Parboiled or from raw? Goose fat or olive oil? Skin on or skin off? Everybody has an opinion on how to cook roast potatoes – but which method is best?
Roasting the beloved British spud is one of those things that most people think they do better than anybody else. So we want to narrow down the definitive recipe.
Which? can help you pick out a Best Buy potato variety for roasting, and we can even divulge the secrets of how to grow them. When it comes to cooking our spuds though, we bring in the professionals.
How to make the perfect roast potatoes
Chef Adam Byatt told Which? Gardening magazine how he makes the tastiest roasties. He got our mouths watering as he explained how to ensure a satisfying crunch – after peeling, boiling and draining the halved potatoes, he shakes them for a minute in the pan with the lid on to get them fluffed up and slightly broken.
Adam then spreads them on a roasting tray with a preheated lashing of vegetable oil or duck fat, seasons them with sea salt and shoves them in the oven for 50 minutes on 170°C. When the time’s up, the roasties should be crispy and fluffy inside – ready for a sprinkle of finely chopped rosemary and serving after resting them for 10 minutes. Delicious.
Spud, sweat and tears
But not everybody agrees with Adam – other celebrity chefs have their own ideas of how to prepare the Sunday lunch staple.
Jamie Oliver claims that the potato masher is the secret behind getting the best roastie. His trick is to get his potato-packed roasting tray out of the oven after 30 minutes and then gently squash each spud with the masher to increase their surface area and guarantee a great crunch.
Nigella Lawson swears by dredging her parboiled potatoes through semolina before they go in the oven. While Gordon Ramsay (unsurprisingly) likes to give his potatoes a bit of a kick – he adds chilli flakes and turmeric before they go in the oven.
What’s your surefire way to fill your plate with perfect roast potatoes? Do you agree with the experts? Or do you have your own unusual recipe for the ideal roastie?
What's your favourite way to cook a potato?
Roasted (41%, 410 Votes)
Mashed (21%, 215 Votes)
Baked (20%, 200 Votes)
Fried (7%, 74 Votes)
Boiled (6%, 59 Votes)
Steamed (2%, 25 Votes)
My favourite isn't here, better write it in the comments (2%, 25 Votes)
Total Voters: 1,008
Loading ...
