Ditch oil for better ingredient to make crunchy roast potatoes every time
A chef shared his fool-proof method for making the perfect crispy roast potatoes - and it involves ditching oil in favour of a better type of fat.
“You see, baking soda is alkaline, which breaks down the surface of the potato.”
The change of season is just around the corner, which means that roast dinner season is officially under way. No Sunday roast is truly complete without all the accompaniments and trimmings, and chief among them are roast potatoes.
Every chef and home cook has their own preferred technique for achieving the crispiest roasties. Chef Charles Kim, better known as Chef Fatty on TikTok, has shared his fool-proof approach to making the perfect roast potatoes — while taking a swipe at Brits in the process.
He contends that the very nation that invented roast potatoes always manages to "mess" them up. In a recent video, the chef said: "Why do the British always mess up a good thing? Beans on toast, mushy peas, jellied eels, and the roast potatoes. They invented it, but it never comes out right."
For Chef Fatty, neither oil nor goose or duck fat gets a look-in. Instead, he swears by an entirely different type of fat, which he insists delivers far superior results, reports the Express.
How to make crispy roast potatoes
Chef Fatty said: "Let me show you how it should be done."
To begin, prepare your potatoes by chopping them into bite-sized chunks, before boiling them for between eight to 10 minutes until tender.
This is where Chef Fatty's first tip comes into play. Rather than boiling the potatoes in plain water, he adds a quarter of a teaspoon of baking soda to the pot.
He said: "You see, baking soda is alkaline, which breaks down the surface of the potato."
This technique is also employed by chef J Kenji López-Alt. Bicarbonate of soda creates an alkaline environment that breaks down the potato's outer edges, releasing starches to form a starchy coating that crisps up wonderfully when roasted.
It is this starchy layer that gives roast potatoes their satisfying crunch when cooked in the oven.
Once the potatoes have been boiled, drain away the starchy water. Rather than removing the potatoes from the pan, the chef adds his preferred fat directly into the saucepan.
For the ultimate crispy finish, Chef Fatty opts for ghee or clarified butter. Add a couple of tablespoons of ghee to the saucepan, ensuring all the potatoes are thoroughly coated.
Next, season the potatoes with garlic salt and give the saucepan a good shake. This encourages the edges of the potatoes to become "extra craggy".
Then either air fry for 30 minutes at 450 (approximately 230) or roast in the oven on a wire rack or baking paper at the same temperature. Should 30 minutes prove insufficient, continue cooking until the potatoes reach a satisfyingly crispy consistency.
Chef Fatty said: "Now that's a proper roast potato."
