It’s a simple step that many of us forget, and is the reason your roasties are failing to get the texture they need to be the perfect side to your festive feast
Roast potatoes are often hailed as the very best part of a Christmas feast when they’re cooked to perfection.
No matter what other dishes are on your festive table, few things can rival a roast potato done right – soft and fluffy on the inside with a golden, crispy exterior that’s bursting with flavour.
For those taking on the task of making the roasties from scratch this year, achieving that perfect texture might seem daunting. However, a top chef has shared that many home cooks repeat a common error which stops your spuds from becoming crispy.
READ MORE: Best way to store potatoes to keep them fresh and stop them sprouting
Marc Williams, culinary expert at The Grand in York’s cookery school, has dished out his expert advice for nailing the ultimate Christmas dinner for loved ones.
Among his top pieces of advice is a crucial step in preparing your potatoes. Marc insists there’s a specific action you must take to ensure your potatoes emerge from the oven with maximum crunch and taste, reports the Daily Record.
The key, he says, is allowing them to cool down completely after parboiling – a step often overlooked, resulting in a less-than-ideal crispness.
Marc explained: “To get the perfect potatoes, peel them, add to cold water and bring to boil. Boil for around six minutes until the edges soften. Then, strain them and wait until the steam stops. You’ll never get a crisp result if they are full of water.”
Following this essential cooling process, Marc suggests a few additional touches to elevate your roasties to star status for your festive diners.
The chef added: “Preheat your chosen fat in a hot oven – duck fat is my choice! Don’t forget to season the potatoes and then carefully add and baste them in the duck fat.
“Roast for around twenty minutes in a hot oven before turning them over; this allows a crust to form underneath, so you won’t leave half the potato stuck to the tray.”
Sharing another trick for Christmas dinner, the culinary whiz revealed an alternative to the oven that could save on costs – the air fryer.
He said: “They are fantastic for roast potatoes and cut down cooking times drastically. The air fryers with two sections are great for cooking at different temperatures.
“Try honey glazed parsnips on one side at 180C and roast potatoes in the other at 200C. This will make the day easy and free up some oven space if needed, just don’t try to cram a turkey in there!”
To alleviate the pressure of preparing the festive feast, Marc also offered timing tips.
He advised: “Roast potatoes are done in the morning and heated back through.
“Make a prep list of roughly how you’d like to plan the day and do everything you can in advance. Most of the things I make the day before and just heat back through.
“The turkey should be resting for 30 minutes at least so you have plenty of time to get things back through the oven.”
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