How to Make Perfect Roasted Potatoes (English Style Roasted Potatoes)

How to Make Perfect Roasted Potatoes (English Style Roasted Potatoes). Forget mashed, roast those potatoes! Learn how to create a crispy outside with a steaming fluffy inside every time. Great with roast chicken, beef or pork and wonderful served with roasted garlic and sour cream. Soooo delicious.

English Style Roasted Potatoes. Crispy outside, fluffy and steaming inside.

Originally published February 2010.

The time has come for a potato revolution.

To be clear at the outset, I am not here to disparage the simple but somewhat utilitarian boiled potato. The boiled potato stands on its own merits and has served many a Jigg’s Dinner admirably over the centuries.

Even if familiarity has not bred contempt for this most common of boiled vegetables, one could never be blamed for proclaiming it…well, not to be unkind but…boring.

English Style Roasted Potatoes. Crispy outside, fluffy and steaming inside.

Having taken so much of our culinary heritage in this province from the United Kingdom, I have always thought it curiously surprising that we never adopted the iconic British roast potato into our own traditional fare.

If a juicy beef joint or succulent chicken is king of the time-honoured British “Sunday Roast”, then the roast potato is certainly a crown prince.

Roasted in oil, butter, or even in goose or other animal fat, no proper British Sunday dinner would be complete without them and once you’ve sampled a well prepared roast potato, I’ve no doubt you’ll discover why.

These Roasted Potatoes are so easy to prepare.

The straight-forward method of making these is also the secret to their success. The potatoes are parboiled before roasting, which loosens up the starches at the surface.

A “dry” potato like a plain, dependable, old russet variety is best for roast potatoes because their surface starches break down more easily. The fat then combines with those surface starches to create a crispy exterior which surrounds a piping hot, almost creamy, center.

I like to use Russet Potatoes for this recipe.

With their crispy jackets and steaming fluffy inside, my family finds these spuds irresistible. My ten year old son, in particular, loves them; often having second and third helpings.

You may also want to try these Lemon Herb Roasted Potatoes. So crispy & delicious!

Lemon Herb Roasted Potatoes

We like to roast garlic along with the potatoes. We love to squeeze the sweet, sticky, roasted cloves onto our plates to be eaten along with the potatoes and a generous dollop of sour cream; truly one of the simplest and best things I have ever eaten.

Can you ever get enough garlic?

Give this almost effortless recipe a try and you’ll see why I say so. Viva la revolution!

For other suggestions to go with any roast dinner, you may also want to check out our Thanksgiving Side Dishes. 

Like this English Style Roasted Potatoes recipe?

You’ll find lots of other great ideas in our  Side Dishes Category. For great weekend cooking ideas, be sure to check out our Slow Cooked Sundays Category.
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Yield: 6 servings

How to Make Perfect Roasted Potatoes (English Style Roast Potatoes)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

How to Make Perfect Roasted Potatoes (English Style Roast Potatoes) - forget mashed!...roast those potatoes! Learn how to create a crispy outside with a steaming fluffy inside every time. Great with roast chicken, beef or pork and wonderful served with roasted garlic and sour cream. Soooo delicious.

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Ingredients

• 6 medium to large sized russet potatoes, peeled
• ¼ cup olive oil, butter or other oil will work as well; a butter/olive oil combination is very good too
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 whole garlic bulb broken into about 4 pieces, optional

Instructions

1. Parboil the potatoes in salted water for about 5 minutes. Some people prefer to boil them longer; up to 8 minutes or so. This will produce a thicker and crispier jacket to the potato if you prefer.
2. Meanwhile in a 375 degree F oven, heat a baking pan of sufficient size to hold your potatoes without crowding them. A glass or metal pan is fine, as long as it is well heated beforehand. This will help to prevent the potatoes from sticking to the pan.
3. After parboiling, drain the potatoes and let them stand for 5 minutes. Then toss the potatoes with the olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic cloves.
4. Transfer the seasoned potatoes, garlic and oil to the hot baking pan. These should sizzle as they hit the pan; a good indication that they will not stick.
5. Roast the potatoes for about 1¼ to 1½ hours or until they are nicely golden brown all over, turning them every 20 minutes or so.
6. After the first 10 minutes, give the pan a shake to make sure the potatoes are not stuck to it.
7. The roasted garlic will have to be removed before the potatoes are finished as it generally cooks faster. 45 minutes or less should be enough to fully cook the roasted garlic.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

6 servings
Amount Per Serving Calories 248Saturated Fat 1gSodium 204mgCarbohydrates 38gFiber 2gSugar 1gProtein 4g

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