Oven Roasted Potatoes

[Stone]

This seems like a pretty straight-forward item, but I never get it quite right. They're always much too dry, or much too soft/oily.

Should it be as easy as tossing with olive oil, adding some sprigs of herb, and popping in the oven?

Should they be blanched first?

Should I pour some stock in the roasting pan?

How to utilize this duck/goose fat everyone gets on about?

[guajolote]

Previous Roasted Potatoe Thread

Should it be as easy as tossing with olive oil, adding some sprigs of herb, and popping in the oven? Yes, but add the herbs at the end

Should they be blanched first? yes, this is very important. My RP have gotten much better since I started doing this. Use "new" potatoes, not baking

Should I pour some stock in the roasting pan? I wouldn't

How to utilize this duck/goose fat everyone gets on about? Use instead of olive oil. Lard or bacon fate is also nice

[SobaAddict70]

I like to keep things simple sometimes.

That means EVOO and sea salt. Rosemary or parsley at the end.

Sometimes a squeeze of lemon...

SA

[Stone]

Previous Roasted Potatoe Thread

Again, the good stuff is discussed when I'm on vacation.

[Jim Dixon]

Blanching first seems like too much work to me...mine come out fine, but I think the key is cutting the spuds up (bonus is more crispy surface area) or using smaller potatoes...and roasting at high enough temp to get them browm, but not so high they burn before getting done. I usually cut into roughly egg or walnut size, then cook at 400 (after tossing with oil and salt).

Jim

[Matt Seeber]

duck fat

[VivreManger]

My simpler method is to preheat the oven to 450-500 (f). Put in a Lodge Iron Griddle, flat side up with a thin coating of EVOO and reduce the heat to about 400-450. After the griddle has heated up sufficiently (maybe 5 minutes). Put in the cut potatoes, so that each potato is directly exposed to the grill. How they are cut depends on what they are. Russets, I cut into long quarters and cook unpeeled. Yukon golds, I cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick silver dollars. Then I let them cook for about 20 to 40 minutes, turning over about mid-way and reducing the heat as necessary to prevent burning. The exact time depends on the nature and thickness of the potato.

Salt, herbs and garlic get added in the last ten minutes or so.

This method yields a low-fat french-fried like roast potato.

[CathyL]

I also like Jim's method. Sometimes I add a few unpeeled garlic cloves at the start, or mix in some minced toward the end. A sprinkle of pimenton is good too.

[Miss J]

I am a traditionalist. The par-boiling is important, as it ensures you can keep the taters large-ish which results in a nice balance of fluffy insides and crispy outside. (When I've cut them small they've still been wonderfully crunchy, but more "chip" than roastie - y'know what I'm sayin'?) Parboiling takes around 4-6 mins. Drain them, but them back in the pan over the hot element so they continue to dry out, give the pan a good shake to rough up the edges, and add a teeny bit of flour or semolina and shake again. (The flour or semolina helps the crust come along nicely.) Meanwhile, put your choice of fat in the pan, heat 'til smoking hot, chuck in the taters and roast, basting merrily, for 30-40 minutes.

I add my salt, pepper and herby things at the very end right before serving.

Edit: oh, and I am a goose fat convert, too.

Edited February 6, 2003 by Miss J (log)

[Dana]

I always stir them about halfway through. That seems to help get more edges browned.

[col klink]

I chop my taters up so that they're no larger than 1/2". I melt 2 tbsp of duck fat (preferably, though bacon fat, evoo and butter also work in order of preference) and saute the taters for 5 to 10 minutes over medium heat in a cast iron skillet. I also like to add 1/2 an onion as well right before they go in the oven at 400 for 20 minutes. I get crispy outsides and light fluffer insides that burn the roof of your mouth.

edit: I've directly compared duck fat to smoked and rendered pork fat (it is better than bacon fat) and the duck fat won hands down. Taste the two fats on their own, pork fat wins but none of the smokiness came through whereas you could taste the duck in the taters. Hands down the best roasted taters I've ever had and damn easy to make.

Edited February 6, 2003 by col klink (log)

[col klink]

edit: duplicate

Edited February 6, 2003 by col klink (log)

[JAZ]

It depends on the type of potatoes I'm roasting. Russets and other "baking" potatoes obviously get a different treatment from new potatoes.

One thing I learned from a cooking instructor friend regarding new potatoes is to roast them past the point where they're tender. I always used to consider them done when they were easily pierced with a fork, but if you continue to roast them for another 20 to 30 minutes after that point, they develop the most wonderful creamy texture inside -- you'd almost think you were eating mashed potatoes, cream, butter and all.