Food24
  • Recipes
    • New recipes
    • Recipe round-ups
    • Air fryer recipes
    • Easy weekday meals
    • Cooking with lamb
    • Delicious pork recipes
    • Fish and Tips
    • Braai recipes
    • Chicken recipes
    • Vegetarian recipes
    • Baking
    • Low carb recipes
    • Gluten-free recipes
    • Dairy-free recipes
    • Pasta recipes
    • South African recipes
  • News
    • Food news
  • Videos
  • Cooking guides and tips
    • Baking tips and tricks
    • Load shedding lifesavers
  • Newsletters
  • More
    • Food24 taste tests
    • Eat for good
    • Drinks
      • Non-alcoholic drinks
      • Wine
      • Beer
      • Cocktails
      • Coffee
    • Win
No Result
View All Result
Food24
  • Recipes
    • New recipes
    • Recipe round-ups
    • Air fryer recipes
    • Easy weekday meals
    • Cooking with lamb
    • Delicious pork recipes
    • Fish and Tips
    • Braai recipes
    • Chicken recipes
    • Vegetarian recipes
    • Baking
    • Low carb recipes
    • Gluten-free recipes
    • Dairy-free recipes
    • Pasta recipes
    • South African recipes
  • News
    • Food news
  • Videos
  • Cooking guides and tips
    • Baking tips and tricks
    • Load shedding lifesavers
  • Newsletters
  • More
    • Food24 taste tests
    • Eat for good
    • Drinks
      • Non-alcoholic drinks
      • Wine
      • Beer
      • Cocktails
      • Coffee
    • Win
No Result
View All Result
Food24
No Result
View All Result

How to make the ultimate crispy roast potatoes for Sunday lunch

Food24
Sam Linsell by Sam Linsell
November 22, 2012
in Food News
0
How to make the ultimate crispy roast potatoes for Sunday lunch
22
SHARES
8.9k
VIEWS
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp

I was taught how to roast potatoes perfectly when I worked in a pub kitchen in London many moons ago. We used to make crispy golden roast potatoes to serve with drinks at the bar. The head cook who I worked under knew what she was talking about, and I have been making potatoes like this ever since.

ALSO READ: Tips and tricks for the best gravy

Duck fat or oil

Now that I have progressed somewhat down the culinary road, I have discovered a few new things, like using duck fat instead of sunflower or canola oil. If you don’t have duck fat then use one of those two oils instead. This truly makes a very big difference in terms of flavour. Duck fat can reach very high temperatures, which you need to get the potatoes really crispy, and of course being an animal fat, it is laced with flavour.

The best ever roast potatoes

I have been reading up on numerous recipes on how to make the best-ever-roast-potatoes and there are a few similarities:

1. The use of duck fat
2. The technique of par boiling and fluffing up the spud before roasting.

One part where there seems to be some discrepancy is whether to:

1. Heat the oil/fat up before you add the potatoes or not. In London we never did.
2. In some recipes the potatoes get dusted in flour before being roasted and in others garlic and other bits were added.

I had also read about adding vinegar to the water when you par-boil the potatoes, something to do with preventing them potato from falling apart if you over-boiled it – so I used the juice of half a lemon instead, just to give it the mildest zing, although you don’t taste it specifically.

Types of potato

On the potato front, we in South Africa don’t get many varieties like one can in the USA or the UK. I like to use the Woolworths Mediterranean potatoes because they have a fabulous taste, but use the best that you can find that are suitable for roasting. Many local supermarkets also now stock duck fat, so it is easy to come by.

To keep these vegetarian, use sunflower or canola oil.

So armed with all this knowledge over the years, this is my version of the very best roast potatoes.

The best roast potato recipe:

Ingredients – adjust according to how many you need, and my suggestion is to make way more than you think.

1 kg potatoes (the best you can find that are suitable for roasting)
2 T table salt
Juice of half a lemon (optional)
80 – 100ml of duck fat (about 3 dessert spoons)
A few sprigs of rosemary
Sea salt flakes (I love Maldon)

Heat your oven to a temperature of 200 C. Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks. If they are large cut them into 3 pieces with as many angles as you can. It is the number of angels that create the crispness. If they are smaller cut them in half slightly diagonally.

Put the spuds  in a pot with and barely cover with water. Add the salt and the lemon juice. Bring this to the boil. Once it has reached a rapid boil, turn the temperature down to a simmer and cook your potatoes for 5 minutes.

Drain in a colander and then return to the pot that they were cooked in and with the lid on, holding oven gloves or a tea towel shake the potatoes about so as to ruffle up the edges. I used a fork to further rough them up.

Stir through the duck fat which will immediately melt over the potatoes, tip into a large baking tray, making sure you don’t crowd the tray, there needs to be some space between the potatoes. If you add to many the steam will interfere with the browning of them. Scatter over a few sprigs of rosemary leaves, salt and pepper.

Roast for 1 1/4 hours or until they are at the desired crispy golden colour. Shake the pan around a few times and turn the spuds twice during the cooking time.

Scatter over more sea salt flakes and a few sprigs of rosemary as garnish and serve with your favourite roast.

Follow Sam Linsell on Instagram and Twitter.

Tags: FestiveFestive 2014RecipesSam Linsell


Related Posts

We predict 2023’s biggest food trends for home cooks
Food News

We predict 2023’s biggest food trends for home cooks

February 1, 2023
The Food24 team shares their 2023 kitchen goals
Cooking Guides and Tips

The Food24 team shares their 2023 kitchen goals

February 1, 2023
burger and fries
Food News

It’s true – Hellmann’s Mayonnaise will be discontinued in SA

January 30, 2023
Next Post

Let's get the summer party started!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Food24 Team Loves

Tips on how to pack the perfect picnic

Tips on how to pack the perfect picnic

January 14, 2023
How to easily peel boiled eggs: We tested 7 hacks and there’s only one way that really works every time

How to easily peel boiled eggs: We tested 7 hacks and there’s only one way that really works every time

January 2, 2023
roast-pork-leg

6 tips for making the crispiest pork crackling

December 21, 2022
Light and healthy recipes that simply scream ‘summer’

Light and healthy recipes that simply scream ‘summer’

November 19, 2022
air-fryer-dos-and-donts

9 Do’s and don’ts when air-frying at home

October 24, 2022

Recent favourites

  • burger and fries

    It’s true – Hellmann’s Mayonnaise will be discontinued in SA

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Cracking open the myths about canned food – and why they’re great for load-shedding meals

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Secrets to making the perfect tart case

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Oh, grate! Turns out all four sides of the grater serve a useful purpose

    1 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 12 wallet-friendly ways to save with lamb mince this year

    2 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get weekly access to our best recipes, tips and tricks

Sign Up
Footer

Quick links

  • Home
  • News
  • Videos
  • Win

Collections

  • New Recipes
  • Festive
  • Baking
  • Dessert Recipes
  • Braai Recipes
  • Lunchbox
  • South African Recipes
  • Pasta Recipes

Other links

  • Advertise with Food24
  • Editorial Policy
  • How to Pitch
  • Contact us

Not in the mood to cook?

Visit eatout.co.za to find the perfect restaurant near you.

eatout.co.za

© 2020 Food24.com. All rights reserved.

  • About us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • New Media
IAB
No Result
View All Result
  • Recipes
    • New recipes
    • Recipe round-ups
    • Air fryer recipes
    • Easy weekday meals
    • Cooking with lamb
    • Delicious pork recipes
    • Fish and Tips
    • Braai recipes
    • Chicken recipes
    • Vegetarian recipes
    • Baking
    • Low carb recipes
    • Gluten-free recipes
    • Dairy-free recipes
    • Pasta recipes
    • South African recipes
  • News
    • Food news
  • Videos
  • Cooking guides and tips
    • Baking tips and tricks
    • Load shedding lifesavers
  • Newsletters
  • More
    • Food24 taste tests
    • Eat for good
    • Drinks
      • Non-alcoholic drinks
      • Wine
      • Beer
      • Cocktails
      • Coffee
    • Win

© 2019 Food24.com. All rights reserved.

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Fill the forms below to register

Subscribe to Newsletter

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Close
Food24
Recipe Disclaimer

All recipe content is the responsibility of the party from whom such content originated. You agree that you use the content on Food24 at your own risk. Please read our editorial policy.
Close
Food24
Get the latest recipes delivered to your inbox weekly
Promotional Newsletter

Be the first to receive information about competitions and special offers from Food24 and it's partners.

You have successfully been subscribed!
Something went wrong. Please try again.
Make sure you have completed all required fields.
I don't want to see this again