recipe! so happy you could stand in for my mama!
This is What my Mama called (Smothered potatoes) i do put onions and sometime bell peppers. I can make some mean smothered potatoes, Yum…
i love your website Christy!!
Cooking these tonight with some hamburgers! I’m very excited to have them. Is that weenies & kraut in the background of one of those pictures there? I ate that as a kid and I’m not sure I have ever even cooked it for my kids. Looks yummy though and I’m thinking I’ll add that to the grocery list for next week!
Im from Northwest Ohio, and also grew up eating Fried Potatos. We prefer them with lots of onion. We also sometimes add chunks of smoked sausage and make a one skillet meal. Cheap and filling..and SO yummy!
Now where I’m from in southeastern KY, fried potatoes is a daily meal entree. My mom, grandma, both made a pot of soup beans every three days. They fried potatoes several times a day. For breakfast, it was fried potatoes, biscuits and gravy with homemade jam and jelly assortments,scrambled eggs, homemade sausage and bacon, fried apples from the apple trees on the property. For lunch it was either a fried bologna sandwich with cheese and potato chips, a fried potato sandwich with miracle whip or a grilled cheese. For dinner it was usually soup beans, cornbread, onion, and fried potatoes. For special dinners, it was fried chicken or steak, three or four vegetables, and fried potatoes with homemade cream gravy, with tomato or blackberry dumplings. On Sunday, we had whipped potatoes instead of fried potatoes.
Turn them into Cajun Potatoes. When they are partially done add some chopped onion and some sliced smoked sausage and a generous sprinkling of Cajun seasoning and finish frying them up. Some of your sausage will brown, some not but it doesn’t matter. They are good.
Ohh Virginia, that sounds delicious!
Christy, yours is the first recipe that specifies to cover the pan for the first 10 minutes or so and I think this is the key to getting the darned things cooked in a reasonable amount of time. I’ve never successfully fried potatoes until now. We like the skin so I didn’t peel my potatoes and I used some butter instead of oil but followed your method and they turned out completely perfect! Did about 15 minutes covered and 5 minutes uncovered. Just lovely potatoes that were perfectly browned and delicious. We will definitely have these many times in the future.
I am so glad they turned out perfectly for you Annarose!!
I add coarsely chopped onions to this for extra flavor. My husband said his Mom made her fried potatoes this way (with onions), but also floured the potatoes.
The kind of potato will determine whether you get a good skillet full of fried golden brown goodness with fluffy white potato centers. I have fried Russets and get nothing but a gooy grey mass that will not brown no matter how much bacon grease or heat you add. I love mine with onions and cooked real crusty. Don’t add the onions at the start or they will burn.
How do I verify my subscription. I tried, but it says already subscribed.
I just wanted to say how much I love fried potatotes, my grandmother would fry them up in her iron skillet and serve it with kilbasa and pinto beans…as a child I was like no way am I going to eat Pinto beans. I grew to love her weekly meal with the potatoaes and beans. She died a few years ago and I was given one of her beloved iron skillets. I have yet to make the potatoes but you have inspired me. Thank you!
I’m making fried potatoes with onions for supper tonight! We are having them with hamburger gravy!
These were on the table most nights growing up!! Recently have come to appreciate them cooked in the oven. Cube the potatoes, toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper. I usually put them in a Pyrex 9X13 dish that is sprayed with Pam and preheated in a 450 degree oven. Stir occasionally and cook till golden brown. Good recipe to use if you are battling high cholesterol!!
This past weekend we took a day trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway. For lunch my husband grilled burgers and dogs, and I fried potatoes. There’s nothing like fried potatoes cooked outside! I think I could eat my weight in fried taters.
I grew up with these too – they’re SO good with so many different meals. Mom always sliced the potatoes and added onion though, so of course I do too! I can see Dad dishing them up onto his plate, adding pepper to them (from the can ’cause a shaker was never fast enough for him!) and adding a healthy dollop of catchup. Thanks for the memory!
I love how one recipe will elicit a ton of variations….It’s like playing a game, Christy shoots the ball in the air and it gets carried around touching so many different people and their traditions.
Well, here’s one more…in NY we call them home fries…I add onions and butter instead of oil and mostly serve them with eggs. Otherwise it’s the same thing.
as always, thank you for sharing.
When we fry potatoes in our house we sometimes cook them my Slovenian grandmother’s way — to punch up the flavor a little we cook bacon first (then remove that and crumble it and set aside) and cook the potatoes in the bacon grease, and then right before the the dish is completely cooked, we mix in a capful or two of vinegar and the crumbled cooked bacon. It’s good!
I am so excited about this post! I grew up eating fried potatoes but I know many people that did not and think they are strange- and many of the potatoes offered for breakfast at restaurants are NOT the same thing. I enjoy your recipes, because they are for many things I grew up with, but when I ask for the recipe I usually get the answer to throw in a bit of this or a bit of that- not helping me at all!!! This way I can at least start with your recipes as a base until I learn to cook and can tweak things to match my own tastes like real southern cooks can. Can’t wait to try your recipes!
Also, I laughed at your post as I had a very southern lady from Georgia for a professor that once said that if you ever encounter anything that is ugly, unappealing or you just aren’t sure about you can say that they appear neat or interesting and that way you were always polite and don’t risk offending your host.
Your aunt said that they looked interesting and were neat so she must be a true southern lady!
I love fried potatoes. When I made them for my sons and friends that stayed over; I used a big griddle that covers both eyes on the stove. Being somewhat (ha ha) lazy, I put chopped (raw) bacon and potatoes in a single layer on the griddle and sprinkled them with onion and garlic granules. By the time the potatoes were crisp so was the bacon and the bacon flavor was all through the potatoes. They never came out greasy. My sons and their friends always ate every bit. The friends always thanked me and wanted to come back whenever I made them.
I had fried potatoes for supper last night. We mostly use left over boiled potatoes to fry. I added frozen corn, onions, celery then topped it all off with scrambled eggs and put a couple slices of fried ham on the side with a sprinkle of cheese melted on top of it all. I fry mostly with butter in a non stick pan. Sometimes when I really have a craving I will use uncooked to fry but mostly I just cook extra potatoes the night before so I can have leftovers for lunch the next day. They don’t take as long too brown and you don’t need to cover them.
I did last night though to get the egg to cook in the middle of the pan.
Up here in North Ontario, Canada for the last few yrs if you ask for home fries in restaraunts you get deep fried potatoe cubes. Those are just french fries with an attitude. Home fries are what you cooked up top.
Nice informative recipe written with a homely charm.
My Mother made smothered taters with everything. the smell of them cooking will get me outta bed. Hers used some chopped onion, garlic powder and just a bit of green peppers. Also, she only every used bacon drippings that we kept in a coffee can in the ice box. My favorite is served with biscuits and gravy. Or serve them under a thick squirrel or rabbit stew. Good stuff