How long do I cook roast potatoes for?

[hughjarssss]

Cooking a roast. Chicken is the oven. Normally buy aunt bessies roast potatoes but I've run out so thought I'd make my own.

Have no lard/fat only sunflower oil. Is this ok?

I'm guessing: heat oil in oven, par boil for 15/20 minutes, baste potatoes in oil. Stick in oven for ?? minutes

How does this sound?

[stirlingmum]

I did some yesterday and I parboiled (10 mins) then drained and put in hot roasting tin, with sunflower oil for around 20-30 mins.

I move them around at least once - you will see when they are going golden/crispy - oh god, I want one now!

[hughjarssss]

Thanks stirlingmum

[BecauseImWorthIt]

Par boil them for 10 minutes, drain and then tip them back into the pan. Put the lid on and shake the pan vigorously. This is to rough up the outsides of the potatoes a little, which will help to get them to absorb the fat which makes the outsides lovely and crunchy.

Put your roasting tin on the hob and pour a generous amount of oil into it - you're looking for a good coating on the bottom, about 1mm. This is important.

Heat the oil till it's really hot and then tip in the potatoes. Spoon hot oil over the top of the potatoes, or turn them all so that they're coating in fat, then put them into a hot oven (around 230 I think?) and cook for around 40 minutes. Check them after 20 minutes and turn them so that they brown all over.

When cooked, serve immediately. Don't try and keep them warm as they will go soggy.

And enjoy!

NB - the chicken is probably on a lower temperature than the oven will need to be. This is fine. The chicken can come out of the oven about 30 minutes before the potatoes are ready, and if you cover it with foil it will stay hot enough to serve. Will also benefit the chicken as the fibres relax and the meat is actually more tender when you serve it.

[notwavingjustironing]

I roast in olive oil for 40 mins after parboiling for 10 mins. Sometimes add salt and pepper and a sprinkle of chilli powder and rosemary - gives a lovely crunchy finish.

[SqueakyPop]

They are about 30 minutes in a hot oven, after parboiling for about 15 minutes.

TBH, I prefer to deep fry them after parboiling. I prefer the taste, and the timing.

[hughjarssss]

Thanks everyone.

So I should heat the oil in the roasting tray on the hob and not in the oven?

[stirlingmum]

I heat it in the oven.

[hughjarssss]

Thats what I was thinking stirlingmum.

I've brought a large chicken this time. If theres any left do I just wrap it in foil and put it in the fridge?

[BecauseImWorthIt]

If you do it on the hob, you can keep the fat hot while you tip the potatoes in.

And yes, you can keep the left overs in the fridge, wrapped up.

once you've used all the flesh, use the rest to make stock - don't waste the opportunity!

[hughjarssss]

Good tip about the hob becauseimworthit

How do you make stock from it?

[BecauseImWorthIt]

Put what's left of the chicken into a large pan. Pour in enough water to cover it.

Add an onion, roughly chopped, a carrot, a couple of bay leaves and a few peppercorns.

Bring to the boil, turn the heat down and simmer gently, covered for an hour or so.

Then drain over a sieve into a clean saucepan. You could boil it up to reduce it a little if you need to - otherwise just freeze it when it's cool and use in any recipes that call for stock.

[hughjarssss]

Thats really useful to know biwi - thanks