How to make Ultimate Roast Potatoes

Step-by-step

1. Step 1

   Heat the oven to 200°C fan or 220°C conventional. Simmer the 5–6 cm potato chunks in salted water for 8–10 minutes until the edges just start to crumble.

   Look for: A fork catches slightly on the outside but the centres still hold their shape. Tip: A little bicarbonate makes the outside rougher and crisper. Avoid: Boiling until the chunks collapse gives broken mash, not roast potatoes.

2. Step 2

   Put the fat in a wide metal roasting tray and heat it in the oven for 10 minutes. The tray should be large enough for a single layer with gaps.

   Look for: The fat shimmers and slides quickly when the tray is tilted. Tip: Metal trays brown better than deep ceramic dishes. Avoid: Cold fat produces greasy potatoes with pale sides.

3. Step 3

   Drain the potatoes, leave them to steam-dry for 5 minutes, then shake hard in the colander until the surfaces look shaggy. Dust with semolina if using.

   Look for: Edges are fluffy, ragged and dry, with a starchy coating. Tip: The rough starchy layer is where the crunch forms. Avoid: Wet potatoes spit in hot fat and never crisp properly.

4. Step 4

   Carefully tip into the hot fat, turn once to coat, then roast undisturbed for 30–35 minutes.

   Look for: The bottom edges turn deep gold before the tops. Tip: Use tongs only once the underside has set. Avoid: Turning too early tears off the forming crust.

5. Step 5

   Turn the potatoes, add rosemary and garlic if using, and roast for another 20–30 minutes until every face is crisp and bronze.

   Look for: They sound crisp when nudged and the centres feel light. Tip: Use two trays rather than one crowded tray. Avoid: Crowding the tray traps steam.

6. Step 6

   Drain briefly on kitchen paper if needed, season with flaky salt and serve while the crust is still dry and crackly.

   Look for: No oil slick; crisp shell with fluffy white interior. Tip: Serve immediately rather than holding under foil. Avoid: Covering them tightly makes the crust soften.