Frozen fries in the air fryer keep coming out dry, am I doing this wrong?

So I've been testing frozen fries for the last 2 weeks, trying different temps and times. My usual go to is 400 for 15 minutes with a shake at the halfway point. They come out crispy on the outside but the inside is like sawdust, totally dry and mealy. My wife says I'm overthinking it and should just eat them as is, but I swear the bag says they should be fluffy. I tried lowering to 360 and adding a tiny splash of oil in a bowl before tossing, that helped a bit but still not like the restaurant style. Then I tried soaking frozen fries in water for 10 minutes before air frying, which I know sounds crazy, but it actually gave them a softer center. But the outside got chewy, not crunchy. So which is the real win, dry and crisp or soft and chewy? Has anyone nailed the sweet spot with a specific brand or time, or am I chasing something that just doesn't work in an air fryer?

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oliviagrant12d ago

The part about the fries being "like sawdust" hit home for me. I read somewhere that the issue is the moisture gets pulled out too fast, and that soaking trick you tried is actually a method some chefs use with fresh potatoes, but with frozen ones it messes with the coating. So you are basically fighting the air fryer's whole design, that thing is a wind tunnel and it wants everything bone dry. I've had the best luck with the thicker crinkle cut ones, they hold up better, but I still treat the "fluffy center" promise on the bag as a straight up lie. Honestly, I'd say pick the texture you hate less and move on, because restaurant fries are fried twice in actual oil, and no basket is gonna fix that.