Beef Fat Confit Tater Tots
Ingredients: Russet potatoes, Beef tallow, Kosher salt, Onion powder, Garlic powder · 120 min cook time · 1385kcal · $20.63
Ingredients
3pounds Russet potatoes, 2.5quarts Beef tallow, 1.5tablespoons Kosher salt, 0.5teaspoon Onion powder, 2teaspoons Garlic powder, 5.5tablespoons Cornstarch, 1cup Mayonnaise, 0.25cup Dijon mustard, 1tablespoon Lemon juice, 1tablespoon Tabasco, 1.5teaspoons Cajun seasoning, 1teaspoon MSG, 0.5large Shallot, 1small Dill pickle, 2.5tablespoons Capers, 2tablespoons Chives, 2cloves Garlic, 1pinch Black pepper
Instructions
1. Peel three pounds of Russet potatoes over parchment paper for easy cleanup.
2. Grate all peeled potatoes using the coarse side of a box grater onto a clean tea towel.
3. Gather the tea towel and squeeze out as much starchy water from the grated potatoes as possible. This is a critical step for texture.
4. Heat 2.5-3 quarts of beef tallow in a large pot over medium heat until mostly melted.
5. Add the squeezed potatoes directly into the cold beef tallow. Reduce heat to medium-low and gently cook until the potatoes turn translucent (confit).
6. Strain the potatoes through a fine mesh strainer, being careful as the oil is hot. Allow excess oil to drain.
7. Invert the confit potatoes onto a sheet tray and spread them out to cool down and release steam.
8. In a small bowl, combine 1.5 tablespoons of kosher salt, 0.5 teaspoon of onion powder, and 2 teaspoons of garlic powder. Whisk until combined.
9. Sprinkle about half of the seasoning mixture over the cooled potatoes. Toss and fold the potatoes to thoroughly mix the seasoning.
10. Taste the potatoes and add more seasoning if desired, mixing it in. You can add more salt later if needed, but avoid adding more spices.
11. Spread the seasoned potatoes evenly on the sheet tray. Sprinkle half of the 5.5 tablespoons of cornstarch over the potatoes and fold it in, kneading it like dough.
12. Add the remaining cornstarch and continue mixing until it's fully incorporated. The potatoes should still be loose but hold their shape when squeezed.
13. Line a separate sheet tray with parchment paper and lightly spray with baking spray or oil.
14. Take 1-ounce portions of the potato mixture. Squeeze and toss them between your hands to form a rough ball. Then, use your index finger and thumb to flatten the top and bottom while rolling it into a cylinder shape.
15. Repeat the shaping process until all potatoes are used, placing the shaped tots on the prepared sheet tray. You should get about 50-52 tots.
16. Freeze the shaped tots until completely solid, at least 2-3 hours, or ideally overnight.
17. For the tater tot sauce, combine 1 cup of mayonnaise, 0.25 cup of Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of Tabasco, 1.5 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning, and 1 teaspoon of MSG in a bowl. Whisk until smooth.
18. Finely chop half of a large shallot (about 0.25 cup), one small dill pickle (about 2 tablespoons), and 2.5 tablespoons of capers. Add them to the sauce.
19. Finely slice about 2 tablespoons of chives and grate 2 cloves of fresh garlic. Add them to the sauce along with a pinch of fresh cracked black pepper.
20. Stir all the sauce ingredients together until well combined. The sauce should have a perfect remoulade-like texture.
21. Heat the leftover beef tallow in a Dutch oven to 350°F (177°C).
22. Using a spider, carefully lower a batch of frozen tots into the hot oil. Fry for 3-4 minutes until they turn a beautiful deep golden brown and are crispy.
23. Drain the fried tots on the spider, allowing excess oil to drip off. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool and crisp up.
24. Repeat the frying process with the remaining tots.
25. Serve the crispy tater tots piled high on a plate with the prepared sauce. Garnish with fresh chives.
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