'fess up, roast potatoes...

[AnythingButVanilla]

I've only ever attempted real roasties maybe twice in my life and prefer to crack open a bag of Aunt Bessies instead. Not a huge fan of roast potatoes though.

 

[gbb]

so... what's your preferred brand of spud? I've not been impressed with Maris Piper of late.

Funnily enough we just tried some different potatoes this week. We have a local farmer who sets up each week in a layby, £5 for a big bag, £2.50 for 10kgs. Fantastic value compared with bland supermarket potatoes.

I'm a great lover of Victoria, great for all cooking, makes nice roasts as well.

He;d run out of Victoria so we got some Cara (reluctantly i must admit). WOW....dinner today, the wife did them as usual, straight into the oven, no par boiling, but used one of these sprinkle on flavour things for the first time.....excellent roasts, best ive had in ages, crispy, tasty, shame is i dont know if its the potatoes or the sprinkle on stuff...or both.

Goose fat ?....after constantly reading how good it makes roasts, we tried it last christmas...we won't be trying it again.

 

[fossyant]

Par boil, then in oven with olive oil.

 

[paulw1969]

Maris Piper preferably (although i agree not the same as of late) par boil for about ten mins, not too soft, drain, rattle a little in the pan and then into about 5 mm of fat(usually plain old veggie oil) which is as hot as the oven will go....top shelf, 40-45 mins at least at mark 8 ....done...and goose fat is overated in my book........my kids like my roasties more than the wifes......

 

[oldfatfool]

Just tell the wife I want roasties and hey presto they arrive along with beef yorkshires and gravy,dunno what all the fuss is

 

[rusky]

Turn em first soak for a couple of hours. When its time remove joint to a new tray, reduce down that pan liquer and fry on top till browning, into the oven 30 - 45 mins rolling occaisonally.

Translate please!

 

[lukesdad]

Translate please!

Roche les pomme de terre saute sur le plat dans la jus de bouf ous porc ous agneau fume .......

 

[summerdays]

I'm of the par boil, shake and roast team. However I think the biggest difference in how they turn out is the variety ... preferably not too waxy. But as I never remember which variety I'm using I get random results.

Just picked up our first two variety of seed potatoes to chit yesterday - so any suggestions for good roasting varieties gratefully received. (Or nice flavoured - Red Duke of York is one of my favourites, but extremely floury).

 

[lukesdad]

With spuds be it chips crisps or roasties, if you want em crisp soak them in cold water. ( a tip for chips cook them in cooler oil stick em in the fridge till you need them, then a couple of minutes in hot oil )

 

[growingvegetables]

Buy a bag of Aunt Bessies and save the bother

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-uK

 

[ianrauk]

With spuds be it chips crisps or roasties, if you want em crisp soak them in cold water. ( a tip for chips cook them in cooler oil stick em in the fridge till you need them, then a couple of minutes in hot oil )

It's what I learnt from Ma Ianrauk...

 

[growingvegetables]

What about adding crushed garlic & chopped, fresh rosemary??

And the grated rind of a lemon or two {where's the drool smiley}

 

[paulw1969]

Yes, I agree. I've always used goose fat or duck fat (or lard or beef dripping in extremis) but I must say, I've recently realised that plain old sunflower oil works really well for roasties. It's good at high heat and it makes the spuds nice and crispy.

I don't know why, but I feel shamed saying this!

dont feel ashamed.....its the healthie r option......i was brought up on lard and my mother used to have beef dripping sarnies....rarely use lard now and as for eating beef dripping

 

[ttcycle]

Roasties work with veg oil, it's the less fatty option but if using olive oil try a mix with half veg oil/half olive. The olive oil tends to smoke at a lower temperature compared to veg oil so it's good to have the mix. If I'm doing a really all trimmings meal then I do use goose fat. I cut the potatoes in a certain way (angular cuts) so that there's more surface area to crisp up. I am of the par boil in boiling water for about 10 minutes, give them a proper shake then coat in fine semolina (or flour) with salt, pepper and fresh chopped rosemary. The only difference is I take the pan for roasting the potatoes out of the hot oven and put it onto the hob on the flame as I'm spooning potatoes into the tray - make sure they're all covered with the oil by spooning oil over them and then chuck them back into the oven. Perfect roasties each time.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

dont feel ashamed.....its the healthie r option......i was brought up on lard and my mother used to have beef dripping sarnies....rarely use lard now and as for eating beef dripping

Yorkshire Puddings cooked with anything BUT beef dripping are just plain wrong.