Oregon-Fried Jojos

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Oregon Fries, or simply Jojo's, also known as Oregon-Fried JoJo's, Chicken-Fried Fries, and Pressure-Fried Potato Wedges are sliced like thick and yet thin-apple-cuts for maximum crispiness. These deep-fried potatoes of incredibly disputed origin are prepared by cutting potatoes into even strips, drying them, and pressure cooking deep-fryer (pressure-fryer) aka the Broaster. While the concept hasn't started in Oregon the dish and its story sure did — and serving them with oregon sauces is part of the joy of it all. Overtime Fried Chicken, Jojos, are a convenience store staple, and supermarket chains like Fred Meyer and Safeway often have decent deli case versions. But for the destination spots, this map is the place to start. For those who care more about chicken than JoJo's, check out the dedicated fried chicken map. 

Jojos are served hot and crispy or soft, and are generally eaten as part of a whole meal. They can be found on diner, fast food restaurants, pubs, and bars as a way to feed the crispy craving while making you more thirsty. They are typically seasoned with a flavor that is also including salt. Just as many other potato dishes it is to be served with ketchup, vinegar, mayonnaise, tomato sauce, or other sauces. They are quite versatile and have continued to be made in a number of ways from a side to a tower-of-jojos and in everything in between. 

Pacific Northwest Cuisine, the Jojo begins with the Pressure-Fryer and thus is part of the "Broasting" techniques. That links it back to Colonel Harland Sanders and Kentucky Fried Chicken and the beginning of Pioneering American Fried Chicken, all the way into the American Fried Chicken Wars. The history continues with Flavor-Crisp company (Nebraska) that has the first-story of the Jojo being invented from a 1960s promotion of pressure-fryers where a Idaho Potato Salesman threw in Wedges of Potato into the fryer to clean the grease between batches according to Ron Echtenkamp. The second story is also from Washington from Nicewonger Co, which was a restaurant-supply company that has practically has an identical story at the Chicago Trade Show at the same time period. He claims his father invented the name in 1958 while selling the first "Fryer Tuck" units to Oregon drive-ins according to Paul Nicewonger. Jojos are claimed by Washington and Nebraska, but are they are prominent on the scene as in Oregon?

Oregon-Fried Jojo's, even if the name was born at a trade show in Chicago or a warehouse in Omaha, Oregon is where the Jojo developed the food culture to new heights. State-by-state shows that Oregon disproportionately has more than any other state as a standard. Meanwhile in Washington and in Nebraska, they are a "famous thing", but to oregon they are part of the "state identity" through cuisine. People in Oregon can go pretty crazy when there is a place in the Pacific North West and go on a road trip to spread the culture of the Jojo. For example a Seattle Truck that was making its menu of what people called: Coastal Jojo's (herbs, sea salt, black pepper) that reminded them of dashi flavor, Lard Loaded Jojo's (pork belly, herbs, parm, pickled peppers) that showed a meat lovers side, and then as usual accompanied by either Potato Salad or Fried Brussel Sprouts.

"There was a interesting dish I got from the food truck where there was Fried Jojo's and a wopping of herby-mayonnaise with pickled things. And a potato salad with strips of bacon that were scattered amongst the wedges."

Got caught in discussions of elevating the Jojo scene in America and those discussions were happening in Portland. It started reinforcing the ideas of what was in a Purely specialized Jojo Stop. (A.) Impressive Sandwiches, (B.) Pressure-Cooker Fried Foods, (C.) Loaded JoJo's, (D.) Specialty Potato Salad, (E.) Fried Greens.

Reel M Inn, SE Portland, people would wait 90 minutes for a basket of chicken and Jojos.

Jojo Shops, they have been hard to come by, but one in particular blasted open the gates for the specialization of the potato dish. This would be Jojo Food Truck, Portland, Oregon, which would have a very large social media presence in 2019. The menu items that really took people in were: Fried Chicken Melts (sandwiches), Fried Chicken Tenders (tenders), Signature Jojo's (Fries), Loaded Jojo Towers (Fries), Popcorn Tofu, Cruncher Salads (Side), and Fried Brussel Sprouts. The cool thing about take-out is that it inspires people to add their own dishes to the mess and create an even more personal experience as some customers have mentioned their own additions: Fried Cauliflower, Fried Button Mushrooms [jojos]

Black Garlic Ranch (Odin's Star Food Truck)

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