Grilled Butter Fries
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Frozen fries tossed in melted butter, wrapped in foil boats, then grilled over indirect heat until crispy with a golden brown crust. Finished with American cheese melted inside the foil for gooeyness. Easy, smoky, and loaded with gooey cheese, these fries embrace a campfire vibe. Butter adds richness, crispness comes from indirect grilling, and the foil traps heat and steam for tender insides. Cheesy layer melts to a creamy blanket sealing flavors in. Salt and butter balance, minimal fuss, no deep fry mess.
Prep:
7 min
Cook:
28 min
Total:
35 min
Servings:
4 servings
#grilling
#fries
#campfire food
#cheese
#foil packet
#easy sides
#outdoor cooking
Frozen fries, butter, cheese. Simple. Burning fat smell, foil crinkles, quiet grill hum. Learned: butter straight burns, swap to ghee for smooth heat. Foil packs trap steam and crispy edges—watch vents, no sog. Cheese layering—American slices get rubbery, cheddar more complex and melts creamy. Indirect heat’s best. Faster direct scorches, fries flop or dry. A little cracking sweet smoke. Tried chunks potatoes—too hard to cook evenly. Fries stay inside foil, no mess, easy cleanup. Salt last moment to keep salt flakes fresh. Melt time’s wobble depends on heat. Open packets too soon, cheese clumps. Patience and eyes. Fries golden edges signal crisp perfect, inside soft, cheese melting luscious. Simple campfire or grill. A bite smoky, buttery, stretchy cheese, dense crunch, soft chew. Raw fries in foil, buttery gloss, small vent steam, grill stable heat, patience. That’s the trick.
Ingredients
- 4 cups frozen crinkle cut fries
- 4 tablespoons melted ghee (substitute butter for less smoky flavor)
- 8 slices sharp cheddar cheese (substitute for American cheese to add tang)
- Salt to taste
- Fresh cracked black pepper optional
About the ingredients
Frozen fries save time, but pick thicker cut—thin fries risk overcooking. Butter adds richness but burns fast on grill; ghee or clarified butter better for grilling—higher smoke point means less bitterness. Sub sharp cheddar for American cheese to avoid rubbery texture and add tangy, fuller flavor. Salt after tossing with fat assists crisping; pepper adds subtle heat balancing greasy mouthfeel. Use heavy-duty foil to prevent leaks and keep packets intact when handling. Leaving vents is essential to escape steam—no vent means soggy fries. Small ingredient adjustments impact texture dramatically here.
Method
Prepare potatoes
- Toss frozen fries with warm melted ghee in medium bowl. Coat evenly; ghee clings and browns better on grill than butter alone. Season lightly with salt and black pepper for depth.
Foil packet assembly
- Divide fries into four heavy-duty 12-inch foil sheets. Spread out but keep snug. Fold sides up and pinch edges leaving a small slit or vent on top to release steam—avoid soggy fries.
- ---
Grilling process
- Place foil packets over indirect heat on grill or campfire grate. Listen for gentle sizzle, watch edges for crispy golden color around 18-22 minutes. Toss one packet carefully to check doneness inside. Fries should be crisp outside, tender inside—brown spots develop naturally.
Cheese topping
- Open packets enough to lay two slices sharp cheddar cheese over fries. Expect immediate melty action from residual heat, but close foil quickly to trap steam and finish melting, about 5-7 minutes.
Final touch
- Remove carefully from heat once cheese thickly melted, gooey and stringy when poked with fork. Let packets rest a few minutes; steam settles, fries firm up slightly. Serve from foil or slide onto platter.
- Common save: If fries crisp too quick while cheese still hard, remove foil tops, lower heat, and cover loosely with foil tent; slow melt.
- Tip: Ghee substitution adds nutty richness and higher smoke point, less burn risk compared to butter. Sharp cheddar gives bite and fuller flavor than classic American slices.
Cooking tips
Toss fries while ghee still warm helps even coating; cold fat clumps leave dry spots. Building foil pack tight but vented balances moisture retention and crispness—too tight traps too much steam and fries steam instead of crisp; too loose fries dry out. Indirect heat crucial; direct flames char fat before fries fully cook. Use color cues, smell burnt fat or raw potato to adjust timing. Melt cheese with residual heat, close packs again to trap steam for even melting. Avoid opening foil repeatedly. Serve hot, cheese firms slightly on cooling but stays gooey. Learn to listen and watch, not just follow minutes. This process tricks beginners who focus on time over sensory cues.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Warm ghee coats fries better. Cold fats clump; uneven coverage means dry spots later. Toss in medium bowl early. Salt after tossing for better crisp. Pepper optional, adds subtle heat that cuts richness. Use heavy-duty foil sheets at least 12 inches. Thin foil tears prone; foil integrity holds steam and heat balance.
- 💡 Create vents in foil packs. Small slits avoid soggy fries; steam needs release—too tight traps moisture, fries steam not crisp. Too loose dries the fries out. Balance critical. Fold edges pinched, but maintain a little breathing room above fries. Watch vents during cooking, can adjust with tongs if steam builds too much.
- 💡 Grill indirect heat only. Flames scorch butter fats quickly. Ghee preferred for higher smoke point reduces bitterness. Heat steady; hot enough to crisp edges but not burn. Look for golden browning on foil edges at 18-22 minutes. Listen for faint sizzle muffled by foil. Open one pack to test texture mid cook if unsure.
- 💡 Add cheddar slices last, after fries mostly done. Residual heat melts cheese without overcooking fries. Close foil quickly again to trap moisture and get gooey melt. Timing varies with grill heat; check softness with fork poke. Avoid opening foil repeatedly, cheese clumps and crumbs form. Slow melting tip: lower heat and foil tent cheese melts evenly.
- 💡 Use frozen fries thicker cut; thin fries dry out or burn faster. Fresh potatoes inconsistent in heat through foil packs, chunks often undercook or hard. Salt late keeps salt flakes fresh and crisp on edges. Keep consistent fry size for uniform heat. Rest packets briefly off heat; steam settles, fries firm up slightly, cheese stabilizes and stays stretchy.
Common questions
Why use ghee instead of butter?
Butter burns quick on hot grill, smells acrid. Ghee has higher smoke point, less burning risk. Less smoke, better browning. Butter adds richness, but overheating ruins taste. Sub clarified butter if no ghee.
How to avoid soggy fries inside foil?
Make vent in foil packs small but present. No vent means steam traps; fries steam not crisp. Don’t pack fries shattered; keep snug but not crushed. Salt fries after tossing in fat helps surface dryness. Indirect heat crucial; direct flames burn fats and make steam buildup worse.
Cheese not melting fast enough?
Remove foil tops. Lower heat. Cover loosely with foil tent. Melt cheese slower; too much heat scorches or fries overcook. Residual heat melts cheese well if captured inside sealed pack shortly. Avoid open repeated checks; cheese cools, clumps form.
Can I store leftover grilled fries?
Store cool, airtight container fridge up to 2 days. Reheat wrapped in foil at low grill temp or oven to regain crisp. Microwave soggy fries worse; skip if possible. For freezer, flash cool fries, pack airtight, freeze max 1 month. Reheat slower to avoid dryness.
