Perfect Crispy Roast Potatoes (Printable)
Golden, crunchy exterior with fluffy inside. Classic British-style roast potatoes perfect as a side dish.
# What You Need:
→ Potatoes
01 - 2.6 lbs floury potatoes (Maris Piper, Yukon Gold, or Russet), peeled and cut into even chunks
→ For Boiling
02 - 1 tbsp sea salt
→ For Roasting
03 - ⅓ cup vegetable oil, duck fat, or goose fat
04 - 1 tsp fine sea salt
05 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Optional Aromatics
06 - 4 garlic cloves, smashed (unpeeled)
07 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme
# Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F.
02 - Place potato chunks in a large pot, cover with cold water, and add 1 tbsp sea salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 8-10 minutes until edges are just tender but not fully cooked.
03 - Drain potatoes well and let steam dry for 2 minutes in the colander. Gently shake the colander to roughen up surfaces for extra crispiness.
04 - Heat oil or fat in a large roasting pan in the oven for 5 minutes, until shimmering hot.
05 - Carefully add potatoes to the hot oil, turning to coat each piece evenly. Add smashed garlic and herbs, if using.
06 - Roast for 20 minutes, then turn potatoes using a spatula. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
07 - Continue roasting for another 25-30 minutes, turning once more, until golden brown and crisp on all sides.
08 - Remove from oven and drain briefly on kitchen paper if desired. Serve hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- That shattering crunch when you bite through the crispy exterior into the fluffy center is absolute magic
- Once you master the roughening trick, youll wonder why you ever made them any other way
02 -
- The steam drying step absolutely matters any excess water prevents proper crisping
- Shaking the colander seems small but those roughened edges are where the crunch lives
03 -
- Cut potatoes into evenly sized chunks so they all finish at the same time
- Space them out in the pan overcrowding leads to steaming instead of roasting