Perfect Roast Potatoes

50 minutes - 1 hour

Serves 4. Scroll down to Ask Lindsey to see questions she has answered on this recipe

This recipe is from Delia's Winter Collection.

The amounts here are not vital because it depends on who's greedy and who is on a diet and so on.

I find that 8 oz (225 g) per person is enough – yielding three each and a few extras for inevitable second helpings! I like Desirée best of all.

The Delia Online Cookery School: You can watch how to make Perfect Roast Potatoes in our video, just click the image to play.

Got a question on Delia's recipes? Ask Lindsey

Ask a Question

Roasting potatoes in oil

Asked by: Anna Ginevra

Perfect Roast Potatoes: can I replace the lard or fat with butter or olive oil?

Answered by Lindsey: Hello, If you want to replace lard for roasting potatoes, due to the higher smoke point groundnut or sunflower oil are better when roasting at a high temperature compared to olive oil and butter. Kind regards Lindsey

The roasting tray for the perfect roast potatoes

Asked by: kettle

Hi Lindsay Can you let me know where to purchase the baking sheet that Delia uses for her roast potatoes? A sheet that you can put on the hob. Just watched Delia's roast potato video. Many thanks Linda

Answered by Lindsey: Hello Linda, This is the one we used in the cookery school. https://www.silverwood-bakeware.com/collections/roasting-tins-trays/products/14-1-2-x-12-x-3-4-inch-oven-roasting-tray Kind regards Lindsey

A step ahead with roast potatoes

Asked by: Laura cat queen

Hi Lindsey, I'm following delias instructions for crunchy roast potatoes because she never steers me wrong. Am I able to par boil and fluff my potatoes the day before? And if so what's the best way to store them? Thank you.

Answered by Lindsey: Hello, We would peel a day ahead and store covered in fresh water in the fridge. Then if it helps, par boil and rough up a few hours ahead of roasting. Kind regards Lindsey

Method

First place the roasting tray with the fat in it on the highest shelf of the oven while it pre-heats.

Thinly peel the potatoes using a potato peeler, then leave the small ones whole and cut the larger ones in half. Put them in a steamer fitted over a large pan of boiling water, sprinkle the salt all over them, put a lid on, turn the heat down to low and steam the potatoes for about 10 minutes. After that lift one out with a skewer and see if the outer edge is fluffy. You can test this by running the point of the skewer along the surface – if it stays smooth, give it a few more minutes. Then drain off the water (reserving some for the gravy if you like).

Place the lid back on the saucepan, and, holding the lid on firmly with your hand protected by a cloth or oven glove, shake the saucepan vigorously from side to side then turn the pan upside down and give it another shake. This shaking roughens up the cooked edges of the potato and makes them floury and fluffy – this is the secret of the crunchy edges. Now, still using the oven glove to protect your hands, remove the hot roasting tray containing its sizzling fat and transfer to the direct heat (medium) on the hob. Then use a long-handled spoon and quickly lower the potatoes into the hot fat.

When they are all in, turn each one over a couple of times so it's completely coated with fat. Now place them back on the highest shelf of the oven and leave them unattended for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until they are golden brown. There's no need to turn them over at half-time – they will brown evenly by themselves. Sprinkle them with a little crushed salt before serving straight away; they lose their crunch if you keep them waiting. If they're ready before you are, turn the oven off and leave them inside.