Do you baste your roast potatoes?

[KinkyAfro]

I alway cook in the meat juices but they never crisp up, is this because i baste them halfway through? DP says it is, although he doesn't baste and his don't crisp either

It's probably because there's too much juice and you need just fat.

The meat juice is making them flabby. Do them in a separate tin/dish with only goose fat and you will taste the difference.

Just fat, preferably dripping or goose fat.
Any non fat liquid will just make them soggy.

Agree just fat (whichever you choose) and baste and turn in that

Why meat juices that will not crisp them up at all?

also if they are in the meat juice, are they in the roasting tin?

If I am cooking roasties round the joint I get them out once the joint is done and resting and swap them onto a tray. Swirl them about in the roasting tin to get the meat juices and fat all over on them, but then shallow tray and up high in the oven at a high temp for crisping up.

Yes, probably too much juices and not enough fat.

I always baste, but I rarely use the fat from meat, I use Trex or other fat. (Tend to cook the meat in a slow cooker so don't get the fat from it.)

I make sure the fat is really hot then add potatoes, few minutes later a quick baste and add carrots, few minutes later turn the potatoes and add things like parsnips etc. Usually baste/turn once or twice more before serving up.

I cook the meat first, pour out 3/4 of the liquid and then put the par boiled potatoes in, basting halfway through. Mum's always done them this way and she has crispy potatoes with fluffy insides

Does anybody parboil?

It's not the roasties I have problems with now, can't get the yorkshires to rise properly in this stupid oven , used to have lovely ones, now have to have half risen or shop bought ready made to reheat tat.

I can't not parboil

We cook ours in oil only. We use a spoon and cover the tops with oil before putting them in the oven. Not that I like crispy potatoes anyway

Yep, par boil potatoes and carrots, not parsnips though as they go mushy.

I parboil

Wonder if it's the type of potatoes...

Pour out all of the meat juices into a bowl. After a few minutes the fat will float to the top. Spoon it off and use it for the potatoes....the juices underneath make the gravy.

I find if the oven is moist they don't crisp. When we only had a single oven i really struggled to crisp up the potatoes without drying the meat. Now I have a double I cook the meat gently and blast the spuds.

I use olive oil normally and goose fat at Christmas. I put the fat in the tray and put it into the oven for a bit before adding the potatoes. I'm also partial to some fresh rosemary.

Always par boil mine, king Edwards or Maris pipers, cut so they have a big surface area (nigella tip) put them in a pan, cover with cold salted water, bring to the boil for 6 -8 mins or until a knife can go in the middle of a potato easily.

Drain and leave until very dry ( 10-25 mins ) put a pan with whatever fat (dripping for us) you like in the oven at 200dc to heat up.
When the potatoes have cooled, shake the colander to fluff up the out sides, tip into the pan of hot fat carefully! Spoon some fat over the uncovered half roast them for 40-45 mins turning half way, drain off the fat and season with plenty of sea salt and pepper.

Seperate pan with preheated goose fat here. Par boiled potatoes, get them all covered in the goose fat and turn half way through cooking.

*Separate I know how to spell, honest Guv

Always use Maris Pipers. Parboil, sprinkle with sea salt and then roast in olive oil in separate tray - baste in the oil part way through too. Reliably crispy and lightly browned on the outside and fluffy on the inside. I've found they just don't crisp up the same with fat but then I'm not a fan of them done that way.

Maris Piper or King Edward spuds, parboiled in salted water, dried & rattled around the pan

Smoking hot duck fat in roasting tin, just enough to lightly coat each spud. You don’t want them swimming in fat.

Working quickly with tongs, toss each spud individually the hot fat, then put the tin Into the oven @220C for 15 mins. Turn spuds, then roast for another 15 mins or until appropriately crispy.

Parboil, bash about in pan, coat lightly in plain flour then stick in hot goose fat or dripping to roast, no basting as I can't be arsed.

Thanks all, left them in a little longer and they were a little bit crisp. I'll do them next time with just oil or fat and see how they come out. They were maris pipers by the way 😊