Achieving the perfect roast potato can be a challenge, but there’s a simple trick that can help you secure a golden, crispy exterior while still keeping a soft and fluffy interior
Roast potatoes are always the best part about a Sunday dinner(Image: Kitzzeh via Getty Images)
When it comes to a Sunday roast, while the meat is often seen as the star of the show, the real champion is undoubtedly the roast potatoes. The ideal roast potato should boast a golden, crunchy exterior while remaining soft and fluffy on the inside.
However, achieving this perfect balance is not always straightforward, especially when managing the various parts of a traditional roast dinner.
Leaving the potatoes in the oven for longer might appear to be the obvious solution for getting that crispy finish, but it frequently leads to burnt potatoes with interiors that become dry and hard, rather than light and fluffy.
According to culinary experts, however, two straightforward steps carried out before you start cooking can help you achieve the perfect golden roastie, and it all comes down to prep.
The method is straightforward: parboil and then freeze your potatoes in advance. Not only does preparing ingredients ahead of time make sense to eliminate some of the pressure on the day, but it can also enhance the flavour of your food, making roasties much crispier when you finally get around to cooking them.
This technique is effective because parboiling helps to remove moisture from the potato’s surface, resulting in superior crispiness during the roasting process, while keeping that desirable, fluffy centre.
Explaining the benefits of freezing roast potatoes before cooking, Sainsbury’s said: “Freeze up to a month ahead. Parboiling potatoes before freezing them is not only a great way to get ahead, it also makes the potatoes extra crunchy when cooked. Roast from frozen while your meat is resting.”
How to make crispy roast potatoes
The preparation of roasties is so straightforward, and if you complete these steps in advance, cooking them on the day becomes virtually effortless.
Peel and chop the potatoes into small pieces, then place them in a saucepan. Pour in some boiling water from the kettle and allow them to simmer for eight to 12 minutes.
After the potatoes have been parboiled, drain them using a colander and give them a vigorous shake to create rough edges before returning them to the saucepan. Cover the pan with a clean tea towel and let the potatoes steam dry and cool for around five minutes.
Following this, take off the tea towel and arrange the potatoes on a baking tray – making sure they are not in contact with each other – then cover loosely with clingfilm and freeze until fully solid. When frozen, move the potatoes into a large freezer bag and keep them until required.
When it comes to roasting your potatoes, there is no need to defrost them in advance. Simply warm some olive oil in a roasting tray at approximately 200°C fan for around five minutes, then carefully place your potatoes in, making certain they are fully covered in the heated oil, and roast for roughly 40 to 50 minutes until beautifully golden and crispy.
Cooking experts at Tesco added: “Freezing cooked potatoes has no negative impact on the taste or texture of your cooking, and in some cases, will add to the delicious crispiness that makes potatoes so irresistible.”
