Forget The Air Fryer: The Best Frozen Fries Are Cooked This Way

Frozen french fries are one of the best things you can buy at the grocery store. They're already partially cooked, easy to season, are ready in less than half an hour, and come in all sorts of shapes and thicknesses. Instructions on the packaging tell you how to cook them in the oven or the air fryer, and while both methods are tried and true, there's one way that's better: the grill. Grilled frozen fries are still as crispy as they are if you cooked them in either of the "original" ways, but they also have slightly charred edges and that fresh-off-the-grill flavor that makes grilling so magical.

Cooking fries on the grill instead of in an air fryer or oven accomplishes several things: First, if you're having a barbecue, you don't need to worry about bouncing between the grill and another appliance because everything will be in one place — you can keep an eye on all cooking elements of your meal to time things accordingly. It takes about 20 minutes to make frozen french fries on the grill — just toss them at the halfway mark to make sure they cook evenly. Second, you save energy and therefore money. And third, you don't have to worry about extra dishes. Win, win, win. (And after you grill your meal and its fries, you should cook fruit on the grill; it's delicious.)

Now matter how you prepare them, the crispiest frozen french fries start with this unexpected hack: microwave them for about 30 seconds first. This sets up the outside to be even more crispy while starting to defrost the inside. To cook frozen french fries on your grill, you have a few options. Regardless of how you cook them, you're going to want to first toss them in oil and whatever spices and seasonings you'd like, and preheat the grill to about 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Then put them uncovered in a foil pan; lay them in a single layer on a tray, cover in foil, and poke some holes; or use a grill basket (just make sure you toss the fries often if you do it this way).

No shade against campfire-roasted baked potatoes, but you can throw a bag of frozen french fries into your cooler and enjoy some fries while camping or for a day in the park. With spring here and summer kind of on the horizon, now's the perfect time to uncover your grill and try something new. And don't forget to clean it after every use!