Roasted Potatoes

[Jason_R]

The serious eats recipe is definitely one I am going to try – though perhaps with the colander variation rather than baking soda.

What I dont understand is the separating the aromatics from the oil, then adding the oil and then the aromatics back – any reason not to strain and just add the oil with the aromatics all at once?

The oil gets added to the potatoes before they’re roasted. Aromatics get added back after done. Point is made in the article (maybe not the recipe) that roasting with the aromatics and garlic burns the garlic and herbs. This way you get the taste of the potatoes roasting in those flavors and the actual herbs at the end as well.

[Ron_Slye]

Oh that makes sense. And in fact I think I just misread the article. For some reason I thought the oil was added after cooking. Thanks for the clarification!

[Dave_English]

I made this last night, only difference was not using the baking soda. I used Duck Fat. I spooned the remaining slurry over the potatoes (wasn’t too much). Didn’t go as brown as the video and they were super crunchy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. Big thumbs up from me.

[Jason_Crawford]

I don’t like using baking soda. To me, makes food taste funny/more salty. I prefer red creamer potato with duck fat roasted at 400 F for 40 minutes. Cut in half with skin side down.

[Keith_B2]

I like to use baby potatoes, cut in half lengthwise, arranged cut side down on parchment line baking sheet, convection roast at 375 for about 35 to 40 minutes. Peek at them a couple times to let steam escape. Serve with seasoned sour cream. The get crispy and beautiful golden brown on the cut side, no baking soda needed.

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

lots of variations. I’ve settled on parboiling chunks of Yukon golds, smashing them some, coating lightly in olive oil and spices—rosemary, garlic powder, pepper, sometimes paprika—baking in oven till crisp, turning occasionally. Delicious esp with the pan drippings of roast chicken or that provençal bird I posted recently.

I did something like that recently: boil baby gold potatoes in salted water, then smash in oil in the still hot Le Creuset 9Qt pot, then roast a spatchcocked chicken sitting on a cookie rack resting on top so the juices drip down on the crisping potatoes. Chicken was actually seasoned with Hidden Valley ranch dressing powder, which sounds odd but was actually delicious. But the star of the show was the potatoes (no leftovers).

[Betty_C]

I tried out the Serious Eats recipe on one Russet, but I omitted the baking soda. It turned out great! So crispy on the outside, and super fluffy inside. Would definitely make roasted potatoes this way going forward.

[Shan_A]

Any reason to avoid microwaving versus boiling? Would cut down a lot of these recipe times tremendously?

[alan_weinberg]

Any reason to avoid microwaving versus boiling? Would cut down a lot of these recipe times tremendously?

don’t know. I do that w baked potatoes and then finish in oven to save time.

[Lee_Short]

I did something like that recently: boil baby gold potatoes in salted water, then smash in oil in the still hot Le Creuset 9Qt pot, then roast a spatchcocked chicken sitting on a cookie rack resting on top so the juices drip down on the crisping potatoes. Chicken was actually seasoned with Hidden Valley ranch dressing powder, which sounds odd but was actually delicious. But the star of the show was the potatoes (no leftovers).

My standard way of roasting taters is pretty close to this: parboil the potatoes and a few carrot chunks, then place in a roasting pan underneath some kind of roasting meat. Chicken, duck, lamb, pork – all work pretty well. You have to vary the timing so the veggies and the meat are done at the same time – a leg of lamb takes longer to cook than a spatchcocked chicken, so you want to slow roast the leg for some time, then parboil the potatoes and put them under the meat. Make sure the meat is elevated off the veggies in some way (high roasting rack is my usual), or they won’t be brown.

I usually clip some fresh rosemary and sage from the garden and throw the whole bunches in the pan with the veggies. We’re lucky here in PDX to have fresh herbs year round.

[Linda_Baehr]

I tried out the Serious Eats recipe on one Russet, but I omitted the baking soda. It turned out great! So crispy on the outside, and super fluffy inside. Would definitely make roasted potatoes this way going forward.

You should try the baking soda. I’ve made them several times and it really makes the outer surface super fluffy.

[Scott_G_r_u_n_e_r]

Tried the kenji method last night, definitely good. Going to experiment with size of cut spud though as would have liked a more even ratio of crispy and fluffy. The bigger pieces were a bit heavier on the fluffy side for me

[Betty_C]

I tried out the Serious Eats recipe on one Russet, but I omitted the baking soda. It turned out great! So crispy on the outside, and super fluffy inside. Would definitely make roasted potatoes this way going forward.

You should try the baking soda. I’ve made them several times and it really makes the outer surface super fluffy.

I have two potatoes left. I could do a side by side test! The salt-only potato was already plenty fluffy so I can’t imagine what kind of witchcraft the baking soda would be.

Let me just work up the appetite for it.