Can someone tell me how to make my roast potatoes crispy?

[MamzelleDupont]

Me and my sisters are having a roast dinner tonight, we all live close together so bring one bit each (sis 1 is doing the pork and gravy, sis 2 is doing the pudding) I am in charge of veg.

Problem is sis 1 is an amazing cook and will do something amazing with the pork, i don't want to let it down with my soggy potatoes!

Can anyone tell me what to do? How hot should the oven be? How can i make them crispy?

Parboil and then lightly smash them in the pan to soften them up
Put them into hot oil
Voila!

Agree with Thighs - shake them about in the saucepan a bit after you have part-boiled them then put them into hot oil.

Parboil, shake up after drained in pan to make edges rough, you can either put them straight in the oven in a pan of oil (heat the oil in the oven first so it is very hot - use a good few glugs of oil) or you can put the pan on the hob (as long as it is metal and can go on the hob of course) and heat them till the outsides get crisp then bung them in the oven. Make sure they are in the oven for a good 45min to an hour :)

Parboil them, drain and then return to hob for a couple of minutes to dry them off. Put them in a roasting tray with hot oil and then in the oven for 50/60 mins.

Yep, rough up the edges in the pan. You can also add some seasoned flour at that point. Nigella suggests semolina IIRC but have never tried that myself.

Boil till nice and soft (but not falling apart), fling about a bit till the edges are mushed up, roasting tin, drizzle with lots of oil, salt and pop a couple of garlic cloves in amongst them. Lovely :)

goosefat makes excellent roast tatties if you do the parboiling and roughing up too.

3 months ago I would have said hot oil but after Michael Caines piece in a paper recommending cold olive oil I havnt looked back. They seem to absorb more oil and crisp beautifully.

You could always do a dauphinoise instead though.

I agree with the parboiling - put potatoes in a pan of cold salted water, bring it to the boil and cook for 2-4 mins. Drain, allow to dry off totally then put them in the roasting tin that has been heating in the oven. Use goose fat if you can. Season them with sea salt and pepper.

Nigella suggests tossing them in semolina, i had never tried it until i looked at M&S's new crispy roast potato stuff which is basically semolina, salt and pepper.

Yep the shaking is the main thing. And put them from there into a preheated roasting tray with hot oil in it - I pop the tray and oil into the hot oven when the potatoes come to the boil, then take them out just before I drain the potatoes, so they've had 10 minutes to get nice and hot.

I agree with all but when you are putting them from the pan to the roasting pan wathc for nasty roast pots who jump off the spoon and dive into the really really hot oil and burn you all up your forearm

3 weeks today and its getting better now

I never use hot oil and my roasties are so crispy I could cry with happiness:)

Yy to semolina.... I always throw a bit in when I have roughed the potatoes up a bit - very very crispy Oh, and of course the fat has to be very very hot - wear oven gloves a la Trinity experience (Hope the arms are better soon - ouch!)

Make sure you use a good floury potato like King Edwards. Using the wrong variety can spoil the finished result.

I agree shaking in the pan after par-boiling..pre-heat oven...

roasting pan/pyrex dish..splash of olive-oil at the bottom..put in potatoes..more olive oil over the top..

sprinkle crushed sea salt and crushed black pepper in the oven about 45mins ... thinly sliced garlic on top is another option

Oh I'm dribbling now

Oh god, i can see this is going to become complicated

Right i shall shake then (like a polaroid picture) and whack on some semolina.

To further complicate matters they are those purple potatoes form sainsburys.

Hope your arm gets better soon Trinity. Bad day.

ooh they were lovely mumcentre

Had a bit of goose fat in the fridge so used that and some semolina.

I'm not one to boast but "best roast potatoes ever" was mentioned

I know it is too late but I always parboil, shake and put flour on them.

There really is nothing like some lovely roasties

If I'm cooking mine in a separate dish, I pour hot, melted butter over them, instead of oil. Absolutely gorgeous!

Well done OP!

make sure they fully steam off after mushing edges, let them stand in sieve/colander for a good fe minutes. Nice dry outside really helps the fluff factor.