Why are my commercial fries going soggy almost immediately? I really like the french fries from a nearby takeaway shop, so I asked if I could buy a bag of commercial fries (par-cooked then flash frozen) from him, which he agreed to. However, my chips turn out nothing like theirs.

I deep fried in an electric deep fryer according to the instructions:
175C for 2-3mins until golden brown - cook from frozen.

The problem is, even though they are golden brown, they get soggy within 2 minutes. The exterior shell is not quite thin. The chip interior is not oily, the texture is how a chip should be. It's as though the steam from the chips is causing the exterior to immediately lose it's crispiness. 

Some points:


I don't overcrowd the fryer
I leave the chips to "air" after frying for around 30s before moving to a wide bowl
If I cook the chips for longer, they become overcooked and brown
The oil is not new but not terribly old either


How can I get my chips/fries to not immediately get soggy?
It's hard to know without more information, but one thing to keep in mind is that it's the release of steam from the food that keeps the fat out when you deep fry. It sounds like the frozen fries are keeping enough steam from releasing. You might try letting them come to room temp first before frying them.