ARmy Rumour SErvice

Olive oil is ok, duck fat or goose fat is better.

Get the oven hot, put your spuds on a shallow flat tray, any built up sides tend to create steam and soggy spuds

Pre heat the tray as well. turn them over about half way through.

Bon appetite :D

Two ways of doing it.

1. Don't preboil, just put in roasting dish with a bit of oil, mix of olive and ordinary cooking oil, at 200 degrees C for 50 minutes - pain in the arse since you have to keep turning the little buggers and burning your fingers.

2. Pre boil till cooked through, then put in a collander and give them a shake so they go fluffy on the edges. Then deep fry them in a chip pan till golden brown - everyone will be amazed with the results. This of course considered cheating in many circles but they come out bloody well.

Originally Posted by Schaden

2. Pre boil till cooked through, then put in a collander and give them a shake so they go fluffy on the edges. Then deep fry them in a chip pan till golden brown - everyone will be amazed with the results. This of course considered cheating in many circles but they come out bloody well.

Yes that is cheating... I'm going to have give that a try, good tip!

Thanks

What works well for me, as evidenced last night, is this:

Peel spuds and put on to boil. As soon as the pot comes to boil time 5 minutes. Drain at that point - do not leave them in the boiling water FTPOC!

Concurrently heat oil or fat (goose or duck is ultra yummy) in roasting dish.

Put spuds into bubbling fat, on a low gas on top. Seal them and baste them.

Pop in a medium oven. Baste once or twice. Cook for 1hr 45 plus...parallel timings to your joint.

Before serving remove from roasting dish and pop into warm serving dish. replace in oven while you carve. This crisps up the roasties proper nice an' all.

Don't use olive oil, it doesn't work well at the roasting temperatures, unless you cut it with fat or another oil.

If you are doing a roast, peel the tatties, quarter them and then place round the joint around an hour before the joint is to be removed from the oven. Remember to turn them every 15 mins or so.

The cheats way is to parboil and then chuck into a deep fat fryer or similar, but they're not as nice as they dont have the taste of the joint on them.

Use a suitable variety of potato - floury rather than waxy - King Edwards or Maris Piper are widely available and roast well.

Parboil as per Cuddles' instructions. Don't overcook, and don't leave them in the water. After draining, return to the pan and shake gently to knock the edges off them - it'll help them crisp up.

Use a shallow sided baking tray; heat the oil or fat in it in the oven before adding the potatoes. Turn the potatoes so they are coated in the oil before putting in the oven.

Personally I roast for about 45 mins - I find the roasties go a bit leathery if overcooked, but much will depend upon your oven etc.

If the roasties don't appear to be cooking, whack the heat up when you take the meat out to rest - this will give you plenty of time to finish the roasties.

Top tip: Cook more than you need - cold roasties with cold meat, esp. beef, are the food of kings.

Or fried off with some garlic, bacon and Monday night's left-over chilli con carne, they make a smashing lunch for cuddleses on domestic fatty-gues.

Right thanks for the advice chaps, I'm making them tonight and I am going to mess around and try some of above methods. Cuddles, that sounds great.

The roast dinner really is all about the potatoes isnt it?

oh yes, I shall make way too many!!