The holiday season is finally upon us! So what better way to celebrate the festive season than to show up to your next holiday dinner party with the ultimate crowd-favourite side dish: the roast potatoes! With a few tips and tricks, I’ll show you the way to get the perfect crispy yet fluffy roast potatoes.

What is a perfect roast potato? A perfectly roasted potato is a thing of beauty – crispy and golden on the outside, while fluffy and tender within. After years of testing different methods, I’m excited to share my perfected recipe that combines traditional techniques with a few special touches to create what I believe are the ultimate roast potatoes.

Why These Potatoes Are Special

The secret to these exceptional roast potatoes lies in the careful combination of high-quality ingredients and time-tested techniques. The initial parboiling followed by roughing up the edges creates more surface area for crisping, while the hot fat ensures that perfect golden exterior. The addition of aromatic garlic, fresh rosemary, and bright lemon zest elevates these from simple roast potatoes to a memorable side dish worthy of any holiday table.

Understanding the Ingredients

1. The fat: Your choice of fat will significantly impact both flavor and texture. Duck or goose fat creates exceptionally crispy potatoes with a rich, savory flavor that’s perfect for special occasions. For a lighter option, neutral vegetable or canola oil works wonderfully. Butter should be avoided as its low smoke point causes burning at the high temperatures needed for proper crisping.
2. The potato: The choice of potato is crucial for this recipe. While any roasting potato variety will work, each brings its own characteristics to the final dish. Russets offer a particularly fluffy interior, while Yukon Golds provide a naturally buttery flavor. Red-skinned potatoes hold their shape beautifully while still achieving that desired crispy exterior.
3. Aromatics: The combination of fresh rosemary, garlic, and lemon zest creates a fragrant oil that infuses the potatoes with Mediterranean flavors. This aromatic mixture is added later in the cooking process to prevent the garlic from burning while ensuring maximum flavor impact.
4. Time: patience is key when it comes to potatoes! They will take a long time to cook, approximately 1-1.5 hours in the oven. We will also be parboiling it so cut down on time.

The Technique

The road to perfect roast potatoes requires patience and attention to detail. The process begins with proper parboiling – cooking the potatoes until they’re just tender enough to be pierced with a fork. This initial cooking stage is crucial for developing the fluffy interior we’re seeking.

The often-overlooked drying period after parboiling is essential for achieving maximum crispiness. During this time, excess moisture evaporates, allowing for better crisping in the oven. The vigorous shaking technique, which might seem aggressive, creates those desirable rough edges that become delightfully crispy during roasting.

Preheating the fat is another critical step that ensures immediate sizzling when the potatoes are added, promoting that coveted crispy exterior. The long roasting time allows for proper development of both texture and flavor, while regular turning ensures even cooking.

The final addition of the aromatic oil and honey drizzle brings everything together, creating layers of flavor that make these potatoes truly memorable.

Storage and Reheating

While these potatoes are best served fresh from the oven, they can be partially prepared in advance. The potatoes can be parboiled and roughed up several hours ahead, then stored uncovered in the refrigerator until ready to roast. If you need to reheat them, use a hot oven (200°C/390°F) to help restore some crispiness.

Ingredients

1 kg potatoes (Russets, Red washed, Yukon Gold etc), peeled and chopped into chunks
Your chosen fat (duck fat, goose fat, vegetable oil etc)
1 sprig rosemary, minced
1 lemon, zest
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
olive oil
honey
parmesan
parsley, garnish

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200C/390F.
2. Boil your potatoes in salted water for 15 minutes or until fork tender. Drained and place the potatoes back into the empty pot. Cover and shake the pot vigorously so break up the edges slightly (this add to the crispy texture of your roast potatoes). Set aside to dry for 15 minutes
3. Meanwhile make the garlic & rosemary oil. In a bowl, combine the garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, 3 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside
4. Pour your chosen fat (i used vegetable oil) into a baking pan, enough to cover the bottom of your pan. Place the baking pan with the fat into the oven for 15-20 minutes.
5. Once the fat is hot, take the baking pan out of the oven and CAREFULLY drop in the potatoes. Toss the potatoes in the fat to even coat all sides and put it back into the oven for 1-1.5 hours, tossing the potatoes every 20-30 minutes.
6. 30 minutes before the potatoes are done, add the garlic and rosemary oil into the potatoes, toss well to evenly distribute and bake for a final 30 minutes.
7. Top with a drizzle of honey, salt, parmesan and parsley.