I Made TikTok’s 15-Hour Potatoes, and They’re Everything I Dreamed They Would Be

I know…15 hours may seem like an unreasonable amount of time to wait for fried potatoes (if you have no patience, then these air-fryer potatoes are for you), so you’ll have to trust me when I say these heavenly golden potatoes are worth every single second, nay, millisecond it takes to prepare them.

To be honest, most of the “work” to prepare these 15-hour potatoes is done either in the oven or overnight in the refrigerator. This means all you’re really doing for 15 hours is daydreaming about crispy potatoes. Which, at least for me, is what I spend most of my day doing anyway.

So, let’s make our potato dreams a reality. Grab a bag of spuds, and let’s get cooking but before we move ahead let’s check how to make the crispy ‘TikTok Potatoes people can’t stop talking about.

What is the 15-Hour Potato?

If you’ve spent any time on TikTok, you’ve likely seen these delectable potatoes (and these viral French onion soup potatoes) in your feed. Thinly sliced layers of potatoes are compressed into a pan and slowly baked in a bath of herby garlic confit before being chilled overnight, cut into cubes, and then fried to golden perfection. Drooling yet? I know I am!

Also, check out these best Potato Recipes for people who love spuds

How to Make the 15-Hour Potato

This recipe was originally shared by TikTok creator @poppycooks and will make two to four servings.

@poppycooks Episode 11 ✨ the gorgeous gorgeous garlic 15 hour potato ✨ ❤️ #garlic #confitgarlic #15hourpotato ♬ Chopin Nocturne No. 2 Piano Mono – moshimo sound design

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (about 5 to 6 medium potatoes)
• 1-1/2 cups ghee, duck fat or beef tallow, melted
• 2 heads of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
• 2 springs of fresh rosemary
• 1 to 2 dried chiles (optional)

Directions

Step 1: Make the garlic confit

Preheat oven to 250°F. In a small oven-safe baking dish with a lid, combine your choice of fat, whole garlic cloves, rosemary and chiles (if using). If the garlic cloves are not fully submerged, add additional fat to completely cover the garlic. Cover and bake until cloves are lightly golden and very tender, about one hour.

Editor’s Tip: You can change the herbs used in the confit to any you enjoy. Fresh thyme, basil, sage or bay leaves are all wonderful options. If you don’t have whole dried chiles, a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes can also be used. To shave off a little time, opt for roasted garlic rather than confit.

Step 2: Puree until smooth

Remove the rosemary and chiles from the garlic confit and transfer the garlic and the rendered fat to a food processor. Pulse until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Step 3: Slice the potatoes

Peel the potatoes to remove the skins. Then, using a mandolin, thinly slice the potatoes.

Editor’s Tip: We’re going for paper-thin slices. Use cut-resistant safety gloves to protect your precious hands and fingers.

Step 4: Coat with the garlic confit paste

Next, gently toss the potato slices with the garlic confit paste in a large bowl until evenly coated.

Step 5: Layer upon layer

Line a loaf pan with parchment, leaving a few inches hanging over the edges on the long sides of the pan. Grease the pan with additional ghee, duck fat or beef tallow (or even wagyu tallow), then layer in the potato slices, overlapping slightly and compressing them as you work. Keep layering until you’re about 1/2-inch from the top of the pan.

Step 6: Weigh, bake and chill

Preheat oven to 300°. Fold the extra parchment over the top of the potatoes, then bake for three hours or until tender. Remove and adjust the parchment to ensure the potatoes are completely covered, and then fill the baking pan to the top with pie weights. Transfer the baked potato “loaf” to the fridge and chill for at least eight hours.

Editor’s Tip: Waiting is the hardest part. Don’t be tempted to pull the potatoes too early. Compressing and chilling the potatoes is key to ensure the spuds hold their shape and don’t fall apart while slicing and cooking. If you have a lot of patience, you can even let the potatoes chill for up to 24 hours, making these a great make-ahead side dish too.

Step 7: Slice into cubes

Carefully unmold the potato loaf from the pan onto a cutting board. Then, using a sharp knife, cut the loaf into 1-inch cubes.

Step 8: Fry in batches

Preheat a deep fryer to 375°. Then, working in batches of three or four potatoes at a time, fry until golden and crispy, about two or three minutes. (If you’re a newbie to frying, don’t miss our guide for deep-frying with confidence.)

Editor’s Tip: We found keeping the cut potato cubes in the refrigerator in between frying batches helped the potatoes hold their shape best since it kept the fat between the potato layers nice and solid until they were ready to hit the deep fryer.

Step 9: Serve and enjoy

Remove the potatoes to a paper towel-lined baking tray to drain, sprinkle with flaky sea salt (a special type of salt that makes all the difference), and then serve warm. Enjoy!

Tips for Making the 15-Hour Potato

What can I use if I don’t have pie weights?

If you don’t have pie weights and are not interested in investing in a package, there are other ways to weigh down your layered potatoes as they bake. Just like when making pie crust, a few cups of dried beans or uncooked rice are both great affordable options.

What’s the best potato to use for 15-hour potatoes?

While some 15-hour potato recipes call for russet potatoes, we found that Yukon gold potatoes were the best type of potato for this recipe. They cooked up wonderfully crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.

What can I use to slice the potatoes if I don’t have a mandolin slicer?

If you don’t own a mandolin, there are other kitchen tools that can also slice potatoes paper thin. A vegetable peeler or cheese plane are two affordable options that are likely already in your kitchen cupboards. Some food processors come with attachments for slicing vegetables very thin too. In a pinch, a very sharp knife can also work; your slices just may not be quite as thin.

Where can I buy duck fat or beef tallow?

While creator Poppy O’Toole uses duck fat and beef tallow in her recipes, she also says ghee or clarified butter can work for this recipe. We opted to test with ghee since it is typically more accessible than duck fat or beef tallow for most readers. However, duck fat and tallow do make some incredibly good potatoes, so if you want to track it down, check with your local butcher or at your nearest specialty foods store. Duck fat and beef tallow are both also available for purchase online.

What should I serve with 15-hour potatoes?

Serve 15-hour potatoes with a side of ketchup, ranch or any of your favorite dipping sauces. We also imagine these would make an over-the-top swap for fries in a classic poutine recipe. As a side dish, they’d also be delish with a whole roasted chicken or roast beef with gravy.