Ingredients Necessary to Make these Chips
These chips had a super punchy flavor – the coating was crusted, visible, and flaky. The bottom of the bag was quite literally covered in this stuff.
This is for 3-4 medium sized russet potatoes:
- 10 tsp distilled white vinegar powder
- 2 tsp milk powder
- 4 tsp sea salt, ground*
- 1 tsp citric acid, ground*
- 1/2 tsp malic acid, ground*
- 1 tsp white sugar, ground*
*Add these ingredients to a pestle and mortar and grind into a fine powder. I’ve found this makes these more cohesive with the vinegar and milk powder and helps keep it on the chip more.
The taste always went like this:
- Immediate tang (this is citric acid)
- Vinegar flavor + salt
- Lingering tang/sour (this is malic acid)
Milk powder is used as a binder to help these ingredients cling to the chips and it has a “Creamy” flavor.
Sugar is used to help balance everything.
Use a Mandolin to Cut Potatoes to 1/16″ Thick
Using an knife is possible – but it’s just not ideal as the chips will finish at different speeds if they’re uneven.
Any small pieces of potato just discard – or know that you may over-fry them later since they’ll finish faster than the other potatoes.
For instance, I always toss the ends and the first 5 or so slices on the mandolin.
Setup Your Frying Station
I have a dedicated deep fryer – if you don’t, just grab a large, wide mouthed pot.
Fill with your choice of fry oil to the fill line or 2-3 inches high; I use vegetable oil but peanut oil is my favorite.
Get the oil to 315F – try not to go higher as you risk burning the chips.
Once at temperature, add all your chips – agitate at first so they don’t stick together and allow them to fry.

The temperature will plummet by ~40-50 degrees and then slowly climb back up.
Allow these to fry for ~9-10-ish minutes.
If you notice they’re not bubbling hard, take them off but if there’s still lots of bubbles, allow them to keep frying.
This is after 10 minutes:

Once they’re not bubbling hard, take out of the oil and put into a large bowl.
Season GENEROUSLY with the above and toss the chips.
Allow to cool and then enjoy.

Madhouse Munchies Sea Salt and Vinegar Chips Copycat
Ingredients
- 3-4 whole medium sized, russet potatoes
Salt and Vinegar Seasoning
- 10 tsp distilled white vinegar powder
- 2 tsp milk powder
- 4 tsp sea salt ground
- 1 tsp citric acid ground
- 1/2 tsp malic acid ground
- 1 tsp white sugar ground
Instructions
- Grab a pestle and mortar or coffee grinder and grind the listed spices into a fine powder.4 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp citric acid, 1/2 tsp malic acid, 1 tsp white sugar
- Then add this to the rest of the ingredients and mix well. This is your seasoning for the chips.2 tsp milk powder, 10 tsp distilled white vinegar powder
- Wash and dry 3-4 medium sized russet potatoes.
- Remove ends from potatoes and then slice with a mandolin @ 1/8 – 1/16 inch thick.
- Get your frying oil to 315F.
- Once at temperature, add your sliced potatoes. Agitate the chips to ensure none are sticking.
- Allow to fry like this for ~9-10 minutes.
- When they're golden yellow/brown, take off and put into large bowl.
- Season generously with prepared salt and vinegar seasoning.
- Allow to cool for ~5 minutes, then enjoy!