Roasted: Roast potatoes

Subject: Roast potatoes
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: Diane (Boo at telus.net)
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2000 11:42:04 -0800
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How do I get my roasted potatoes to turn out golden brown and crispy on the outside? I consider myself fairly decent in the area of cooking but mine always turn out either burned and miserable or mushy and horrible. Help...my family considers them a running joke. Probably why we always have mashed with our roast beef dinner.
From: Jack Schidt (jack.schidt at worldnet.att.net)
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2000 15:01:36 -0500
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Once the potatoes are arranged in the pan, spray them with some olive oil. I use a plant schpritz bottle, so I can avoid using PAM.

Jack Spud
From: Dimitri (DIMITRI_C at prodigy.net)
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2000 12:53:34 -0800
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Diane wrote:
> I consider myself fairly decent in the area of cooking but mine
> always turn out either burned and miserable or mushy and horrible.

The real question is what are you doing now?

Roasting the potatoes should be a fairly simple process. I usually wash and dry the potatoes then just quarter the potatoes or cut them into eighths and put them into a bowl and toss with a little salt, pepper and olive oil, maybe some garlic.

The question then becomes how and when and where are you roasting them?

If I am making a *dry roasted* roast, then the roast is usually on a rack. The potatoes go in on the pan below the roast (depending on the size of the cut) about 45 minutes before the roast is done. If it is a pot roast I usually use a baking sheet that has been oiled lightly. When they are brown they are done.

I think the real trick here is knowing when to put then into the oven and just moistening them with a little oil .
From: Alan Boles (hahabogus at hotmail.com)
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2000 21:05:22 GMT
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If you are cooking them in with a roast. Baste them even if you don't baste the roast. Need to have some oil on the surface of the tatters for them to brown up nicely.
From: Dimitri (DIMITRI_C at prodigy.net)
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2000 17:19:41 -0800
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Robert W. Keereweer wrote:
> As usual Dimitri, your post is top notch. But you broke my heart
> by leaving paprika out of the above...

I only use the paprika if I'm serving to Hungarians :-)

As always you're correct the paprika is great insurance for nice brown skin/crust and a delicate flavor - also great on roast chicken - Another old trick.
From: HELEN PEAGRAM (mom1 at globalserve.net)
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 10:57:04 -0500
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Hi Diane; Ok, my hubby loves roasties and used to make them himself until he found I did a better job.

Here's what I do. Peel and quarter potatoes. Put in boiling water and boil for 10 minutes.

While the potatoes are boiling, put a pan ( I use the same one all the time because it does get badly used) in a 450 degree oven with a good dollop of fat, I use bacon fat. Allow to preheat til smoking.

Drain potatoes and shake in the pot.

Dump into the hot fat and turn to coat potatoes.

Leave in the oven til golden and crispy, about 1 hour. Turn occasionally.
From: Harry A. Demidavicius (harryd at telusplanet.net)
Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 05:29:10 GMT
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>How do I get my roasted potatoes to turn out golden brown and crispy on the
>outside?

Select a "good roasting potato" [starchy].
blanch them
Coat with olive oil and soy
salt & pepper to taste.
Under a["high"] broiler until they look brown and done.
[move them around during the process - should take about an hour or more]
From: richard green (richardgreensemail at bigpond.com)
Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 23:29:12 +1100
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Also make sure that you dry them thoroughly after washing or par boiling. Some people say that after par boiling you should place potatoes in a paper bag to squelch the surface (lightly). This roughens the outer layer, increasing the surface area and allowing the flaky bits to crisp up better. Roast in a hot oven, as suggested, say, 225 degrees.
regards,
From: penmart10 at aol.com (Sheldon)
Date: 16 Jan 2000 11:28:33 GMT
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Diane wrote:
>How do I get my roasted potatoes to turn out golden brown and crispy on the
>outside? mine always turn out either burned and miserable or mushy and horrible.

Use "new potatoes" (smallish and similarly sized), peel or partially peel, lightly coat with vegetable oil (salt and pepper if desired) place in shallow pan (one layer - don't crowd) and and roast in hot oven (next to top shelf) til golden.
From: Steve Martin (smartco at my-deja.com)
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 18:31:12 GMT
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PERFECT ROAST POTATOES

Serves 4-6

1.5kg/3lb floury potatoes (preferably all similar in size)
dripping, goose or duck fat, for basting
about 2 heaped tbsp plain flour
1/2 tsp soft thyme leaves (optional)
few whole unpeeled garlic cloves (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Peel the potatoes and cut into large even-sized pieces. Place in a pan of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, then drain and return to the pan for a minute or so to dry out.

Preheat a large roasting tin with 1cm/1/2in deep of dripping, goose or duck fat for a few minutes until just smoking. Place the flour in a small bowl, season generously and add soft thyme leaves, if using. Place the potatoes in a colander and toss them in a handful of the seasoned flour. You'll need to do this quite vigorously so the edges start to break up slightly.

Arrange the potatoes, flat-side down in the hot fat and baste the tops, adding the garlic cloves at this point for a different dimension, if liked. Position in the oven and cook for 20 minutes before turning the potatoes over. Cook for a further 20 minutes, then pour off the majority of the fat. Cook for a final 20 minutes until crispy around the edges and golden brown.

Tip

If you only have one oven and need to cook the potatoes in the same one as the chicken. Simply place them on the top shelf and increase the heat to maximum once the chicken has been taken out to rest. They will not be quite as crispy but will still taste delicious!
From: Harry A. Demidavicius (harryd at telusplanet.net)
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 22:14:42 GMT
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Here's what works at our house. Just make sure you get a starchy potato - it produces a better result. The soy adds colour as well as flavour.

Harry's Roasted Potatoes

4 to 5 lbs potatoes
1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil
1/3 cup hot water
1 tbsp dark Soya sauce
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp powdered oregano
1/2 tsp powdered garlic, to taste

1) Peel & quarter the potatoes. The chunks should all be about the same size.

2) Parboil them for about 10-15 minutes, drain & turn out into a 9x13 inch casserole dish.

3) Mix all the other ingredients and pour over the potatoes taking care that all the surfaces have been coated.

3) Place into an oven preheated to 350 deg. F. for about 30-40 minutes, while turning occasionally so that all the sides get golden brown. Remove from heat & serve.

Serves 6

Source: Harry Demidavicius
From: kris at vilnya.demon.co.uk (Kris Dow)
Date: 18 Jan 2000 12:30:18 GMT
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I've found that the real secret is to use a pan that will hold the heat. (Delia Smith uses a metal roasting pan that is sturdy enough to put on the stovetop, to keep it warm while adding potatoes, but I use either a ceramic roasting pan, or a glass one, and give them plenty of time to preheat.)

First thing is to put the roasting pan in to pre-heat (I don't do them in the same pan as the roast, because I find I have better control if I do it seperately) with just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. (If you have too much oil, the potatoes don't brown nicely.)

As others have said, pre-boil the potatoes, just until the outsides begin to soften. (About 10 minutes, depending on the size of the potato pieces. I tend to cut mine to ~1.5 inch "cubes", or as cubed as potatoes get, anyway. Sometimes that means quartering, sometimes more, depending on the size of the potato.) Drain *well*. (I normally let them sit in the stainer for about 5 minutes above the cooking pot, to get all of the water out. Shake them around a little to fluff up the outsides, so they absorb the hot oil well.)

Remove the pan from the oven, pour the potatoes in, and toss them around in the oil quickly, then pop the pan back in the oven. (I've also been known to toss the potatoes in oil just lightly before adding them to the hot oil in the pan, to get an even coating, but that's not the "classic" way of doing it, and once you get the amount of hot oil right, you don't really have a problem getting the potatoes coated evenly without having too much excess oil in the pan.) It takes ~45 minutes for them to cook, although I've found that can vary some. After about 30 minutes I like to turn the potatoes just so they brown a bit more evenly. When you're getting close to 45 minutes or so, keep an eye on them. In my experience the dratted things can go from "perfect" to "burned to a crisp" in no time flat, unless you're there watching, in whcih case they stubbornly refuse to brown. (That whole watched-pot thing. <grin> :)

Anyway, the secret is keeping as much heat as possible in the pan and the oil, so they start crisping immediately, and to precook them to get a nice floury coating on the outside, which is what gives the nice crust. Also, you have to serve them ASAP once they're done. In my experience roasted potatoes do *not* hold well, so I normally time the rest of the meal around them. The vege and meat can be reheated if the potatoes take a little longer.