Description
Follow these steps to achieve roast potatoes with a perfectly crisp exterior and a light, fluffy interior using a simple parboiling and roughing technique.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs Russet or Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into even 2-inch chunks
- 1/2 cup fat (duck fat, goose fat, or vegetable oil)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed (optional)
Instructions
- Place the potato chunks in a large pot and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Boil for 8 to 10 minutes until the edges are just starting to soften. Do not overcook.
- Drain the potatoes completely in a colander. Let them sit for 5 minutes to allow steam to escape.
- Gently shake the colander to rough up the edges of the potatoes. This creates the surface area needed for crisping.
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Place the fat in a large roasting pan and heat it in the oven for 5 minutes until shimmering hot.
- Carefully add the roughed-up potatoes to the hot fat, turning them to coat completely.
- Roast for 20 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven. If using, add the rosemary sprigs and smashed garlic. Turn the potatoes over using tongs.
- Return to the oven and roast for another 20 to 30 minutes, turning once halfway, until deep golden brown and very crispy.
- Remove from the oven, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Using a high smoke point fat like duck fat provides superior crispness compared to standard vegetable oil.
- For extra flavor, toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Make sure your oven is fully preheated before adding the potatoes to the hot fat; this shock helps seal the outside.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 50 min
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: General
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 0