I know, I know: “A recipe? On this website? Kim, WTF?”
Bear with me.
As always, this year I’m hosting our family Boxing Day dinner, only this time without New Wife to help with the cooking.
This would not be a problem, because I know how to make the meal of roast beef:
However, the one thing I’ve never been able to master is the quintessential companion to rozzbiff: roast potatoes.
And without New Wife — did I already mention that she’s gone AWOL to some family reunion thing in Cape Town? — I was going to be in trouble because I won’t say my kids are traditionalists, but any substitution of other potato formats (mash etc.) would likely cause taunting, ugly facial expressions and perhaps even a hanging.
So these past few days I’ve been experimenting, bigly, trying out various suggestions and different methodologies until finally, I figured it out. Here, then, is Uncle Kim’s Roast Potato Recipe:
Use Yukon Gold potatoes only; just note that large ones will require longer cooking time — I prefer to use the baby ones, myself.
Skin the things, and parboil them for about 15 minutes. I’ve found that it works better if you drop them in cold water and bring to boil rather than dropping them into already-boiling water.
Now, about that water: drop a half- to full teaspoon of baking soda into the water first and stir until the stuff has completely mixed in (beware clumps), and then add a teaspoonful of iodized salt. (There’s a whole thing about alkali water being better for the potatoes to cook in than acidic water, but I don’t want to bore you to tears with the chemistry explanation.)
Remove the potatoes from the boiling water, and allow to cool for just a bit. Pat dry with a paper towel — this is important, because they need to be completely dry at this point — then use a fork to lightly scrape the outsides.
Spray the potatoes with some avocado oil, and sprinkle with just a little coarse kosher salt. Stick the whole lot in a baggie and shake gently. The salt “roughs up” the surface of the potatoes, which will make them crispy on the outside when cooked.
To cook: Set the air fryer to 400, or pre-heat the oven to 450. Cook for no less than 15 minutes — longer if you’re using the large potatoes or doing a large batch of the small ones.
Do not let the potatoes touch each other in the oven: keep them separated.
Take out of the oven, and allow to sit for a just a few minutes. Cut them lengthways in half — if for any reason they’re still undercooked in the middle, just pop them back in the oven for a few minutes more. Then serve.
Do not be surprised if these roast potatoes take the place of French fries in your future meals. You have been warned.
Kim, Kim, Kim (shakes head slowly) – no need for all that palaver. Here’s the Truebrit way.
Any floury spud, cut fairly uniformly but irregularly. At least four per person, plus a couple three extra, just in case. Have a short slurp of vino as a reward. Par-boil for maybe 10 minutes if they’re particularly hefty. Have a slurp of vino whilst that happens and hear your oven to 180 fan (pretty hot). Prepare a suitable roasting tray with probably half an inch of your chosen fat – goose, dripping, light olive oil – none of that foul veggie stuff – and stick it in the oven to heat
Drain off the water, leave the potatoes in the pan and put the pan back on the hob. Let them steam-dry in the residual heat for a while, slurping vino to pass the time.
Put the lid on the pan, and give those spuds a thorough spanking, ahem I mean shaking – this roughs up the side such that they get crispy in the oven.
Put your wine down for a sec and get the now smoking hot pan out of the oven. Tip your spuds into the hot oil – a satisfying hissing sound should be heard – and shove that back in the oven. Have a glass of vino as you’ll have burned yourself with the oil splattering.
Turn the potatoes now and then, when you remember cos everything’s getting a little fuzzy, until the roughed up bits get crispy and golden. When they are tanned to your satisfaction, take them out, tip into a warmed receptacle, sprinkle liberally with coarse sea salt (Malden is best) and present at the table.
Reward yourself with a glass of vino, and scoff the spuds whilst hot. Yer welcome.
I was about to congratulate Kim for his research and experimentation until I read this. Sounds much more fun! lol
What’s really funny is that she sounds like she’s exaggerating about the vino thing, but I happen to know she isn’t.
My missus uses coconut oil for roasting tatties. Best roast tatties ever.
I would recommend using duck fat, but I didn’t feel like driving all the way to Plano just to get some.
A penalty for choosing to live out in the sticks.
Absolutely. Unfortunately, here in clogland luxury items such as duck fat isn’t available even from a butcher. I suppose I could try the Chinese supermarket and ask for the dripping from the cooked duck. Failing that it is hooking one out of the polder. Shooting said duck is not an option as private gun ownership is heavily restricted here.
What is your roast process, Kim? There are so many out there. Start super hot, start low, sear later, etc, etc, etc. I am sure you’ve perfected this over the years. I’d love to know how you do it.
JC
It all depends how pink you want your beef to be in the middle.
If the beef is bone-in, slow cook at 200 for a couple hours first, then sear. If it’s boneless, sear all sides first until crispy, then cook at 350 for an hour.
The latter will create a very thick crust (which my family insists on).
We make these for holidays, didn’t know about the baking soda, I usually steam them till 85-90% done, and then spin them around in the steamer to rough them up a little so that you get more crispy edges. We do them in the oven or on the stove top in cast iron with oil about half way up the potatoes and flip them several times. They don’t stay crispy if you hold them very long so timing is key. They are great the next morning chopped and sauteed.
“They are great the next morning chopped and sauteed.”
I wouldn’t know. We never have any leftovers.
Rumor is that my brother will give me an air fryer at Christmas. I am therefore observing all comments here closely and taking copious notes. I have done roasts in the regular oven, so some of this air fryer business will be experimental.
“Now, about that water: drop a half- to full teaspoon of baking soda into the water first and stir until the stuff has completely mixed in (beware clumps), and then add a teaspoonful of iodized salt.”
Stupid question: how much water?
Not stupid. As long as the potatoes are fully covered, that’s how much.
Nom.
I am one of those whose best contribution to cooking the Christmas feast is doing the washing up.
My wife has had good results roasting potatoes in a cast iron pan I think. Im not sure since I figured out that the more I stay out of her way and generally out of the kitchen, I tend to eat better