Making baked potatoes can spark a lot of friendly conversation. Home cooks often have polite disagreements over methods. It’s not always easy to bake perfectly crispy potatoes. Sometimes they just don’t turn out well when made. They can get soggy or turn unevenly brown around the edges.
But it is still possible to make delicious crispy ones. You don’t need a secret family recipe or special ingredients. Just need to learn a few key steps. Note that using oil makes a big difference.
Preparation of Roast Potatoes
To start, you must pick the right potatoes. Experts agree that certain types of potatoes are the best. Jeff Baker likes King Edwards or Maris Piper. He says these potatoes are perfect for baking. They are crispy around the edges and soft in the centre.
Boiling them after picking is a key step to ensure crispness. Chef Mark Moriarty does the same thing. He puts the peeled potatoes in cold water with salt then boils them.
Boiling helps to break down the outer layers of the potatoes. Moriarty simmers them for 10 minutes. When the skin of the potatoes should start to crumble slightly, this creates a rough surface that can later be used to hold the oil. This is the first step towards a crunchy texture.
Once cooked, strain the potatoes. But don’t stop there. Letting them steam helps to dry them out. Moisture is really the enemy of a crispy surface. Sir Michael Caine says to keep the potatoes very dry. Letting them steam helps the moisture disappear.
Then comes the important fluffing step. Kane shakes them to fluff them up. Jeff Baker also says to fluff them. This shaking will make the surface rougher. The rougher they are the crunchier they are. The fluffier they look before cooking, the crispier they will be after cooking.
When You’re Ready, Start Making
Once the potatoes are ready, add cooking oil. This step helps achieve the desired crispy texture. Since oil conducts heat more efficiently than air, it quickly heats the surface to the high temperature needed for crispiness.
Typically, you need to preheat the oil in a tray. Moriarty first places the vegetable oil in the oven. The potatoes are then immediately exposed to the hot oil, and the high temperature quickly initiates the crisping process, preventing the oil from penetrating too deeply.
Moriarty uses 50 milliliters of oil to cook 8 potatoes. Using too much oil can cause the outer layer to burn. Therefore, it is important to use enough oil to coat the potatoes but not so much that they are submerged in it.
Carefully place the potatoes on a pre-oiled tray. Turn the potatoes as they bake so they crisp evenly. Moriarty turns them every 10 minutes. The baker says to shake them from time to time. This ensures that all sides are hot. This helps make each bit crispy.
The initial baking creates the first crispy layer. The white potatoes will turn golden brown. Time varies by size and oven. It usually takes 30 to 50 minutes. Some people use a higher temperature near the end. This helps to get maximum crispiness.
Alternative approach
There are other ways to make crispy potatoes.Sir Michael Caine has a different method and his secret is to use cold oil rather than hot. He adds pre-cooked potatoes to the cold oil. He says this allows the oil to soak in.
This is the opposite of most methods used. Most people try to avoid soaking the oil too deeply.Caine still dries and fluffs the potatoes. Then he adds cold olive oil to the tray.
Maybe the cold oil gets to the rough surface easier. When the oven heats up, the steam squeezes out the moisture. This happens through the oil-saturated layer. As the temperature rises, the oil layer becomes brittle.
His approach to cold oil is indeed unusual. But it has been called the best method in the world. It demonstrates the complex way in which fat, water, and heat interact. Different oils may produce different results on cold starts.
Perfect Crispy Potatoes
Equipment
- 1 Large Saute Pan With a lid
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Chef's knife
- 1 Baking Sheet
- 1 Serving Bowl
Ingredients
Main
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 russet potatoes peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the potato cubes and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Saute stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, add the water, stir, and cover the pan with a lid. Steam the potatoes until the water evaporates, about 3 or 4 more minutes. (Every 1 to 2 minutes, open the lid long enough to stir the potatoes so they don't stick.) Lower the heat to medium, and saute another 1 to 2 minutes until all traces of water are gone. Toss in the butter and stir to coat the potatoes. Spread the potatoes out on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven until the potatoes are crisp and browned to your liking, about 15 to 25 minutes depending on how dark you want them. Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl and serve.
Notes
Choice of oil
The type of oil matters whether it’s hot or cold. It affects how well the oil works at high temperatures. Smoke point is an important thing to understand; the oil should not disintegrate and smoke heavily.
Joanne Gallagher clearly emphasises this point. Oil should not burn when baking at high temperatures. Avocado oil has always been her favourite choice because it has one of the highest smoke points.
Avocado oil makes potatoes crispy and delicious. It does not burn or smoke easily. It also has a mild flavour. She says it accents the flavour of the potatoes well.
Moriarty uses hot vegetable oils. Caine sometimes uses cold olive oil. Gallagher recommends an oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado oil. Understanding these differences will help you finally master the baked potato.
You have selected your potatoes and prepared them well. These potato chunks are ready to get crispy. The next step is for you to try your hand at it.
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