Jamie Oliver's roast spuds

[justpoppy]

So Jamie say you can par boil your spuds and "dress" them in oil on Christmas Eve so the tin just has to go in the oven on Christmas Day. Has anyone tried this?? I'm trying to do as much prep as possible in advance but not sure I'm brave enough to try something new with something as important as the potatoes.

I was thinking of doing this after seeing it on the telly but like you, I'm a bit apprehensive of trying something different on Christmas Day.

I think my mum always parboiled the spuds in advance of a Sunday roast etc, but I wouldn't oil them the day before, surely the potato would absorb the oil and get soggy in the middle rather than fluffy?

Didn't they do something similar on the eat well for less program? Part cooked and froze food in advance for Christmas?

BBC website says something about par boiling and freezing in advance too. I'm just nervous about adding the fat. Roast spuds are too important to mess up!

I've done the Jamie spuds recipe several times and it's excellent. Didn't make them Xmas eve but the morning of Xmas day. You make them "halfway" (I guess up to the point you describe) then finish them off in the oven for half an hour or so when you want to eat them. Yum.

See if I'm doing them on Xmas day I might as well just bung them straight in the oven. I just really like the idea of doing them on Xmas eve - one less job (and one less pan to wash) on the big day.

I've did this last year... par boiled, cooled... added rosemary, garlic and goose fat then out in the fridge over night... just stuck in the oven on Xmas day. They were perfect, I'd even say better than usual

Yeah true - we did them Xmas day as we're helping my parents with cooking so transported them half cooked. Don't think doing them the night before would have any negative impact!

Ooh user that's just what I want to hear. So toss them in the hot goose fat then leave until the next day? I won't have room in the fridge but our conservatory is freezing so they should be ok there.

Good Housekeeping magazine always used to recommend that you parboiled and froze your Christmas day roast potatoes in November which always seemed excessive - as well as taking up a lot of freezer room.

Do the potatoes go a funny colour though? Anytime i have left par boiled potatoes to cool they have taken on a greyish tinge which isn't very attractive. Tempted to try it though. Hmmmm

I didn't put them in hit goose fat just spooned it in the tray cold and popped in the oven the next day just gave it a good toss once the fat was hot. I covered the tray in foil and put in the fridge. I certainly don't remember them going a funny colour. They did go lovely and crispy though.

I've just par boiled one spud as a tester (clearly I have far too much time on my hands!) Have put the hot oil on it and will leave it overnight and roast it tomorrow when the oven's on for the mince pies.

I did them exactly as the recipe says and they were delicious!