Equipment
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 1500 g maris piper or russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 5cm chunks
- 120 ml duck fat, beef tallow, or vegetable oil, solid or liquid
- 15 g sea salt
Aromatics & Finish
- 6 sprigs fresh rosemary, sprigs
- 5 g flaky sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C/430°F. Place the duck fat (or chosen oil) into a large roasting tray and place it in the oven to heat up.
Place the peeled potato chunks in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add the 15g of sea salt. Bring to a boil and simmer vigorously for about 7-10 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to soften but the centers remain firm.
Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them steam dry for 2-3 minutes. Return them to the dry pot, cover with a lid, and shake vigorously to roughen up the edges (scuffing). This creates the surface area for the crispy crust.
Remove the hot roasting tray from the oven. Carefully tip the potatoes into the sizzling fat. Use tongs to turn each potato so they are coated in fat on all sides. Spread them out in a single layer; do not crowd the pan.
Roast for 35-40 minutes, turning the potatoes halfway through, until they are golden and crispy.
Lightly crush the rosemary sprigs to release their essential oils. Scatter them among the potatoes and toss gently. Return to the oven for a final 10-15 minutes until the rosemary is crisp and fragrant, and potatoes are deep golden brown.
Remove from the oven. Transfer to a serving dish using a slotted spoon to drain excess fat. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt while hot and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- For the ultimate 'glass-like' crunch, add 1/2 tsp of baking soda to the parboiling water. This breaks down the pectin on the potato surface more effectively.
- Do not add the rosemary at the beginning, or it will burn and taste bitter before the potatoes are cooked.
- By removing the garlic, the clean flavor of the potato and the resinous notes of the rosemary are highlighted.
- Duck fat is the gold standard for flavor, but beef tallow creates an incredible crust.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Texture will degrade significantly; reheat in oven to restore some crispness.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze after parboiling (before roasting) for best results. Fully roasted potatoes do not freeze well.
Reheating: Reheat in a 200°C/400°F oven for 10-15 minutes until hot and crisp.
