How to Make Crunchy Roasted Potatoes

There are few things that foretell of good eating as well as roasted potatoes coming out of the oven with a deep and crunchy golden brown crust on every piece.

Too often though, roasted potatoes are burnt on one side or they never develop that deep crunchy crust that’s so all important.

Well, here’s a recipe that’s pretty much foolproof and which will provide you with the crunchy taters you crave, every time.

Crunchy Roasted Potatoes

You don’t need to worry too excessively about quantities for this recipe – the secret to success lies more in the technique than in measuring spoons or scales.

• Any variety of starchy potato (baking potato) will work great for this recipe. Russets or Idaho for example
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Herbs of your liking (rosemary or thyme work very well)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven 400f
2. Cut your potatoes into 8 wedges each. Place in a pot with cold salted water and bring the water to a boil on the stove top (you are going to parboil the potatoes prior to roasting). Boil until the potatoes have just cooked through but are still holding their shape. (The time depends on the potato used, how long the potato has been stored and the size of the wedges…basically, you just have to check with a fork as you go.)
3. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them very well in a colander and then spread them out onto your baking sheet to dry. Let them cool for a couple of minutes, and then shake them around in the pan a bit. You want to roughen up the surface of the potato as much as you can without agitating so much as to actually break the potatoes. This dry roughened starchy surface is the foundation for a fantastic crunchy crust.
4. Drizzle some olive oil over the potatoes and shake the potatoes around in this olive oil. Continue drizzling and gently shaking until your potatoes are lightly but completely covered in the olive oil. Sprinkle salt over the potatoes and then pop them into your preheated oven.
5. Shake the pan and/or turn the potatoes gently every 10 or 15 minutes, to prevent burning.
6. After about 45 minutes, sprinkle on some fresh herbs, if using, and continue cooking until they are a deep crunchy golden brown, as much as another 30 minutes or so.

These are delicious, perfect beside a cast-iron steak or a roast chicken or…pretty much anything really!

Notes and Variations

1. Some people like to make 3 or 4 small slits in the top of each potato wedges after boiling but prior to baking. This gives the potato more surface area to brown and crisp up.
2. You can parboil these potatoes in advance and roast as needed.
3. These are also very good done with animal fat, such as duck fat or lard, instead of the olive oil.