How to Make Perfect, Crispy, Oven Roasted Potatoes
By Cloverleaf
My friends and family go crazy for my crispy roast potatoes, and I really don't do anything too special to make them turn out perfectly every time. Perfect roast potatoes can be achieved by following a few easy, basic steps.
First of all, the type and quality of the potato that you use is important in any roast potato recipe. Choose a potato that is more on the floury side than the waxy side, such as the King Edward potato. The King Edward potato makes a great choice for roasting because it crisps up nicely on the outside with a light and fluffy texture on the inside; this also makes the King Edward potato a great option for homemade fries or chips.
OK, so here are the things you will need to make a good batch of perfect roast potatoes:-
- 6 Large Potatoes (peeled, quartered and thoroughly rinsed)
- 8 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- Salt for Seasoning
The first thing you will want to do is make sure your oven is good and hot. So if you are cooking meat to serve with your roast potatoes then the best time to crank up the oven is after you have taken the meat out to rest. A temperature of 220C/425F/gas mark 7 is essential for getting your roast potatoes cooked through and crispy-crunchy. Pour the olive oil into a non-stick roasting pan and place it the oven to get really, really hot.
While the oven is reaching temperature, you are ready to parboil your potatoes. Parboiling potatoes before roasting them gives them a little "helping hand" in the cooking process and softens the edges to achieve a better crisp texture in the oven.
Put your potato pieces in a large pot, add enough cold water to slightly cover, add a pinch of salt, and bring to the boil. Simmer for no longer than 4 minutes. Drain all the water from the pot and then (with your hand firmly on the lid) give the pot 3 or 4 "shakes" to gently rough up the edges of the potatoes.
TIP: Reserve the drained water from your parboiled potatoes to use in the gravy.
Very carefully remove the pan from the oven and add the parboiled potatoes. Quickly turn them to coat in the oil and then put the pan back in the oven on the top shelf. Cook the potatoes for approximately 50-60 minutes, turning half way through.
Remember: Do's and Don'ts for Perfect Oven Roasted Potatoes
Do
- Wash potatoes thoroughly to remove excess starch
- Parboil them for 4 minutes
- Rough up the edges in the pot after draining
Don't
- Have the oven temperature too low
- Open the oven door more than you have to or the temperature will drop
- Flip or move the potatoes more than necessary in the roasting pan or they will turn mushy
Use a spatula to remove your perfect roast potatoes from the pan and transfer them onto paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Give them a good sprinkle of salt for added flavour and they are ready to serve!
Absolutely delicious served with Roast Beef, Yorkshire Puddings and Homemade Gravy.
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Comments
Jeannie, hope you enjoy (when you get more potatoes) LOL cheers for the vote up.
This hub has made me hungry. Lol.
Yes, they sound absolutely delicious however haven't see King Edward spuds here.
caramellatte, I was drooling writing the hub :-)
Writer20 - you could substitute Desiree, Yukon Gold or Red Skin if you can't get hold of King Edward potatoes.
Yukon Golds are great taste potatoes.
How do you keep your meat hot when the potatoes go in the oven for an hour more?
I love a crisp roast potato but I didn't know about shaking them to rough them up.
I have yet to meet a kiwi who can cook a good roast potato, they seem to like them very pale and dry but not crisp if you know what I mean. Its just the same in restaurants. What they have grown up with I guess. I am slowly getting my kiwi partner accustomed to crispy roasts lol
They sound so good, Clover! I'll have to try them sometime. Thank you!
writer20, I don't cook beef very much but for a chicken or turkey I find that tenting it with foil and for 45 minutes actually makes it juicier and easier to carve, and then I need about 15 mins to properly carve it anyway.
Rosemay50, thank you for stopping by to comment, yes pale roast potatoes can be very disappointing can't they? Time to shake em up!
Susie, hope you enjoy! :-)
Very inspiring and useful information about "perfect roast potatoes". Thank you very much for share with us. I love your tips above. Vote up!
Prasetio30, thanks so much for your comment and vote up !
I LOVE these potatoes and they are so easy to make. good info.
Mmm a definite to try out.
Thank you for sharing.
Take care
Eiddwen.
Thanks, Denise, yes it's really quite simple once you get the hang of it. I think a lot of people shy away from making them because they think it is difficult.
Eiddwen - enjoy, my friend!
I think I just might have to give these a try also. They sound yummy! I saw that you served with a sprig of rosemary. I bet these would be good baked with rosemary also.
homesteadbound, yes you're absolutely right in fact these can be baked with any kind of spice or herb that suits your taste. The rosemary is a lovely compliment if serving with roast lamb.
Cloverleaf.
I made these last night for supper with rosemary! yummy! My husband and I loved them. Rarely do I cook anything that takes an hour, but they were really good. I will be making them again.
Hi homesteadbound, I'm so pleased that you enjoyed them! Sometimes we just can't rush perfection :-)
Cloverleaf.
Cloverleaf- So true! So true! But it was worth the wait!
This is my kind of recipe! I love potatoes and often enjoy them made in this fashion. I had never heard of "King Edward Potatoes" and will have to see if they are available in my area. Great job! Voting up and sharing!
JSMatthew~
I will definitely have to try this recipe out. I love potatoes and love to have them with steak or any other kind of beef. mashed potatoes get old after a while so i will give this a shot. thanks for sharing. voted useful and voted up.
Hi J.S.Matthew,
We just finished having some crispy roast potatoes with our Sunday dinner - yummy! I can never seem to tire of them. If you can't get hold of King Edwards in Massachusetts then Desiree, Yukon Gold or Red Skin potatoes work well for this recipe, too.
Thanks for voting up, you're the best!
Cloverleaf.
Hello Fullerman5000,
I think you'd like these crispy roast potatoes with steak. They are so versatile and work well with any kind of meat or vegetables and are a very nice alternative to mashed potatoes. Let me know how you get on! Thanks for the visit and comment,
Cloverleaf.
Yum Yum I like taters about anyway you can fix them except those damnable instant ones.
If it weren't to the diabetes, I'd make these tomorrow! Oh well, they still sound scrumptious! [voted up and useful]
I love eating roast potatoes. Thanks for the hints for making them. I could imagine their taste as I was reading your hub!
I have never boiled my potatoes first, will have to try that. Would you also do that with other veggies that you are roasting, e.g., sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, or other root veggies?
Wow looks so amazing in the picture am starting to get hungry now lol
your hub is really tasty and delightful.i would definately follow this.
Hi Fiddleman, oooh no packets of instant potatoes allowed in my house either, it's got to be the real deal!
Tarrka, sorry for teasing you but I'm so happy that you left feedback and commented, I appreciate you as always.
Alicia, I made some of these yesterday and they turned out just as crispy as the picture - we have leftovers for tonight too - yummy! Thanks for your comment.
Robin, thanks for your excellent question. Sometimes I make mixed roasted vegetables where I don't parboil them first but just cut them up a bit smaller, coat all over with olive oil, salt and pepper and then roast same temperature for about 30 mins turning half way. Use onion, sprouts, sweet potato, parsnip, carrot etc, they are all good!
Hi Ploy, I think we make each other hungry when we read each others hubs haha. By the way, we followed your beef salad recipe on Saturday and it turned out GREAT!!!!
Hello asmaifikhar, thanks for stopping by to comment, let me know how it turns out for you - enjoy :-)
Cloverleaf.
These sound delicious!!! I've been trying to find some good recipes for potatoes since the only way we eat them is baked, mashed, or twice baked. Thanks for the good idea and delicious sounding recipe!
Hi asktheexperts,
I'm happy that you have now found a new way to make potatoes! I'm looking forward to coming over to read some of your own hubs. Have a great evening and thanks for your comment!
Cloverleaf.
I am going to try and make them tonight for my wife. Hope they turn out as good as you make them sound.
Hi Cloverleaf, i cooked a roast last sunday and burnt my wife's posh Jamie Oliver pan to smithereens, whilst steaming the vegies, because i was on hubpages instead of in the kitchen keeping an eye on the roast. I'm the roast dinner specialist, mainly because it's pretty basic to prepare. I'll try your suggestion and if they aren't very nice i'll know who to blame. :)
Hi attemptedhumour,
How many times have I too had one eye on the kitchen and one eye on HubPages? LOL
I have to agree with you though, a good roast is simple to prepare. People think it's very difficult because there are lots of different elements to it but for the most part I just shove everything in the oven and it works out just fine. Roast potatoes are actually quite forgiving just as long as the oil is good and hot. Good luck!
Cloverleaf.
Thanks for posting a recipe that can go so well with so many meals! Your tips are really helpful ones. Looks like it's already a big hit! :)
Hi RTalloni,
Thanks! These potatoes are very versatile, I make them a lot and they are always a big hit!
Cloverleaf.
Louise... Your hub make me dribbling lol
Hi Ploy, glad you are enjoying! :-)
Hi Clover! I make over roasted potatoes often but never considered parboling them first...clever idea! I'll try it next time for the fun of it :) You are such a food rock star hubber!
Hi Sunshine!
Aw you're so sweet. I've never been called a food rock star hubber before! Parboiling the potatoes makes a huge difference. That's what makes them nice and fluffy on the inside :-)
Enjoy!
Cloverleaf.
Gosh those look so good. I love potatoes in general and these look so great. I look forward to trying your crisp roast potatoes recipe. They look perfect as you say.
I have been planning some potatoes like this after seeing some on an onion mix pack at the store. Can't believe I have never tried them. The only ones we make like that is with bacon strips and well you just get to a point you can't have all the bacon you want, but your potatoes sound perfectly safe and delicious, thank you!
I am going to try this tomorrow. Thanks for sharing.
Jeannieinabottle 9 months ago
This is a really helpful hub. Your roasted potatoes sound delicious. I will have to try out this recipe one day. For now, I just have one lonesome leftover potato. I will save this for another time. Voted up!