Every home cook has their own little secrets for the perfect roast potatoes, with some turning to methods like a touch of flour or a handful of baking powder to enhance the crunch.
Yet, even with these tricks, crispy spuds can often require over an hour’s cooking time – a challenging wait for those keen on quick and crunchy roasties.
Fortunately, the potato connoisseurs at Branston have unearthed a solution. It involves using the Nemo potato variety, renowned for its significantly reduced cooking time compared to traditional staples such as Maris Piper and King Edward.
The team from Branston commented: “Our top tip for the best-ever roast potatoes is to start with the best roasting variety. Nemo cooks around 25 per cent quicker than most traditional potatoes, so it only needs a short par-boil before roasting.”
Culinary experts including Jack Stein, whose father is the celebrated chef Rick Stein, usually advocate for 15 to 20 minutes of parboiling before giving potatoes the perfect roast for sublime crispiness.
But with Nemo, you can cut parboiling down to just five minutes while still attaining that delectable golden crunch. Seasoning remains indispensable for irresistible roasties, and Branston’s experts encourage a simple yet flavourful combination of garlic cloves, fresh rosemary, beef dripping, salt, and pepper, reports the Express.
To hit the peak of crispness, the experts advise “draining them dry and getting the fat good and hot”. Here’s a scrumptious recipe for crispy roast potatoes that’s sure to delight.
Ingredients
- 1kg of Nemo potatoes
- 200g of beef dripping
- Five garlic cloves
- Four sprigs of fresh rosemary
- Salt and black pepper
Method
Firstly, heat your oven to 200C / Fan 180C / Gas 6. Then, peel and quarter the potatoes.
Pop them into a large pan of cold water and bring it to a boil before letting it simmer uncovered for five minutes. Next, put the beef drippings into a roasting tray and cook in the preheated oven for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and toss in the garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Give them a good shake until they’re fluffed up around the edges.
Carefully place the potatoes in the hot beef dripping and pop them back in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, turning every 15 minutes to ensure they get extra crispy. Once they’re golden brown, take the roasties out of the oven and serve.