This 50 years old pan fried potato slices recipe is a perfect change to potatoes from the usual. Cooks quickly and is very easy to make in a cast iron skillet or regular frying pan. Use any kind of regular potato like white, red, yellow, or golden. Also, this is listed in our Potatoes, Sides, and Vegetables categories.
Ingredients of Recipe for Pan Fried Potato Slices
This skillet fried sliced potatoes have only 4 simple ingredients. They are:
- potatoes (keep reading to see what types)
- oil (small amount)
- salt
- pepper
What type of potatoes to use for skillet fried potatoes?
The great thing for making these skillet fried sliced potatoes is you can use nearly any kind of potato. However, just to be sure we’re clear, here are the kinds I’ve used successfully on this recipe for the past 5 decades. They are in order of “most preferred potatoes” to “still good potatoes”. Also, I don’t show the types I’ve tried and were just “Ok”.
- Russet
- white
- new
- Yukon
- red
How To Make Pan Fried Potato Slices
These skillet fried potatoes are very easy. Overall, the main thing to make them perfect is the timings of lid removals. Fortunately, the recipe steps are in order and very easy to follow. So, here’s the step-by-step summary.
Prepare the potatoes. Just peel (optional), slice, and rinse.
Sear the potatoes in oil (uncovered) for 3 minutes on medium-high.
Cook covered for 7 minutes on medium.
Turn the potato slices and cook covered for 4 minutes. Repeat once, adding salt & pepper.
Finish for 1-3 minutes (uncovered) on medium-high until done!
Expert Tips After 50 Years of Making Pan Fried Potato Slices
Should you boil potatoes before frying them?
For pan fried potato slices, you don’t boil them first. If you do, they’ll end up mushy. The steps in the recipe include both covering and uncovering the pan at different times. So, this is the balance between moisture and frying.
Should you soak potatoes before pan frying them?
You don’t have to soak potatoes before you fry them in a pan or skillet. However, they do need to be rinsed at least two times until the rinse water is clear.
Why won’t my fried potatoes get crispy?
Pan fried potato slices won’t become crispy for the following important reasons. These were learned over a 50 year period.
- The frying pan lid was on too long during the entire cooking process.
- The potato slices weren’t seared first, with the lid off.
- The final 1 to 3 minutes of cooking wasn’t hot enough with the lid off.
- The potatoes were boiled or microwaved before pan frying them.
Is it better to fry potatoes in butter or oil?
These skillet fried potatoes are best in oil because the high temps and times will burn butter and margarine. Also, the best oil for flavor is bacon drippings. Finally, other usable oils are peanut oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, or shortening.
Other Recipe Changes for Loaded Pan Fried Potato Slices
After 50 years of making these, I’ve done a lot of additions at times. So, here are some things that you can work into it. Some ingredient additions are pretty common.
- When searing the potatoes initially, you can toss in some diced onions or rings of onions. You might need a little more oil though.
- Sometimes, if I didn’t have any bacon drippings, I’d just cook up about 4 strips of bacon. Then, I’d leave those drippings for making the potatoes. Then, at last uncovered few minutes of cooking, I’d add in the bacon as I crumpled it. That way you don’t overcook the bacon aspect.
- At the very end, I’d leave the lid off and sprinkle some shredded cheese across the entire pan of potatoes. The most enjoyed by others were (in order): cheddar, parmesan, or provolone.
- Right during the final few minutes of uncovered cooking, I’d add in some chives or diced green onions. Along with it, I’d sprinkle on some shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon. That’s for the whole skillet. Then, for each individual serving, it could be topped with a dollop of sour cream. It gives a totally different feeling for having loaded pan fried potato slices compared to loaded baked potatoes.
Nutrition of Recipe for Pan Fried Potato Slices
This flavorful potato dish is only about 186 calories. Additionally, for more detailed nutritional values, tap the “Print Recipe” option.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve seen how a 50 year recipe can give you crispy and firm pan fried potato slices, go ahead and make them. Everything uses common ingredients so you probably have all the ingredients now. Also, it’s a great change from the usual potato side dishes.
Related Potato Recipes
- Oven Baked Potatoes
- Ideas for Loaded Baked Potatoes
- Ham and Scalloped Potatoes
- Pecan Encrusted Sweet Potato Casserole in a Cast Iron Skillet
- Skillet Potatoes with Green Beans
- Creamy Potato Salad Recipe using mashed potatoes
- Southern Potato Salad
- Pan Fried Potatoes by EatingOnADime.com
- Frozen French fries in the air fryer
Pan Fried Potato Slices Recipe
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Ingredients
- 3 medium potatoes Russet, white, new, Yukon, red
- 2 Tbsp bacon drippings or vegetable oil, olive oil, or shortening
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black ground pepper
Instructions
- Rinse and optionally peel potatoes.3 medium potatoes
- Slice potatoes to about ¼-inch thickness and place in bowl.
- Rinse sliced potatoes at least 2 times or until rinse water is clear.
- Add bacon drippings (or other cooking oil) and preheat skillet to medium-high heat.2 Tbsp bacon drippings
- Dump in potatoes and use spatula to coat potato slices.3 medium potatoes
- Cook to sear potatoes for about 3 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium. Cover skillet for 7 minutes.
- FIRST Scrape bottom and turn potatoes. Cover for 4 minutes.½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black ground pepper
- Season with salt and pepper. SECOND Scrape bottom and turn potatoes. Cover again for 4 minutes.
- Return to medium-high heat. Remove lid and THIRD scrape bottom to move and turn potatoes. Continue for about 2-5 minutes until desired crispness is achieved.
Nutrition
Also, here’s Cooking with Claudia’s Pan Fried Potatoes (sliced) in a skillet. They’re a moist and special way.
Super write-up on pan fried potatoes. I had something like this once in a Southern restaurant and loved it. Didn’t know what they were called so, I was glad to stumble on it from your site. Looks delicious and now I can make my own. Cheers.
This fixed my way of making it. Great tips. Didn’t think about when to cover the skillet and when to remove it for crispy. Thanks!