Queen’s former chef shares five mistakes you’re making cooking roast potatoes – and they only need 30 minutes
THE Michelin-starred chef who fed the Queen has shared the ways we've all been cooking our roast potatoes wrong.
Jeff Baker, the Executive Development Chef for Farmison & Co., has revealed his five top tips to making the perfect spuds for Christmas as well as what the most common mistakes are.
Buying fresh potatoes is a must
Make sure you buy fresh potatoes and you inspect them for any signs of mould.
Once you have selected the perfect ones, keep them in a dark place in a cardboard box or brown bag for the best ventilation.
If they become soft and shrivelled they will need to be tossed in the bin.
Selecting the right variety of potato is key
Jeff recommends King Edwards or Maris Pipers potatoes for roasting.
This way you can guarantee they will have crispy edges and soft centres.
If you aren't able get these varieties then Jeff says to give whatever potatoes you are using a good shake in a sieve after partially boiling them to fluff them up.
Beware of soggy spuds
One common mistake that is made is when trying create that perfect crisp on the edge of your potatoes is that they are drowned in oil.
This will leave them burnt on the outside and undercooked on the inside.
Jeff says this is why it is key to partially boil or steam the potatoes before you start to roast them.
The spuds should be boiled for about 10 minutes in salted water or steamed for 15.
Then make sure your potatoes are able to dry and cool slightly before putting them in the oven.
Keeping the quality in the quantity of potatoes
If you are hosting Christmas dinner this year, you are most likely roasting more potatoes compared to a traditional Sunday roast.
Jeff recommends using more than one tray instead of cramming all the spuds on a single one.
Potatoes need the space to get crispy and you don't want them to get soggy as they sit in oil.
Timing is everything
Once the potatoes are in the oven you don't want all your hard work to go to waste.
A big factor in how long you should roast your potatoes is how big the individual spuds are.
Jeff recommends at least 30 minutes at 220°C (200°C fan assisted at gas 7).
Make sure you check on them every 10 to 15 minutes while giving them a shake to increase the crispiness.
If you aren't convinced after 30 minutes then take one out and try.