5 Ingredients or Fewer

Crunchy Roast Potatoes

by:
September 23, 2011
0
0 Ratings
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

I was introduced to this method of roasting potatoes when I married my British husband. His family serves these potatoes with all the roast dinners - turkey, chicken, beef and pork. I vary the recipe occasionally by using drippings, when available, instead of the butter and olive oil. Enjoy! —Robin O'D

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 3 pounds Russet potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • 2 tablespoons Olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Fresh thyme, chopped
  • Salt and pepper
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Position a rack in the top of the oven.
  2. Peel the potatoes and cut them into large even-sized pieces. One regular Russet usually makes 4-6 pieces. Put the potato pieces in a saucepan and cover with water. Add a little salt to the water and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, cook the potatoes for about 5 minutes.
  3. While the potatoes are boiling, place the butter and olive oil on a sheet pan and put in the oven for the fats to heat, then remove.
  4. Carefully drain the potatoes using the lid of the saucepan. Once all the water is drained, put the lid on the pan and shake the pan back and forth to roughen the edges of the potatoes.
  5. Now place the potatoes onto the sheet pan and roll each one around in the fat so that all sides are coated. Season with salt, pepper and the chopped thyme. Place sheet pan on the top shelf of the oven and let them roast without turning for about 50 minutes.
  6. Serve immediately for the best crunch!
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  • Fran McGinty
    Fran McGinty
  • Rhonda35
    Rhonda35
  • Robin O'D
    Robin O'D
  • WileyP
    WileyP

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9 Reviews

cateler
cateler January 6, 2013
Loved loved loved these. Thanks!
 
Robin O.
Robin O. January 6, 2013
Glad you liked them cateler!
 
Fran M.
Fran M. April 15, 2012
OH MAN, These came out so wonderful. Thank you. I love them.
 
Robin O.
Robin O. April 16, 2012
Great to hear Fran! I actually made them this weekend too with a roast chicken!
 
Robin O.
Robin O. April 16, 2012
Great to hear Fran! I made them this weekend too with roast chicken!
 
Rhonda35
Rhonda35 October 2, 2011
Robin -

This is my favorite way to have roast potatoes - the British way! When we lived there, I used to comment about how wonderful the roasted potatoes were and how I needed the recipe - my British friends would look at me like I had 3 eyes - because it is such a basic cooking skill for them - they couldn't believe we Americans didn't make our potatoes this way.

Thanks for sharing this technique with the food52 gang - it will transform the lives of many!! ;-) When I make them, I like to use a little bacon fat and sage instead of thyme - and, as you mention - drippings are perfect, too.

Sure wish my oven was working right now!!
 
Robin O.
Robin O. October 2, 2011
Bacon fat, yum! You have got to get that oven fixed!
 
Robin O.
Robin O. September 25, 2011
Wow, no pressure WileyP! I do hope you try them and they are the ones you are looking for. Please report back so that I know you are OK!
 
WileyP
WileyP September 25, 2011
Robin O'D, thanks so much for yet another recipe for roast potatoes. Now, understand, that I have tried a gizzalion (give or take 20) recipes for roast potatoes that promise a crunchy outer and velvet interior, only to be sorely disappointed on each and every occasion. (Feel any pressure yet?!) I have all but given up...even thought about having a garage sale to get rid of all my cooking equipment. Then I read this recipe of yours, which does seem to have some logic to it. Pre-cook the potatoes (you would do that with deep fried potatoes) and rough up the edges so more of the butter/oil contacts the potato pieces (has to help in making the exterior crispy). Maybe I'll not get rid of all that cookware until I at least give this one a try! And if it doesn't work, well, I'll just jump off a bridge. (I have a real low one over the stream in the north 40!)