On our Joe and Sylv Show today on GWS Radio, Joe discussed how to cook the perfect roast potato.
It is still traditional for many people to have a roast dinner on a Sunday, or maybe on a different day, because working habits have changed so considerably.
If you are anything like us in our house, all that really matters is getting the perfect roast potato, everything else is just there.
So here is how I do the perfect roast potatoes. It’s taken me some time to perfect this, but these are as good, and often much better, than what you get when eating out.
Although this works with vegetable or sunflower oil, it is always works even better when using beef dripping. Of course, that’s not an option if you are vegetarian or vegan, so go with the oil option – they still taste great. Make sure you use enough of it to cover your roasting tin with a little bit of depth, but not too much.
So you want to start by putting your oven on 240 degrees Celsius, then peel the potatoes. I almost always use either red potatoes or King Edward potatoes, but you can get great results with any potato. Cut them to the size that is just right for you and place them all in a saucepan that is large enough for them to cook freely.
Put them in your roasting tin with the dripping or oil into the oven as high up as possible, without it touching the top or being too close to the element at the top, as this should now be ready. You want this to be nice and hot when you take it out; smoking is a good sign.
Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat. You don’t want to cook the potatoes too much. Use a fork, and scrape it across one of the potatoes, if some of the potato comes onto the fork a little but fluffy, then take the potatoes off the heat, but keep them in the hot water for 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Empty the potatoes into a colander, or however you do it, and shake them to rough them up. Some people say to add flour before doing this, but I don’t bother anymore, as it all comes off when adding the potatoes to the roasting tin anyway.
Once you feel the dripping or the oil is hot enough, remove the roasting tin from the oven and place the potatoes into it, one at a time, turning them in the dripping or oil to ensure they are fully covered. Then place the roasting tin back in the oven.
Turn the temperature down to 210 degrees Celsius.
The potatoes should take about 45 minutes to cook, but I don’t go by the time; more on this in a moment.
After 25 minutes, remove the roasting tin and turn the potatoes over; either turn them fully or onto their sides. Potatoes aren’t always easy to fully turn. Return them to the oven for about another 2o minutes.
When it comes to the potatoes being ready, take a look at them, and you’ll have a good idea of when they are just as you like them. Take them out when they look like your preferred roast potato.
These timings are all just estimates, as it all comes down to the size of the potatoes and your preferences, but give this a go and you’ll have lovely roast potatoes.
I second that; Joe does make the perfect roast potato, but don’t tell him I said that; I don’t want him getting a big head 😉
