Alright, let’s talk ’bout them tater cubes in that there air fryer thingamajig. You know, the one that looks like a spaceship landed in your kitchen? Yeah, that one. Now, I ain’t no fancy chef, but I can cook up a mess of taters, and these air fryer ones? They’re somethin’ else.
First off, you gotta get yourself some taters. Any kind will do, but I like them good ol’ russets. Wash ‘em good, get all that dirt off. Ain’t nobody want no gritty taters, ya hear? Then, peel ‘em. Unless you like that skin on, which is fine too, I guess. Ain’t gonna hurt nothin’. Cut ‘em up into cubes, not too big, not too small. Like dice, ya know? About an inch or so. That’s what I do, anyhow.
Now, here’s the secret some folks don’t tell ya. You gotta soak them taters in some cold water. Yeah, just plain cold water. For like, half an hour, maybe more. Why? Well, it gets that starch out, makes ‘em crispier. Trust me on this. I heard it from some smart fella on that talking picture box, and darned if he wasn’t right. My neighbor tried it without the soak and the taters just weren’t the same. All mushy and sad-lookin’.
- Wash the potatoes
- Peel the potatoes
- Cut into cubes
- Soak in cold water
After they’ve soaked, drain ‘em good. Get all that water off. You can pat ‘em dry with a towel if you’re fancy. I usually just shake ‘em good in the colander. Then, you gotta toss ‘em with a little somethin’-somethin’. I use some olive oil, salt, pepper, and a bit of garlic powder. Sometimes, I throw in some parsley if I’m feelin’ extra special. You can use whatever you like, though. Ain’t no rules, really. Just make sure them taters are coated good.
Now, for that air fryer contraption. Turn it on, set it to 400 degrees. That’s what that fella on the picture box said, and it seems to work just fine. Let it heat up for a bit, like five minutes or so. Then, dump them taters in the basket. Don’t overcrowd it, though. If you put too many in there, they won’t get crispy. They’ll just steam and get all soggy. You want ‘em crispy, right? So, do it in batches if you gotta. Crispy taters are happy taters, that’s what I say.
Now, the cookin’ time. This is where it gets a little tricky. It depends on how big your tater cubes are, and how crispy you like ‘em. But generally, it takes about 20 to 25 minutes. I like to shake the basket halfway through, just to make sure they’re cookin’ evenly. And sometimes, if they ain’t quite crispy enough, I’ll crank up the heat a little bit at the end. Just for a few minutes. You gotta watch ‘em close, though. Don’t want ‘em to burn. Burnt taters are a sin.
When they’re done, they should be nice and golden brown, and crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. That’s what you’re lookin’ for. Perfect tater cubes. You can eat ‘em just like that, or dip ‘em in ketchup, or ranch, or whatever your heart desires. I like ‘em with a bit of sour cream myself. But honestly, they’re good any way you eat ‘em.
So, there you have it. My way of makin’ tater cubes in that there air fryer. It ain’t rocket science, but it sure is tasty. And it’s a whole lot faster than fryin’ ‘em in a pan, let me tell ya. Less mess too. And that’s always a good thing in my book. Now, go on and make yourself some taters. You won’t regret it. And remember, crispy taters are happy taters! And happy taters make a happy belly. And a happy belly makes a happy… well, you get the idea.
One more thing, don’t go throwin’ them tater peels away. You can fry them up with some salt and pepper. They’re mighty tasty too. Waste not, want not, that’s what my mama always said. And she was a wise woman, that’s for sure. So go on now, get cookin’!
Now, some folks might tell you to add all sorts of fancy spices and herbs. And that’s fine, if you like that sort of thing. But me? I like to keep it simple. Salt, pepper, garlic powder. That’s all you need. Sometimes, I’ll add a little paprika for color, if I’m feelin’ fancy. But mostly, I keep it simple. Because simple is good. And taters? Well, taters are about as simple as it gets.
So there it is, plain and simple, just like how I like it, and how I hope you will too. Enjoy your air-fried tater cubes!