i have tried making chips in the deep frying way but they are never crispy. i make sure the oil is hot by dropping a cube of bread in and seeing how long it takes to brown. i just dont understand why when they come out they are always soggy! can anyone help me please?
You need to take them out of the oil while they are still white and soggy and let them stand for a while. Then plunge them back into the hot oil for a moment or two until they are golden and crispy just before you are ready to eat them.
Don't fry too many at once - this is a common cause of soggy chips.. Though the bread test tells you when the oil is hot enough, adding the chips cools the oil considerably, and the more you put in, the cooler the oil will become. Try frying small handfuls at a time, and as each batch is finished, put them in a bowl lined with kitchen roll and keep them in a warm oven. Should do the trick.
As you are chipping the potatoes, chuck them into a bowl of water, then give them a good swirl around and rinse to remove the starch on the surface of the cut chips.
Carefully drain and pat dry with kitchen (You do NOT want lots of water on them when you lower them into the hot oil!)
"Double fry" as per aristotle's answer - the first frying can be at a slightly lower temperature. Then whack up the temperature for the second 'browning-and-crisping' fry.