A roast dinner always needs some kind of potato dish to go with it. Roast potatoes are a favourite in our house.
Great roast potatoes should be slightly crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. They should also have good flavour. So how do we achieve this? Does the variety of potato make a difference? Should you boil the potato first? What fat is the best to roast them in? So how do we make the perfect roast potato. Let me show you.
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Which variety of potato should you use?
The potatoes you should should be using are of the floury variety.
What is a floury potato?
A floury potato basically has a lower water content and higher starch. Their counterpart are waxy potatoes, they have a higher water contant and less starch. You can really see the difference just by cutting into them they each have different texture.
Floury potatoes when boiled tend to break up whereas a waxy potato will hold its shape. The potato themselves also have dull, matte skins.
You can roast a waxy potato, but traditionally I prefer floury roast potatoes.
Floury potato varieties you will find include yellow flesh like Yukon gold, russets, king Edward and maris pipers.
I have also used large red skinned, they are technically in between a floury and waxy, they do make really nice roast potatoes too.
My favourite in regards to how they cook and the flavour have to be a yellow fleshed potato.
Should you boil your potatoes first
I always parboil my potatoes first. I have found by doing this they crisp up better and will be cooked within a reasonable amount of time.
Usually when I boil potatoes say for mash, I would add the potatoes to a pot, add in my water and bring them to the boil with my potatoes already in the pot. But with roast potatoes you will need to bring the water to the boil first before adding them in. We can control how much they cook this way.
The reason we are boiling the potatoes is two fold. First, we want cook the outside of the potato, this is to make it look ruffled this helps it to crisp up in the oven. Second, we want to start the cooking process, they need to remain firm only the out edge will be cooked technically. The insides though will be hot now and this will help the when we place them in the oven.
What fat do you roast potatoes in?
The fat you roast your potatoes in will make a big difference. It will add so much flavour.
I love to use tallow. It has a low melting point and amazing flavour. We make our own tallow using the fast of a brisket. But you will find it at you local butchers or even some supermarkets/grocery stores will stock it.
Alternatively the other options include, bacon fat, lard, butter, olive oil?
You can also use combinations of these. I really like a butter and olive oil combo.
How to make roast potatoes
Preheat oven to 420F, 215C, Gas mark 7. If your oven has a roasting setting use this.
Begin by adding your choice of fat to a roasting pan. I love my all clad pan click here for mine. I also like to use my pampered chef stone roasting pan too.
Place the roasting pan in the oven while it is preheating. We want to melt the fat and get it nice and hot.
Fill a medium to large pot of salted water to the boil.
As the water is coming up to boil. Peel and chop your potato of choice. Depending on the size of potato I usually cut it in half then half again. If it is large then maybe half again.
Add the chopped potatoes into the boiling water a cook for 7 minutes until the outsides have begun to cook.
Once they reach this point drain them using a colander. Put to the side.
Remove your roasting pan from the now preheated oven. The fat should be nice and hot now.
Very very carefully add the potatoes to the dish, remember this dish and fat are very hot.
Use a spoon and gently mix the potatoes with the oil.
Season with salt and pepper. You can also use garlic powder and smoked paprika for more flavour. the smoked paprika will add spice so be aware.
Make sure the potatoes are evenly spread apart on the pan
Place the pan in the hot oven and roast for 35 minutes of until the are nice and golden
Serve
They are great side dish with any type of roast dinner. You may also like my creamy baked leeks. They do make an awesome combo.
Crispy roast potatoes
These are the best roast potatoes. Crispy and fluffy. They will make the perfect side dish to any roast dinner
Ingredients
- 8 Medium sized yellow flesh potatoes. (use 6 if the potatoes are large
- 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) Beef tallow. (you can use butter, bacon fat, lard or olive oil instead, or a combo of two).
- 1/2 tsp Sea salt
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- Optional 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 420F, 215C, Gas mark 7. If your oven has a roasting setting use this.
- Begin by adding your choice of fat to a roasting pan. I love my all clad pan click here for mine. I also like to use my pampered chef stone roasting pan too.
- Place the roasting pan in the oven while it is preheating. We want to melt the fat and get it nice and hot.
- Fill a medium to large pot of salted water to the boil.
- As the water is coming up to boil. Peel and chop your potato of choice. Depending on the size of potato I usually cut it in half then half again. If they are large then half again.
- Add the chopped potatoes into the boiling water a cook for 7 minutes until the outsides have begun to cook.
- Once they reach this point drain them using a colander. Put to the side.
- Remove your roasting pan from the now preheated oven. The fat should be nice and hot now.
- Very very carefully add the potatoes to the dish, remember this dish and fat are very hot.
- Use a spoon and gently mix the potatoes with the oil.
- Season with salt and pepper. You can also use garlic powder and smoked paprika for more flavour. the smoked paprika will add spice so be aware.
- Make sure the potatoes are evenly spread apart on the pan.
- Place the pan in the hot oven and roast for 35 minutes of until the are nice and golden.
- Serve them hot, as soon as they come out the oven
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