The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes Ever Recipes

CRISPY ROAST POTATOES RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220C/425F.
• Peel the potatoes and chop into chunky pieces a little bigger than a ping pong ball (approx 2 inches/5cm across).
• Place in a pan and cover with cold water. Place on the hob on a high heat and bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 8-9 minutes - until softened at the edges.* Tip 1
• Meanwhile, place the lard or (goose fat if using) in a large roasting tin and place in the oven to for 10 minutes until shimmering hot.
• Drain the potatoes in a colander *Tip 2, and give them a good shake to really roughen up the edges. Don't worry if a few break apart and they look overly fluffy. The more fluffy they are, the better they'll absorb the fat and the crispier they'll be.
• Carefully place the potatoes - using tongs - in the baking tin with the hot fat. Turn them over once to coat in the fat and then place in the oven.
• Cook for 30-35 minutes, turning once or twice in the last 15 minutes of cooking, until golden brown and crispy.
• Remove from the roasting tin and serve topped with a sprinkling of Maldon salt and some fresh thyme leaves.

BEST ROAST POTATOES EVER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 F, 200 C, gas mark 6; peel the potatoes and cut them into evenly sized halves or chunks.
• Put the potatoes into a large saucepan, cover with cold salted water and bring to the boil; drain the water off as soon as it comes to the boil - this step isn't to cook the potatoes: it heats them through so they start roasting more quickly - return the potatoes to the hot pan and dry them over the heat (it is important that the potatoes are dry for roasting, otherwise they are likely to stick to the baking tray).
• Slide a large baking tray into the oven to heat up for a few minutes, add the vegetable fat to the potatoes in the hot pan and let it melt; turn the potatoes in the melted fat until they are shiny and well coated, then tip them onto the hot baking tray.
• Place the tray in the oven for about 45 minutes; add the bay leaves, if using, 15 minutes into the cooking time; turn and baste the potatoes a few times during cooking.
• To serve, lift the potatoes from the baking tray with a slotted spoon, sprinkle with sea salt if desired: NOTE - if you are unable to serve the potatoes immediately, do not cover them (they'll loose their crispiness); instead keep them warm in the oven until you are ready.

CRISPY ROAST POTATOES

Steps:

• A day or two before roasting, prepare the potatoes. You need chunks or whole potatoes roughly the size of a clementine, so peel and leave whole, halve or quarter accordingly. Place the potatoes in a large pan of cold, salted water - salting is important, so don't skip it. Bring the water to the boil and simmer gently for about 15 mins until the potatoes are cooked all the way through but not on the brink of collapse. Gently drain the potatoes in a colander, but do not shake them or ruffle them up - just leave them to drain and cool. Once there is no more steam coming off them, place on a tray in a single layer and put them in the fridge, uncovered, until ready to roast.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C/gas 6 (or put them in when you turn it up for the turkey). Pour oil into a deep roasting tin to give an even layer of about 0.5cm. Place the tin in the oven for 5 mins to heat the oil, then remove from the oven. One at a time and working methodically (starting at one corner of the roasting tin and lining them up as you go) place each potato in the oil and use a spoon to turn it so it's completely coated. Don't worry about the oil cooling down too much. Once all the potatoes are in the tin in a single layer, not touching, place the tin in the oven and cook for 40 mins, undisturbed.
• Remove from the oven and - again, meticulously - turn each potato. Return to the oven for 20 mins, then repeat the potato-turning process again. If, at this stage, your other side dishes allow you to, turn the oven up to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and give the potatoes a final 20 mins. By now you should have potatoes that are everything a roastie should be: deep, golden and crunchy on the outside with an extra-fluffy middle - just sprinkle with a little sea salt to serve.