Perfect Roast Potatoes
by Nigella. Featured in NIGELLA CHRISTMASIntroduction
Needs must and all that, so I have always been an open anti-perfectionist, but in truth (and I’m sorry to repeat what I’ve said before) it is impossible to cook roast potatoes without needing them to be perfect, which to me means sweet and soft inside and a golden-brown carapace of crunch without. And, strangely, no matter how many tricksy things you may succeed at in cooking, no matter what techniques you may master, nothing gives quite the contented glow of achievement that cooking a good tray of roast potatoes does.
There are three crucial things that I think make the difference: the first is the heat of the fat – if it’s not searingly hot, you don’t stand a chance, and since goose fat has a very high smoking point and tastes good, it is my annual choice here; the second is the size of your potatoes — you want them relatively small, so that the ratio of crunchy outside to fluffy interior is optimized; and, finally, I think dredging the potatoes — and this is a family practice, inherited through the maternal line — in semolina rather than flour after parboiling, then really rattling the pan around to make the potatoes a bit mashed on the surface so they catch more in the hot fat, is a major aid.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Needs must and all that, so I have always been an open anti-perfectionist, but in truth (and I’m sorry to repeat what I’ve said before) it is impossible to cook roast potatoes without needing them to be perfect, which to me means sweet and soft inside and a golden-brown carapace of crunch without. And, strangely, no matter how many tricksy things you may succeed at in cooking, no matter what techniques you may master, nothing gives quite the contented glow of achievement that cooking a good tray of roast potatoes does.
There are three crucial things that I think make the difference: the first is the heat of the fat – if it’s not searingly hot, you don’t stand a chance, and since goose fat has a very high smoking point and tastes good, it is my annual choice here; the second is the size of your potatoes — you want them relatively small, so that the ratio of crunchy outside to fluffy interior is optimized; and, finally, I think dredging the potatoes — and this is a family practice, inherited through the maternal line — in semolina rather than flour after parboiling, then really rattling the pan around to make the potatoes a bit mashed on the surface so they catch more in the hot fat, is a major aid.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Serves: 10-16 as part of the feast
- 640 grams goose fat
- 2½ kilograms potatoes (such as King Edward's / Yukon Gold)
- 2 tablespoons semolina
- 2 cups goose fat
- 6 pounds potatoes (such as King Edward's / Yukon Gold)
- 2 tablespoons semolina
Method
- Preheat the oven to 250°C/230°C Fan/gas mark 9/500°F. If you don’t have a double oven, you will have to do this as soon as the turkey is out of your single oven, which, for me, is very much later than the parboiling stage.
- Put the fat into a large roasting tin and then into the oven to heat up, and get frighteningly hot. 20–30 minutes should do it.
- Peel the potatoes, and cut each one into 3 by cutting off each end at a slant so that you are left with a wedge or triangle in the middle.
- Put the potatoes into salted, cold water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil, letting them cook for 4 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander, then tip them back into the empty, dry saucepan, and sprinkle the semolina over.
- Shake the potatoes around to coat them well and, with the lid clamped on, give the pan a good rotate and the potatoes a proper bashing so that their edges fuzz and blur a little: this facilitates the crunch effect later. I leave them to rest at this stage. If you don’t, you’ll need to have preheated the oven earlier!
- When the fat is as hot as it can be, tip the semolina-coated potatoes carefully into it (they splutter terrifically as you put them in) and roast in the oven for an hour or until they are darkly golden and crispy, turning them over halfway through cooking.
- If the oven’s hot enough, they may well not need more than about 25 minutes a side; but it’s better to let them sit in the oven (you can always pour off most of the fat) till the very last minute.
- When everything else is served up, transfer the potatoes to a large (warmed if possible) serving dish and bring to the table with pride in your heart.
- Preheat the oven to 250°C/230°C Fan/gas mark 9/500°F. If you don’t have a double oven, you will have to do this as soon as the turkey is out of your single oven, which, for me, is very much later than the parboiling stage.
- Put the fat into a large roasting tin and then into the oven to heat up, and get frighteningly hot. 20–30 minutes should do it.
- Peel the potatoes, and cut each one into 3 by cutting off each end at a slant so that you are left with a wedge or triangle in the middle.
- Put the potatoes into salted, cold water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil, letting them cook for 4 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander, then tip them back into the empty, dry saucepan, and sprinkle the semolina over.
- Shake the potatoes around to coat them well and, with the lid clamped on, give the pan a good rotate and the potatoes a proper bashing so that their edges fuzz and blur a little: this facilitates the crunch effect later. I leave them to rest at this stage. If you don’t, you’ll need to have preheated the oven earlier!
- When the fat is as hot as it can be, tip the semolina-coated potatoes carefully into it (they splutter terrifically as you put them in) and roast in the oven for an hour or until they are darkly golden and crispy, turning them over halfway through cooking.
- If the oven’s hot enough, they may well not need more than about 25 minutes a side; but it’s better to let them sit in the oven (you can always pour off most of the fat) till the very last minute.
- When everything else is served up, transfer the potatoes to a large (warmed if possible) serving dish and bring to the table with pride in your heart.
Additional Information
MAKE AHEAD:
Peel the potatoes the day before. Keep submerged, whole, in cold water in a cold place. Drain, cut and cover with fresh, salted water to parboil and then roast as directed.
MAKE AHEAD:
Peel the potatoes the day before. Keep submerged, whole, in cold water in a cold place. Drain, cut and cover with fresh, salted water to parboil and then roast as directed.
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Show more commentsYes! Roast potatoes matter. I love this recipe. I find that chuffing up parboiled potatoes in the pan before popping into that sizzling goose fat really helps
Roast potatoes have been hit and miss for me. But this method was perfect. The key is a screaming hot roasting pan. Some just don't get hot enough or retain the heat. I used veg oil and duck fat, but that is a high smoke point fat so works well. Also only had flour, but this works too.
These were absolutely delicious, simple but elegant.
Verified consumer: taste test CONFIRMED!!! My daughter texted me your recipe on Christmas Eve day 2020. I couldn’t join my daughters in the UK this year due to Covid virus, so I made my very first attempt at Roasties in America for Christmas Eve Dinner. A HUGE success!!! I could only find duck fat at the last minute, but that worked well. And I had semolina flour on hand to use, per your suggestion. PERFECTLY CRISPY, crunchy exterior. The russet potatoes I used (a very starchy potato compared to the Yukon Golds) were creamy inside. It beat out my partner’s roast beef encrusted with minced rosemary and thyme for fav dish!!! Thank you for providing a wonderful recipe. Being able to successfully recreate a Chef’s recipe is SO important, and this year especially, when small, personal achievements take on so much importance.
How to stun your French friends ... roast potatoes. They think they know everything about cuisine, but they don't know anything about roast potatoes, that we Brits have been eating every Sunday lunch since the year dot, and they love them!
Have used this methods for many years and it never fails to please. However, we use a metal colander to rough up potatoes after par boiling and turn the oven up higher to heat the oil and for the first 10 minutes of cooking the potatoes, then turn down to 250C. Works EVERY time unless you crowd the potatoes in tray when it’s less successful.
Best way ever to cook roast potatoes.
You can’t beat Roast Potatoes done in goose fat.
Best roasted potatoes ever!
Amazing!!!
I convinced my American friends to try these for Thanksgiving dinner last week and they were a smash hit! We are never cooking roast potatoes any other way :-)
Oh My Word!.. followed this recipe tonight and I am absolutely over the moon to report I made THE most crispiest, delicious roasties that I have ever had in my life!... Move over Mother-in-Law as I am the new crispy roastie queen!!... A million thanks Nigella xx