Roast potatoes
 

After a year of living in Ontario I still haven't found a local potato that roasts perfectly. Yukon Golds have been disappointing. I'm using exactly the same technique that I used with King Edwards for years but they don't seem to be as fluffy or tasty!

Anyone got any tips for adapting the normal technique, or for different varieties to try? Want to make sure I get it sorted by Christmas as my parents are visiting from England.

Thanks!

Re: Roast potatoes
 

I use Russets and you can also try German butter, but I haven't had much success. They are closest to the roast potatoes I had in England.

Good luck
Ruby

Re: Roast potatoes
 

Russet potatoes.

Par boil, bruise and roast.

Don't store your spuds in the fridge. Makes them go darker colour when you cook them - starch turns to sugars faster.

Re: Roast potatoes
 

(because Aunt Bessie hasn't got her Visa yet)

Re: Roast potatoes
 

Red skin ones are the best for roasting - or thats what I've found anyway.

Re: Roast potatoes
 

I always use PEI white potatoes and they come out crispy and brown every time, though I usually whack the oven temperature up for the last 15 minutes.

:)

Re: Roast potatoes
 

I mainly use reds but everything seems to work. Not keen on Russets.

I find no need to parboil. Stick 'em in a ziplock bag with oil (I use extra virgin) and roast them on a flat tray. Perfect every time.

Re: Roast potatoes
 

Doesn't the ziplock melt? :p

My gf gets mad at me because I always say her roast potatoes aren't like my mums. She has taken it as a challenge now I think.

Re: Roast potatoes
 

You need to attend the course "How to Handle a Woman 101".

Re: Roast potatoes
 

I don't know.. her roast potatoes have definitely been improving.. :)

Re: Roast potatoes
 

I have to agree with the consensus of russets. Still haven't got them quite as my mum makes them, but that's a given! I've just settled to get used to my own new standard of good roast spuds (so long as they're slathered in Bisto, I'm happy)! :)

Re: Roast potatoes
 

The best I've found are smallish yellow potatoes with red spots. I don't the name of them but my roasties turn out lovely.

Edited to note: I've just looked on the bag and it says they're White Potatoes, although they have the red bits on the outside. :confused:

Re: Roast potatoes
 

Good point. :o

Re: Roast potatoes
 

use lard or better yet duck or goose fat to roast, olive oil will make roasts so soft and soggy

Re: Roast potatoes
 

I must be doing something wrong. Mine don't. They're perfect. :)

Maybe that's where they don't need parboiling. :unsure:

Re: Roast potatoes
 

Its do-able with oils, but the richer fats will do a nicer job....

and Once you've used duck fat you'll never go back :D

Re: Roast potatoes
 

I want some roast potatoes now. :(

Re: Roast potatoes
 

Another vote for russet

Re: Roast potatoes
 

Oh! The dilemma! LMAO :D:thumbsup:

Re: Roast potatoes
 

I find the trick is to boil whatever type of potato you use in salty water first. The more crumbly and soft you can get the outside without the whole thing collapsing, the better. Also, roast in a lot of oil. I've not found any local potato variety that works as well as a Maris Piper though.

Re: Roast potatoes
 

And after draining off the salty water ... putting the pan back on the stove to 'dry off' and 'fluff up' the spuds before placing them ... while they're still hot into really hot oil (not olive though .. it doesn't work well at high temps.) and after making sure the spuds are throughly covered in oil... sprinkling them with some coarse salt before roasting them in a good hot oven... ;)

The sound and smell of roasting reminds me of Sunday mornings (in the UK) when I was young(er) listening to 'two way family favourites' on the radio while the dinner was cooking.. :p

Re: Roast potatoes
 

Gulp. :o

Re: Roast potatoes
 

For me it was 'Round the Horn', 'The Goon Show' and 'Hancocks Half Hour' :D

Re: Roast potatoes
 

OMG ... how could I have overlooked those ... :lol: Especially when you look at the quote below my posts

Re: Roast potatoes
 

Seems a good moment for this

Re: Roast potatoes
 

Are you thinking what i am thinking?

Re: Roast potatoes
 

I hope not. :blink:

Re: Roast potatoes
 

Probably wise.

Re: Roast potatoes
 

Coconut oil has a higher burn point. That might be good to try. I bet it would make them crispy.

Re: Roast potatoes
 

I haven't had a problem roasting ANY potatoes since I started saving the bacon fat and using that to cook the potatoes. Just have to make sure the fat is sizzling before you put the potatoes in. Oh and I don't par boil them either anymore.

Re: Roast potatoes
 

That would be lard then.

:)

Re: Roast potatoes
 

So, there's something good about fatty, streaky bacon here then. :lol:

Re: Roast potatoes
 

Tee hee

Re: Roast potatoes
 

No-one has addressed the question of melting ziplock bags. I've never heard of putting them in the oven. How does that work? How do you turn the spuds over for even browning every 20 mins or so?

Re: Roast potatoes
 

Many years ago, when visiting UK I went to Winchester and went to a very good restaurant on a Sunday and asked for a roast beef dinner. The roast potatoes were very good ( the Yorkshire Puds were terrible). I asked to s peak to the chef about how he cooked the 'roast potatoes'.

He told me that they were not really roasted What he did was parboiled them, then dried them off , then deep fried them ( as in chips),. When they were golden brown he would put them in the oven to finish them off and become 'roasted potatoes' :)

Re: Roast potatoes
 

They are yummy gussied up by sprinkling flour mixed with grated parmesan over them.

Re: Roast potatoes
 

I imagine that's because it was taken for granted that the ziplock bag was a means to coat the spuds in the oil and wasn't really included in the actual roasting process. ;)

Re: Roast potatoes
 

But the ziplock bag then has to go in the bin making you personally responsible for glocal warming. What I do is to splash the oil/lard/whatever into a bowl, fling in some herbal potion and toss the spuds theatrically. This does the trick so long as one is aware of the risk of splattering some shiny surface.

Re: Roast potatoes
 

Whites, par-boiled for 10 minutes then fluffed, and then into hot canola oil for 40 minutes at 400. I don't turn them. Nobody's complained yet.

Re: Roast potatoes
 

A theatrical flourish always helps with cooking, as does a smallish glass of white port and ice. Or a dry sherry, or a martini.