Step 1: Prepare Your Station
Before you even touch a potato, set yourself up for success. Line two large baking sheets with several layers of paper towels or clean, lint-free kitchen towels. Place a wire cooling rack over another baking sheet. This will be your draining and seasoning station.

Step 2: Wash and Slice the Potatoes
Scrub the potatoes thoroughly under cold running water. You can choose to peel them for a classic, uniform look, or leave the skin on for a more rustic, flavorful chip. Using a mandoline slicer is highly recommended for this step. Set it to its thinnest setting, about 1/16th of an inch (1.5mm). Slice the potatoes, working carefully and always using the safety guard. Uniformity is the key to even cooking. If you don’t have a mandoline, use your sharpest knife and slice as thinly and evenly as you possibly can.

Step 3: The Critical Soak
Immediately transfer the potato slices into a large bowl of cold water as you slice them. This prevents them from oxidizing and turning brown. Once all potatoes are sliced, drain the cloudy, starchy water. Refill the bowl with fresh cold water, add a handful of ice cubes, and let the slices soak for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. You will see the water become cloudy again—this is the excess starch being released.

Step 4: Drain and Dry Meticulously
Drain the potatoes thoroughly in a colander. Now comes the most crucial drying phase. For best results, use a salad spinner (working in batches) to spin off the excess water. After spinning, lay the potato slices in a single layer on your prepared towel-lined baking sheets. Place another layer of towels on top and gently but firmly press down to blot away as much moisture as possible. The drier the slices, the crispier the chip.

Step 5: Heat the Oil
Pour the oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. The oil should be at least 2-3 inches deep. Attach a deep-fry or candy thermometer to the side of the pot, ensuring the tip is submerged in the oil but not touching the bottom. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches a steady 350°F (175°C).

Step 6: Fry in Batches
Once the oil is at temperature, carefully add a single handful of potato slices to the pot. Do not overcrowd the pan! This will drop the oil temperature and result in soggy chips. The oil will bubble vigorously at first. Use a spider strainer or long-handled slotted spoon to gently stir the chips, separating them.

Fry for 3-5 minutes, adjusting the burner as needed to maintain the oil temperature between 325°F and 365°F. The chips are done when the bubbling has subsided significantly (a sign that most of the moisture has evaporated), and they are a light golden brown. They will not be completely rigid in the oil but will crisp up as they cool.

Step 7: Drain and Season Immediately
Using your spider strainer, lift the finished chips out of the oil, allowing the excess oil to drip back into the pot for a moment. Immediately transfer them to the wire rack-lined baking sheet. While they are still hot and glistening with oil, sprinkle them generously with fine sea salt. The heat and oil are what make the salt stick.

Repeat the frying process with the remaining potato slices, making sure to let the oil come back up to 350°F between each batch.