Spuds are an essential part of any roast and getting them right can make or break the meal (especially when it comes to Christmas dinner)!
With this in mind we thought it would be a good idea to have a look at a few tips on how to make perfect and delicious roast potatoes. This guide is essential for the Christmas dinner!
Put on the oven, whack on some music and let’s get roasting!
It all starts with the spud
The type of potato you use will have an impact on the final result so it’s worth making sure you’ve selected the right spud for the job. For instance, salad or boiling potatoes will be too dense to dry out properly in the oven, so you’ll want to use fluffy potatoes to get that lovely lightness inside. We recommend using Maris Pipers or King Edwards, which will help you make the roast with the most. Be adventurous and try some coloured varieties to give colour on your plate. Find out more about the different types and varieties of potato here.
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. To parboil your potatoes to perfection, cut them into large chunks and put them in a pot of boiling water for around ten minutes, depending on the size. Once the outside is soft but the inside still raw and firm, you’re ready to roast!
The shake ‘n dry
Make sure your potatoes are really dry before roasting, to ensure the skin is ready to be cracked and crisp. It also helps to give them a bit of a shake in whatever container they are in, to roughen up the soft surfaces more and create space for the fat to get in and crisp them up!
Add the fat
Whether you’re using sunflower, vegetable, rapeseed oil, goose fat or low-fat alternatives, make sure that all your spuds have a good coating before putting to roast, which is key to making the final result crunchy and crispy.
The timings
This all depends on the sizes and how long you have parboiled for, but as a general rule of thumb it’s around 40 minutes, or until they appear golden brown and crunchy. Overall timings depend on the efficiency and heat of your oven, but make sure to toss the potatoes over once or twice during cooking to make sure they are all ready and roasted.
So there you go! Crispy, crunchy fluffy and delicious roast potatoes! For more details on the specifics, check out our fool proof roast potato recipe.
Visit the recipe section where you will find some fantastic roast potato recipes
Other roast inspiration
Lamb mini roast with rosemary butter
One pan Mediterranean Roast Chicken
FAQs
Do I have to boil potatoes before roasting? Not necessary but this can help get the perfect consistency and crispiness. Make sure you boil them but leave them a bit al dente and they will crisp up perfectly in the oven.
Why do you soak potatoes in water 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. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.
Why can't i get my roast potatoes crispy? ›
Preheat the fat. While the potatoes parboil, add the oil or butter to the roasting pan, transfer it to the warm oven, and heat it for about 5 minutes before adding the potatoes. This allows the outside of the potatoes to crisp up nicely and not just absorb the cold fat when you put them in the oven.
What is the best potato for roasting? ›
Russet potatoes will produce crisper crusts and fluffier centers. Yukon Golds will be slightly less crisp and have creamier centers, with a darker color and deeper flavor. You can also use a mix of the two. The potatoes should be cut into very large chunks, at least 2 to 3 inches or so.
Do you put potatoes in boiling water or before it boils? ›
For most potato dishes it's important to add the potatoes to cold water and allow the water to come to a boil with the potatoes in the water. The potato starch can react as soon as it comes in contact with hot water, which will promote uneven cooking and mealy potatoes.
What happens if you don't parboil roast potatoes? ›
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.
What happens if you don't soak potatoes? ›
The main reasons to cut the potatoes and pre-soak in water are: To allow the excess starches and sugars to be removed from the outer surface of the fry strips AND to keep the potatoes from browning prematurely from exposure to air. Covering in water helps the potato from turning a dark color.
Should you put salt in water when soaking potatoes? ›
Why use salt water for soaking potatoes? There's moisture naturally found in potatoes, and moisture is drawn to higher concentrations of salt. (This is a process called osmosis.) So, if you put the potatoes in a salt water bath, that will help draw out some of their moisture, resulting in crispier fries.
Do you put potatoes in cold water after boiling? ›
After you drain the potatoes, your next step depends on if you are serving the potatoes in a hot or cold recipe. If you intend to enjoy them cold in a potato salad, rinse them with cold water before proceeding to stop them from carryover cooking. Otherwise, for hot dishes, proceed with your recipe.
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.
Once the internal temp is 185°F or more (210°F is ideal) pull the potatoes from the oven, and with one hand using a mitt, place each hot potato in foil and wrap. Ideally store in a heated bread warmer drawer.
Should you boil potatoes before roasting? ›
Parboil the Potatoes First
Parboiling helps soften the potato insides before the roasting begins, so you won't be tempted to burn the outsides in exchange for less undercooked insides. Boil the potato chunks for eight to 10 minutes—they won't be fully cooked, but they'll be ready for the next step.
Are all purpose potatoes good for roasting? ›
All Purpose Potatoes are particularly useful for roasting, pan frying, stewing and are good in soups or gratins such as Potato Dauphinoise. When to avoid: They can be baked, mashed, or deep fried like a starchy potato, but will not produce the same fluffy texture.
How many roast potatoes per person? ›
It's roast potatoes. 200g per person is perfect, and if there are any leftovers you can chuck 'em in a bubble and squeak, hash, or just grab a cold roastie right out of the fridge.
When baking potatoes do you boil them first? ›
No, you do not need to boil your jumbo potatoes before baking them. Just follow this recipe for your best baked potatoes!
How long should you parboil potatoes for? ›
A general rule of thumb is to parboil potatoes until they are fork-tender but not falling apart, this can range anywhere from 15 minutes for small potatoes to 25-30 minutes for large whole potatoes.
Do potatoes have to be cooked before baking? ›
The par steam / boil is to make sure they're cooked well, then roasted. If your potatoes are small enough the straight roast works. I also have done 375 F for half an hour without boiling and then turned the oven up to 425 for the 15 minutes to get a similar crispy outside, soft inside potato.
Why do you need to parboil potatoes before baking? ›
Parboiling potatoes allows you to get crispy roasted potatoes that have a nice crust on the outside while being soft on the inside. Some people confuse parboiling with blanching, but in fact these are two separate cooking methods with two different uses!
