For the Crispiest Roasted Potatoes, Cook Them Like the British Do

This easy trick will give you the crispiest spuds.

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Why Make This

• Roughing up boiled potatoes creates more surface area, resulting in extra crispy roasted edges. 
• Finishing potatoes in the oven on a hot sheet pan in hot fat helps form a golden crust while keeping the insides tender.
• This British technique delivers restaurant-quality roasted potatoes with crispy outsides and fluffy interiors.

Everybody loves potatoes. Growing up, I helped my mom peel potatoes for a thrifty dinner, and now, as a private chef, I cook potatoes for people who eat in five-star restaurants. Along the way, I've picked up some tricks to make my potatoes more impressive. 

I look to British chefs to transform the humble spud into crispy, browned wedges with fluffy, soft centers. The secret to golden brown, crisp-crusted potatoes that make your mouth water lies in a little rough treatment, and I’ve gathered some easy tips that can take your potatoes up a few notches.

The British Trick for the Crispiest Spuds

Chefs like Jamie Oliver use a simple trick to achieve the crust we all expect from a proper roasted potato. Once the potatoes are cooked in boiling water, drain them well. Then, in the colander or the pot you cooked them in, swirl the potatoes vigorously enough to scrape and scuff the cut surfaces. This increases the surface area of the potatoes so that more of the starchy flesh comes in contact with the hot pan, which means more brown, crispy bits. 

How To Roast the Crispiest Potatoes

To serve four to six people, you will need:

• 2 pounds medium potatoes (skin on)
• Salt
• 2 tablespoon butter, duck fat, or another solid fat
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon canola oil or avocado oil
• A few garlic cloves, cut into slivers
• Chopped fresh parsley or other herbs (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Quarter the potatoes. (Any smaller, and by the time you develop a nice crust, the center will start to dry out. Two to three bites is perfect.)

Place the potatoes in a pot and add cool water to cover. Bring the water to a boil and then lower the heat so the water bubbles gently. Salt the water generously, and set a timer for 15 minutes. Then drain the potatoes and let them steam for five minutes. In the colander or the pot, shake the potatoes around to rough up their cut surfaces.

Melt two tablespoons of butter, duck fat, or another solid fat with the minced rosemary. Pour the fat over the potatoes and add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Gently toss to coat the potatoes.

Preheat a large baking sheet in the oven for five minutes, then put the remaining tablespoon of butter and the canola oil on the pan. Return the pan to the oven to heat for two more minutes. 

Use a metal spatula to spread the melted fat on the pan, then place the potatoes on it. Use the spatula to turn them so their cut sides are facing down. Roast the potatoes for 20 minutes.

Turn the potatoes so another cut side is facing down and use your spatula to flatten the potatoes slightly. Add the garlic and toss it with a little oil on the baking sheet.

Return the potatoes to the oven for 25 minutes more. Check the bottoms for browning. If they aren’t dark enough, roast for 10 minutes longer. 

If you want to add parsley or other fresh, delicate herbs, do it right before serving. Serve the potatoes piping hot!

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Read More: The 1-Ingredient Upgrade for Crispier Roasted Potatoes (It’s Already in Your Pantry)

More Tips for Your Best Roasted Potatoes Yet

• Pick your potato: Waxy, medium-starch potatoes are best for roasting, and I prefer Yukon Golds or red-skinned potatoes.
• A chilled potato is a crispy potato: A chemistry tip is to refrigerate your potatoes overnight, which converts some of the starches to sugars and helps with browning.
• Simmer, don't boil: When par-cooking the potatoes, do not allow the water to boil or you risk the potatoes disintegrating in the water.
  

Simply Recipes / Robin Asbell

Read More: 14 Easy Recipes To Use up a Bunch of Potatoes

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