Really Good Roast Potatoes Recipes

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.

BEST EVER ROAST POTATOES

Steps:

• The day before, tip the potatoes into a large pan of salted water and simmer for 10 mins or until just tender, saving a little of the cooking water. Drain the potatoes in a colander and leave to cool. Now here's the trick; choose the two chunks that are most cooked and ready for mashing and push these through a potato ricer, then add a little of the cooking water to make a thick potato batter. Roll the cooled potatoes through the batter then put in the fridge on a tray lined with non-stick paper and chill overnight.
• The next day, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Take a large roasting tin and add a good splash of vegetable oil. Place in the oven and heat for a few minutes, then carefully add the potatoes to the hot fat and turn to coat. Lightly season with salt and roast for 40 mins without disturbing, then turn the potatoes and turn the oven up to 220C/200C fan/gas 8 and continue to roast the potatoes for another 20-30 mins, turning again once, until beautifully crisp and golden all over.

CRISPIEST EVER ROAST POTATOES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 8. Add the oil to a large flameproof baking tray and put in the oven for the oil to heat up.
• Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, tip in the potatoes and the peelings (to impart extra flavour) and simmer for 8-10 mins. Drain the potatoes and discard the peelings. Leave to steam-dry for 15 mins, then return the potatoes to the pan, put the lid on and gently shake to lightly rough up the edges.
• Remove the tray from the oven and put directly on your hob over a medium heat. Add the butter to the hot oil and, using tongs, add the potatoes to the tray, one by one, carefully turning them in the fat, and leaving a little space between them. Reduce the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Nestle the lemon thyme in amongst the potatoes, along with the garlic. Sprinkle over the sea salt and return to the oven to roast for 1 hr, turning every once in a while, until golden and crisp.

REALLY GOOD ROAST POTATOES

Steps:

• Boil the potatoes for 5 mins in salted water until the outside of the potatoes starts to soften. Drain well, return to the pan and shake to fluff up the outsides - alternatively, you can scratch them with a fork. (This process will make them crispier.)
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the goose fat (if using) and oil in a large shallow roasting tin and heat for 8-10 mins until the goose fat has melted and the mixture is really hot. Remove from the oven, carefully tip in the potatoes and stir well to coat them in the fat. Spread them out as much as the space allows and roast underneath the turkey for 45 mins, turning frequently and adjusting the positions so that they brown evenly.
• When the turkey comes out of the oven, turn up the heat to 220C/200C fan/gas 7, season the potatoes with the flaky salt and roast for another 30 mins, turning halfway through the cooking time, until beautifully golden.

ROAST POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (250 degrees C).
• Place potatoes in a large roasting pan and toss with oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary until evenly coated. Spread out potatoes in a single layer.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.

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.

ULTIMATE ROAST POTATOES

Steps:

• Put a roasting tin in the oven (one big enough to take the potatoes in a single layer) and heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
• Peel 1kg potatoes and cut each into 4 even-sized pieces if they are medium size, 2-3 if smaller (5cm pieces).
• Drop the potatoes into a large pan and pour in enough water to barely cover them.
• Add salt, then wait for the water to boil. As soon as the water reaches a full rolling boil, lower the heat, put your timer on and simmer the potatoes uncovered, reasonably vigorously, for 2 mins.
• Meanwhile, put 100g duck or goose fat or 100ml olive oil into the hot roasting tin and heat it in the oven for a few mins, so it's really hot.
• Drain the potatoes in a colander then shake the colander back and forth a few times to fluff up the outsides.
• Sprinkle with 2 tsp flour and give another shake or two so they are evenly and thinly coated.
• Carefully put the potatoes into the hot fat - they will sizzle as they go in - then turn and roll them around so they are coated all over.
• Spread them in a single layer making sure they have plenty of room.
• Roast the potatoes for 15 mins, then take them out of the oven and turn them over.
• Roast for another 15 mins and turn them over again. Put them back in the oven for another 10-20 mins, or however long it takes to get them really golden and crisp. The colouring will be uneven, which is what you want.
• Scatter with Maldon salt and serve straight away.