Jo Jo Potatoes with Homemade Ranch Dipping Sauce (2024)

Show of hands, who remembers “Jo Jo Potatoes”?!!!!! Who knows what “Jo-Jo’s” even are?

Don’t feel bad if you don’t! You might feel bad about something that you’ve missed out on your whole life, though!

Because these babies are GOOD. Us kids of the ’60’s and ’70’s remember them well!

Getting to go to the store on a Saturday afternoon was a special treat whether either getting to sit in the “front seat”, (or hanging off the back if it was your turn last week to ride up front), of a wobbly-wheeled shopping cart….

….and seeing the deli section of your local grocery store just a few more aisles up…

….already smelling the warm, mouthwatering aromas wafting towards towards you…

….your mind scrambling to quickly try and remember if you’d gotten in any “trouble” earlier that day that might prevent Grandma from slowing down the cart, stopping, and getting us all a piping hot basket of those glorious potato wedges!

The anticipation as a child was pure torture!

And as an adult, the torture, well, doesn’t end.

Smelling these old-fashioned “Jo Jo Potatoes” cooking, is just as torturous as it ever was.

Tender on the inside, crispy on the outside, with a glorious coating of golden browned breading fried to absolute perfection…such a wonderful treat!!

Back years ago, when I was “all grown up”, I ironically worked at a local grocery store in their deli department, and I actually got to learn how to make these babies myself.

That’s also when I was first introduced to a magical machine called a “pressure-fryer“, (*and NOT to be confused with a regular home use, small pressure cooker!)

These commercial ones are massive little monsters, and made the most tender and juicy fried chicken, and of course, these classic potatoes, too!

My hubby also happened to work at a (big) deli when he was younger, as well, and also got to use one! (Oh, to be able to have one at home! Could you imagine?!!)

Anyways, while we were reminiscing about our “younger, wilder adult years”, we both happened to fondly remember those good ole “Jo-Jo’s”. So I decided it was time to make a batch for nostalgia’s sake!

And I’m so glad that I did!! I had forgotten just how heavenly a treat the simple, humble potato can be!

Needless to say, we enjoyed these immensely! So much in fact, that I think we’ll be seeing a lot of this old friend from now on. And I think you’re going to want to meet these little guys soon, too!

You really are going to want to make these, though. They make a wonderful treat as a snack or an appetizer, and used to be served with lots of different sauces and condiments like plain sour cream, ketchup, barbecue sauce, and later, Ranch Salad Dressing.

Traditionally, they were also served all across the breadbasket of the midwest, upper midwest, and Pacific Northwest with a fried chicken, cole slaw, and barbecued baked bean supper!

No matter how you serve them, they’re something that you’re either going to fondly remember from your childhood too, or want to make to start a a new tradition for your family that they’ll hold dear to their hearts for a lifetime as well.

Maybe they’ll even make them for their kids and Grandkids someday, too.

I just hope that you enjoy this delicious, retro treat for many years to come! And may the classics never be forgotten!

Say YAY for Jo-Jo’s!!

Need a little help with how and what to serve them with? No problem!! 🙂 Got ya covered!

For An Entire Meal They’re Traditionally Served With:
Southern Fried Chicken,Sweet Southern Cole Slaw, Blue Ribbon Barbecued Baked Beans, and a No-Fail Mile-High Biscuit!

Also Goes Well With:
Burgers, Sandwiches, and Main Dishes such as everything from Juicy Farmhouse Meatloaf to Best Beer-Battered Friday Night Fish to Ribs and Wings!
Or just as an Appetizer or Snack!

Other Dipping Sauces To Try:
Honey Mustard-Style Sauces/Dressings/Dips, Best Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing, Homemade Barbecue Sauces, Mississippi Comeback Sauce, Best Homemade Tartar Sauce, and just about any of my Homemade Salad Dressings!

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 3 medium-sized russet potatoes (4 if small), rinsed and dried, unpeeled, sliced into 3/4 -1" wide wedges
• 1 beaten egg
• oil for frying (canola, peanut or vegetable oil)

Seasoned Flour:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 Tbl. regular table salt
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. celery salt
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. regular black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. cajun seasoning such as Slap Ya Mama
• 1/8 tsp. ground rosemary
• (peanut or canola oil for frying)

Ranch Sauce:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 clove fresh garlic, finely minced
• 1 Tbl. finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 Tbl. finely snipped fresh chives
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper, or to taste

Instructions

Make Ranch Dipping Sauce first by stirring sour cream, garlic, parsley and chives together in medium bowl. Season with a little kosher salt and lots of coarse ground black pepper to taste. Cover, chill until needed. (*Adjust amounts to your own taste.)

In (doubled) brown paper lunch sack, add all dry seasoning ingredients. In shallow bowl, whisk eggs well.

In large deep frying pan, heat 3/4" - 1" of oil over medium heat.

Slice potatoes into wedges. Drop, one at a time, into flour mixture, twist top of bag closed, and shake to coat well on all sides. Then coat all sides in beaten eggs letting excess drip off, then drop back into flour mixture, shaking closed bag again until very well coated on all sides. Place onto a baking sheet.

When oil is hot and shimmering, carefully place potatoes, 1 - 1 1/2 cut up potatoes at a time skin side down into hot oil. Place on lid and fry for 5 minutes. Remove lid, with tongs turn potatoes on their sides, and fry for 5 more minutes until golden browned. Remove with tongs to rack placed over a baking sheet. (*I cooked 3 cut up potatoes in two batches).

Serve with Homemade Ranch Dipping Sauce. (*Can also be served with other optional dippers if Ranch is not preferred). These potatoes can be served as an appetizer, and are also typically served with fried chicken, cole slaw, and baked beans for a whole meal.