I adore a good Sunday roast. Nothing more comforting on a frigid winter afternoon. Almost more important than the mouth-wateringly succulent roasted meat is perfectly roasted potatoes, ready to mop up all the juices and gravy. Over the years I have been trying to improve and master this simple side dish to come up with the ultimate formula. Numerous people have written many a verse on the subject, and while a lot of what is written makes sense, I disagree with some of it too.
Fundamentally the key scientific principle to remember is that oil and water do not mix. Attempting to create a larger surface area by shaking the potatoes around or scoring them will just create more knocks and crannies for water to be trapped preventing the fat from crisping up those edges. To have a truly marvellous roast potato, one must simply let the potato dry completely after parboiling, before roasting in extremely hot fat.
If you have two ovens you can cook them separately to your roast at a different temperature. If not, simply wait until your roast is done and wrap the meat loosely in foil to keep warm while you raise the temperature for potatoes. You can always put the meat back in the oven for a minute or two to bring back to temperature, if cooler than you'd like, by the time the potatoes are done. (Nutrition estimated based on using rapeseed [Canola]oil.)
FAQs
“You'll never get a crisp result if they are full of water.” In fact, Joe White, head chef at 10 Tib Lane in Manchester, even goes so far as to say “For the perfect roasties make sure to steam or boil them the day before and let them air dry overnight in the fridge.
How to keep roasted potatoes crunchy? ›
How do you keep roast potatoes warm and crispy? Don't. Let them cool. Just before you need to serve them (5–10 minutes, depending on how cool they are) put them in a hot oven, That should crisp them up nicely, and warm them too.
Why are my potatoes not getting soft in the oven? ›
Old Potatoes: Very old or stored potatoes can become starchy and may not soften as well during cooking. It's best to use fresh, firm potatoes. Acidic Ingredients: If your soup contained highly acidic ingredients (e.g., tomatoes), it could have affected the texture of the potatoes.
How to re-crisp roasted potatoes? ›
Arrange cooked potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer (if desired, line with parchment paper). Cover pan with aluminum foil and place in hot oven. Cook for 20 minutes, and then remove foil and let them go for another 5-10 minutes or until they are the crispy potatoes you are looking for.
Why are my roast potatoes so mushy? ›
Roasted potatoes can become soggy if the water content in the potato isn't fully cooked. Different potatoes have different water content percentages. Also, be mindful of the oil. Potatoes can react like sponges; too much oil can make your potatoes appear to be soggy.
What happens if you don't soak potatoes before roasting? ›
Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes.
Why are my potatoes still hard after an hour in the oven? ›
We suspect that the pan may have dried out a little too quickly, meaning that there was not enough liquid for the potatoes to cook in and this may have caused them to become hard. Pan dimensions and materials vary a lot and a larger pan, or one with a very shallow lip, could cause the liquid to evaporate more quickly.
Why are my roasted potatoes still hard? ›
If you roast them at too high a temperature, you risk browning the outsides before the insides are cooked through. Cook them for too long at a lower temp, though, and they may dry out (telltale signs: leathery, tough) on their way to Tender Town.
How does Gordon Ramsay cook roast potatoes? ›
Carefully add the potatoes to the hot tray along with the garlic and rosemary. Toss to coat in the fat and spread out in a single layer so they cook evenly. Roast for 40-45 minutes, turning every 15 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to serve.
What is the best oil for roasting potatoes? ›
Neutral, low-cost oil such as vegetable oil, canola oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, corn oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, etc., work well for roasting. These oils have a high smoke point, allowing the potatoes to get very hot to achieve maximum crispiness.
Parboil for perfection
Boiling your potatoes for a little bit before roasting helps make sure that you get that beautiful crisp crust on the outside. If you don't parboil your spuds, the outside skin will remain quite tough, meaning that whatever fat you use will not be able to get inside the cracks.
Why are my potato skins not crispy? ›
If you oil them up early, the skins may not turn crispy. The salt, too, can run off the potatoes in the heat. Instead, do a quick oil baste after the potatoes reach 205°F: Remove the pan from the oven. Brush with olive oil (or bacon grease if you have it) and a hefty sprinkle of kosher salt.
Why does soaking potatoes make them crispier? ›
Soaking the sliced potatoes in water helps to draw out some of the starch from the middle of the potato, resulting in a sturdier, crispier French fry.
Why won t my roast veggies go crispy? ›
The Oven Temp Is Too Low
But, they'll turn out soft and soggy instead of crispy and caramelized. The solution: Turn the oven temperature up to 400°F to 425°F.
