to ask for help from MN in overcoming my secret shame?

[HedgehogsDontBite]

I can't cook roast potatoes. There, I've finally admitted it.

I've reached the grand old age of 45 and am utterly incapable when it comes to these little buggers. They either come out rock hard and inedible or they resemble one of the dog's chew toys. I've tried loads of different 'recipes' but it's always the same. Failure. I'd buy frozen ones if they sold them where I live, but they don't.

Now I'm hosting Christmas dinner and I can hide no longer. WIBU to do chips instead and tell our non-British guests that this is traditional?

Aunt Bessie is your friend.

Gosh where do you live? No Aunt Bessie's available anywhere?!

I'd go for mash over chips. Or practise every day on your roasties until xmas day. Or get one of your guests to make them!

Unfortunately Aunt Bessie hasn't emmigrated yet :(

Sorry hit post too soon.

Make a special trip, fill your freezer and never admit the truth.

Cross post.

Find a restaurant that will sell them to you...

I wasn't serious about the chips. It has to be roasties or I might as well cancel Christmas.

I think you could, or maybe rice. Or whipped potatoes maybe?

Do you fluff the potatoes - it's all in the fluffing!! Par boil but not too soft.

Make sure the oil is hot enough, get Maris Piper and fluff - lovely jubbly :)

Chop up your potatoes and par boil them for 15 minutes, put them in a sieve to drain and give them a little shake around in it, transfer to the roasting pan, covering them in oil/fat and roast. My Dp is a trained chef and he always races about my roasties.

*raves not races

Just make wedges and call them roast potatoes.

Or cut them in to roast potatoe shapes and just deep fry them. They will never guess

Have you followed Delia or Nigella for instructions? That should work. I use Desiree or King Edwards. Peel and cut into equal size but not too small. Parboil for 5-6 mins, drain, you can then put back in pan and shake to get fluffy edges. Have a roasting pan ready in the oven with hot fat, I use goose as I like it. Add potatoes to roasting pan and I spoon fat over so the potatoes are coated. Put back in hot oven. I think they take about 40 mins but I check and turn them. Take them out when golden with crispy bits - not too golden for me but I think that would depend on how you like them.

I'm afraid you're right about it having to be roasties really. Anyone coming on xmas day that can do them for you? Is it your oven, or are you doing something weird to the potatoes?!

Which spuds are you using? Maris Piper are good.

Presumably you parboil first. And then do you give them a good shake in the saucepan so they get fluffy before putting them in the oven.

Also, make sure the fat in the pan is sizzling before you put them in.

Is it because of the type of potato you are using - some are not suitable for roasting.

Parboil them first, then cover them in oil, bash them up a bit, season and cook in the oven til they're done.

Do you completely cover them in oil then? Maybe that's where I'm going wrong.

Or maybe I'm buying the wrong type of spuds in the first place.

x posts with everyone.

i follow delia smith's. and like fudgalicious potatoes, they are great.
par boil,
shake in pan.
put in hot roasting tin,
mine are better accompanying a chicken, so when chicken nearly ready and oven and roasting tin hot, do potatoes,
after a short time, chicken ready, turn up oven to 230 for potatoes.

It could be the type of potatoes you are using. Not all spuds make good roasties.

oh and take chicken out before you turn up to 230

Mine are awful too. I hosted Christmas dinner a few years ago and begged the chef in our local pub to make me some. I just had to reheat them. Going to hang about thus thread though as I'm sure someone will have an amazing recipe soon

I normally use King Edwards.

Practice!

Also use the right potato. And check them when cooking - surely you do that so they don't burn?

I par boil mine for 10 mins, drain water then lid on and shake to make fluffy. Meanwhile, oven is on at 220c with the roasting dish in the oven and fat (goosefat) to get it smoking. When tats are fluffed, pop into the pan, shake about then in oven for about 45 mins.

I do 45mins on the boil, then into half an inch of pre-heated olive oil for 45mins. Seems fool proof as I can't even make an omelette.