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The Melting Pot
Boardwalk Fries hero image coming soon
1920s-present - Ocean City boardwalk concessionaires, especially J. T. Thrasher
Boardwalk fries are beach food stripped to essentials: fresh-cut potatoes, hot oil, salt, and vinegar. Ocean City made the style famous through Thrasher fries, opened in 1929, where ketchup is famously beside the point.
Difficulty
Moderate
Prep time
25 minutes plus soaking
Cook time
20 minutes
Total time
45 minutes plus soaking
Servings
4 servings
Region
Mid-Atlantic boardwalks
Era introduced
1920s-present
Introduced by
Ocean City boardwalk concessionaires, especially J. T. Thrasher
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Boardwalk fries are a Mid-Atlantic ritual as much as a recipe. J. T. Thrasher opened his Ocean City fry stand in 1929 and built a reputation on freshly cooked fries served with salt and vinegar rather than ketchup. The style spread through boardwalk memory: hot paper cups, ocean air, and vinegar sharp enough to cut through the oil. This home version uses soaked russet potatoes and a two-stage fry for a crisp exterior.
Drafted with Ocean City boardwalk history from Thrasher's French Fries (https://thrashersfries.com/history/), boardwalk serving context from Tara's Multicultural Table (https://tarasmulticulturaltable.com/ocean-city-maryland-and-boardwalk-fries/), and fry technique context from Serious Eats (https://www.seriouseats.com/perfect-french-fries-recipe).
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