Roasted Potatoes

Potatoes parboiled, then roasted in plenty of hot fat until golden and crisp outside and fluffy inside. Use more fat than seems necessary and cook them longer than you expect.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lbs potatoes (Yukon Gold or russet), cut into halves or thirds
• ½ cup (¼ cup for the low-fat version) of duck fat (or clarified butter or neutral oil)
• Salt
• 6 unpeeled whole cloves of garlic (optional)
• 6 sprigs of thyme (optional)
• 3 sprigs of rosemary (optional)

Roasting & Baking

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Frying in the Oven→

Method

Two rules for great roasted potatoes: Use more fat than you think you should, and cook them longer than you think they need.

For the best result, use duck fat (or even beef fat). Not only is the flavor amazing, but duck fat yields crispier potatoes. Peanut oil also yields nice crispy potatoes. Don't use butter. It has too much moisture content, which hinders browning. However, clarified butter or ghee work well.

Parboil

Peel and cut the potatoes into halves, or thirds if they are particularly large. Cover them with cold salted water in a large pot, then bring them to a boil and boil them for 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them sit to steam dry for 5 minutes. Drier potatoes yield crispier results.

Roast

While the potatoes are drying in the colander, preheat the oven to 400°F.

Add half of the fat to a baking tray, arrange the potatoes flat side down, pour the remaining fat over the top, then season with salt. A ½ cup of fat may seem excessive, but most people don't add enough fat, and essentially end up with soft baked potatoes rather than crispy roasted potatoes.

Roast for about 60–70 minutes, turning twice (every 20 minutes), until deeply golden and crisp outside and tender inside. When the potatoes become golden brown (after around 40 minutes), flip them a second time, add the aromatics (if using), and return them to the oven. Most people take them out too soon. Remember, roasted potatoes are very difficult to overcook. So don't be timid about cooking them until the outside is deeply golden.