It’s Sunday and your family are sat around the dining table like an Olympic judging panel. Make sure you score a 10/10 by following this recipe for perfect roast potatoes. Golden and crunchy-shelled on the outside, light and cloud-like on the inside, these oven-roasted potatoes are pure gold medallists.
Roast potatoes are the ultimate side dish when it comes to a Sunday roast, and these ones cuddle up particularly nicely to rosemary and thyme roast chicken. Or if you prefer a more laidback cooking approach, a slow-cooked beef pot roast.
The competition is on. Your mother-in-law served roast potatoes with chicken last month and received a chorus of praise from around the dinner table for her efforts. Now it’s your turn and you won’t let her take the title as Champion Potato Roaster. Here’s how you win.
What are roast potatoes?
Roast potatoes are essentially roughly cut potatoes cooked in oil or fat in the oven. They are usually, but not exclusively, served with a roast meat. I don’t know anyone who would serve a roast dinner WITHOUT a roast potato. It would just be outrageous.
Not originating in the UK, it is unlikely that the first potatoes were roasted here. However, due to the Brits’ exceptional dedication to the pursuit of the perfect roast potato, and my word limit, we’ll start our history here.
Going back 500 years, meat, vegetables and potatoes were all thrown into one pan and left to cook while everyone was at church on a Sunday morning. Hence, Sunday roast. The vegetables and potatoes would cook in the meat’s juices soaking up all the rich oils and fats giving us the first (maybe?) roast potatoes. The feast was then shared after the Sunday service.
However, the roast potato is no less popular throughout the rest of Europe appearing in regional variations. Take Spanish patatas bravas, for example, also deliciously crispy and come with a tangy tomato sauce. Or German bratkartoffeln, which are roasted (or fried) potatoes with bacon and onion. Or parmentier potatoes, which are small cubes of roast potato flavoured with garlic and herbs French-style.
Best potatoes for roasting
The perfect roaster is a floury, also known as starchy, variety of potato. Avoid any labelled ‘waxy’. Floury potatoes have a coarse and grainy texture which give the all-important ‘fluffy’ centre when roasted. Waxy, on the other hand, have a low starch and high water content which makes them mushy in the middle.
There are over 4000 types of potato worldwide, you have 200 to choose from in the US and 500 in the UK! And it’s pretty unanimous that in the UK the Maris Piper reigns roasting supreme. Followed by a King Edward in second place, and a Desiree in third.
Whereas for potato roasters in the USA, it’s a close call between the Russet and a Yukon Gold for the top spot. However, the Russet is a clear winner for me. Like the British Maris Piper, their higher starch content makes them super soft and pillowy on the inside and the thinner skin gives them good crunch. I prefer my Yukon Gold in wedge form.
What oil to use
The key consideration is smoking point, the point at which oil starts to burn. The higher the smoking point, the better for roasting. These are the most popular:
Goose or duck fat – The most expensive and least likely to be in your store cupboard, but my FAVES! These make truly luxurious, richly flavoured roasties that are crackly-crusted and super soft-centred thanks to the animal fat, which is not as easily absorbed compared to vegetable oils. These have a medium-high smoking point, so good for roasting.
Canola, grapeseed or sunflower oil – Vegetarian and easily accessible, these affordable oils are neutral in flavour. The fairly high smoking point means they’re easy to work with and less likely to burn. The most popular choice.
Olive oil – Don’t get me wrong, I love olive oil. However, the slightly bitter flavour and low smoking point means I don’t roast with it.
Recipe tips and notes
- The type of potato for the job is floury or starchy. Not waxy.
- To achieve the magical duality of crunchy exterior and fluffy interior, you absolutely must peel the potatoes, then boil the potatoes. Do not cut corners!
- After the all-important boil, drain and steam dry. If the potato is too wet, you run the risk of a soggy spud.
- Then I like to rough the boiled potatoes up a bit. The quickest and easiest way is to give them a shake in the colander. This nifty trick helps the floury coating to adhere better and therefore ensure a good crispy-edged crust.
- I always use duck or goose fat for my roast potatoes, but you can choose any oil. Ones with a high smoke point are easiest to work with.
- A dusting of flour before adding the potatoes to the roasting pan will contribute to a delicate crust and bonus crunch.
- I’ve added garlic and rosemary to the roasting pan in this recipe. The flavours of sweet roasted garlic and herby rosemary will infuse the potatoes and compliment any roast meat, but especially roast leg of lamb! After cooking, discard the garlic and rosemary.
Storage and leftovers
Obviously, a roasted potato is at its best straight from the oven and fat-spitting hot! But if you are prone to cooking a few too many extra (guilty!), they can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for 2-3 days.
However, if you want to re-live those perfect roastie moments, the best way to revive a roast potato is in the air fryer. It will take between 3 and 5 minutes depending on your appliance.
Other recipes to try
- Slow Cooked Pot Roast with Gravy
- Beef Bourguignon Recipe
- Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Pistachios
- Irish Beef Stew
Perfect Roast Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Maris Piper potatoes peeled and cut in half lengthwise
- 4 tbsp goose or duck fat
- 2 tsp flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2-3 rosemary sprigs
- 1 head of garlic
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut the large ones in half lengthwise making sure all potatoes are roughly the same size. Put the potatoes in a pot with cold water and boil them for 15 minutes until tender but still holding their shape. Drain and let air dry for 5 minutes in a colander, then gently shake the potatoes to rough up the edges a bit.
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Pour the fat you are using in a roasting pan and put in the oven while it’s preheating.
- Sprinkle the potatoes with flour and salt and add to the pan with the hot fat, then flip them over so they are fully coated in the fat. Add the whole unpeeled garlic cloves to the pan as well as the rosemary sprigs, make sure they are also coated in oil. Roast for 30 minutes, then flip the potatoes and roast for 30 minutes longer till they are golden.
- The garlic and rosemary are there for flavour infusion only.
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