Are chips cooked in vegetable oil still truly Belgian?
In a frituur, the question sometimes comes before the first cone: are the chips cooked in beef dripping? For some, it is a detail. For others, it is precisely the flavour they came for. At Wallonie Gourmande, our preference is clear: when we think of the Belgian chip we want to champion, we want it cooked in beef dripping.
A flavour that belongs to our chip-shop culture
Beef dripping brings a distinctive, rounder flavour, recognisable from the first few bites. It is part of the tradition of many Belgian frituurs. It is no magic ingredient: a poor potato or worn-out fat will still produce disappointing chips. But between two cones prepared with equal care, that flavour can tip the balance.
There is also something very tangible about this preference. We expect more than a crisp chip. We want a thin crust, a tender centre and a flavour that accompanies the potato without masking it. That is the cone many Belgians associate with their chip-shop memories.
The fat does not do all the work
Good chips begin before the fryer: the right potato, careful cutting and two well-controlled cooking stages. The first cooks the inside; after a rest, the second gives colour and crunch. The frying fat must stay clean and be replaced when its quality deteriorates. For chips, AFSCA sets a maximum temperature of 175°C: cooking them to a very dark brown is neither necessary for flavour nor desirable.
So chips cooked in vegetable oil can be very good. Some fryers prepare them with precision, and they suit people who do not eat animal fat. Provided, of course, that an oil suitable for frying is used and clearly identified. Customers should be able to find out without having to guess.
So what is our answer?
Yes, a chip cooked in vegetable oil can be a good Belgian chip. But if you ask which version best embodies, in our eyes, the tradition and flavour of the frituur, we choose beef dripping. It is a flavour preference, not an authenticity certificate we hand out to others.
Next time you order a cone, ask the question. You may finally understand why one frituur makes you want to return while another leaves you merely remembering that you ate some chips. Which way of cooking them do you really prefer?
