How do I make crispy potatoes in the oven - how do you get them all crunchy and yummy?

[Shitemum]

Do I have to boil them first?
Cover with tinfoil?

Have a proper oven for the first time in 20 years so I don't have much of a clue...
Thanks!

parboil, hot fat and salt makes them crispy

don't cover them or they won't brown/crisp

Heated - what kind of fat?
I usually use olive oil for cooking or butter...

Boil them for about 15 mins first, then drain them. Put them back in the saucepan and shake the saucepan about a bit to bash the potatoes up a little.

Then put them in a roasting tin with HOT fat (make sure the oven is piping hot and the fat you're roasting the potatoes in is also piping hot, I even have the gas burners on the hob on while I'm putting the potatoes in the roasting tin to make sure the fat is good and hot) give them a quick baste with the fat and in to the oven. Turn them occasionally to get them evenly browned and they're done when they look good and golden and crispy.

what HF said lol

Oven MUST be really hot to crisp - bashing is key

Don't use butter, olive oil is fine, or if you're pushing the boat out, get some goose fat from the supermarket. Makes the best roasties as it has a very high smoke level (ie it doesn't burn til it gets very hot)

thanks crush, the bashing is the key. The idea is to have the potatoes a bit flakey around the edges after you've bashed them, that's what creates the super crispy bits.

ditto headfairy. I also add a tablespoon of flour or corn flour to the poatatoes after they have been given a shake.

So parboil them, shake with a lid on to roughen the edges and then add flour and shake again.

Goose fat is great too

I woudn;t use oliveoil as it burns too quickly/

yes exactly HF - Potato lover like me lol

Vegetable oil is great for roast potatoes, though goose fat is best.

As others have said, parboil the potatoes and heat the oil/fat really hot before putting the pototoes in to the oven.

Oh yes, my roasties are legendary! Didn't know the cornflour trick though twinset, may have to try that next time (not doing any on Thursday as I'm not cooking! yay!!!!)

Not sure you'll get a MN consensus (and might pick up some tips myself), but I parboil for 8-10mins and use either lard or vegetable fat (goosefat is all the rage though) and a sprinkling of salt.

headfairy I tend to use flour but whereever I got it from said cornflour. It will revolutionise your potatoes

Don't use olive oil, it gives them a tough/chewy outer and taste slightly odd imo

Par boil first and use goose fat - yum

Oh twinset, I may have to take charge of the potatoes on Thursday then, I want revolutionary potatoes!!

I have a very funny vision now my potatoes marching off my plate with banners quoting from Karl Marx.

re fat; i like butter and olive oil mixed, the oo stops the butter burning and the butter tastes gooooooooooooooood

mmm, flour tip sounds interesting...

.....Singing "keep the red flag flying"

Wow thanks everyone!
Will try and source goose fat (am in Spain) and be sure to bash them well!

Cut them up a bit smaller than you usually would, then you don't need to parboil. Ditto to hot oven and just in a roasting tin, not foil covered.

The parboiling is for crispiness rather than to shorten cooking time notevenamousie, the bashing after parboiling is what makes them super crispy.

yes, parboiling a must imo. for internal fluffiness juxtaposed with external golden crunchiness

my mum doesnt do it tho. says it boils away some of the goodness(??) but hey, im a taste over substance sort fo girl (when it comes to roast spuds anyway)

Well let's face it, Christmas dinner isn't really about it's nutritional value anyway is it?