CHEF REVEALS HOW TO COOK THE PERFECT ROAST POTATOES THIS CHRISTMAS - AND HOW TO AVOID SOGGY SPUDS
- Russ Goad, executive chef at M&S Food, shares his top tips for perfect spuds
The humble roast potato is a special thing; crispy and golden on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, perfectly seasoned and dripping in fat.
Time and time again, the roastie has been voted Britons' favourite part of a roast dinner - and despite going up against turkey, stuffing and pigs in blankets on the souped-up Christmas table, it's still a winner among diners.
With so much riding on the perfect spud as Christmas Day cooks put their skills to the test, an expert has weighed in on how to make crowd-pleasing roasties - without any of the fuss.
Russ Goad, executive chef at M&S Food, has been testing recipes for most of his career. He describes testing and tweaking recipes as his 'bread and butter'.
Ahead of December 25, Russ has revealed his formula for roast potatoes that will impress everyone at the dinner table - plus the key step many people forget that will ensure crispy yet fluffy trimmings every single time.
THE PREP
Christmas is a busy period and most people hosting their loved ones on December 25 are short on time, to say the least.
But if you possibly can, Russ recommends taking 10 minutes ahead of time to write down your timings for different cookery elements on Christmas Day.
'Manage your oven timing,' he advised, noting how many different elements have to compete for oven space.
As for the variety of potatoes, Russ suggests Maris Piper or King Edward to create the best potatoes. If possible, find a selection which includes decent-sized potatoes and avoid any that are too small.
The fat is also an important element - although Russ notes much of this is down to personal preference. While he favours an animal fat such as goose or beef, lighter oils will also work well. He advises against an extra virgin olive oil with a strong peppery flavour.
On the day, peel and chop your potatoes before dropping them into cold water. Be careful not to cut the potatoes too small, or else they will take on too much water during the parboiling process and become mushy.
If you're making a large batch and some spuds have been sitting in the water for a long time before you're ready to bring them to the boil, drain them off and refill the pan with fresh cold water to get rid of the starch.
Russ notes that most people are working with one oven and limited space for all elements. But if possible, he says the best oven temperature for roasties is between 180C and 190C.
THE METHOD
When you're ready to cook your roasties, bring them to the boil on the stove, ensuring the water is cold and seasoned with salt when you start the process.
According to Russ, a 'gentle simmer' is what you're looking for.
'How long you cook them for depends on the size, but it can be anything from eight to 14 minutes,' he explained - adding it's less about the timing and more about testing the potato to determine if it's par-boiled enough.
'Take a small, sharp knife and pierce the potato. You want a bit more resistance in the centre of it, but it's perfect when it's just starting to get a bit crumbly.'
The next step, according to Russ, is crucial - and one many people neglect in a bid to get everything into the oven.
'A lot of people will drain their potatoes and put them straight into the sizzling fat and into the oven,' Russ said.
'But what you need to do is drain them, lay them out onto a tray and leave them for at least 30 minutes before putting them into the oven. Let the steam come off them.'
He explained that, when people put their potatoes straight into the oven, the steam coming off them goes into the oven too and creates a humid heat. The humidity prevents the potatoes from crisping up.
'Leaving them to steam first will help them become lighter and fluffier,' he explained, adding that you could leave them for up to 90 minutes if you needed.
Meanwhile, heat up your chosen cooking fat on a shallow oven tray in the oven for about 10 minutes.
Another common mistake people make when roasting spuds is rushing to get them into the oven without taking the time to coat them in cooking fat.
'When you put the potatoes onto the tray, don't rush it. People worry about the fat cooling down, but it doesn't matter. The most important thing is to coat every side of the potatoes in the fat before putting them into the oven. Take your time.'
Coating all sides of the spud in cooking fat is essential to ensure the potato roasts, rather than bakes. 'If there's no fat, it will form a crust and become dry,' he explained.
Then it's time to put the spuds in the oven - for about 30 minutes in the first instance, before taking them out to turn them.
'Don't be tempted to turn them too soon,' he warned.
Russ suggests the best time to add any herbs or garlic is during the turn. He recommends sticking to 'woody' herbs like rosemary and thyme, but sage would work too.
If you're adding garlic to the tray, it should be bulbs or whole cloves with the skin on. Crushed or chopped garlic will burn.
After turning the potatoes and adding any extra flavours, put the spuds back into the oven for another 20-25 minutes.
Russ's final tip is to crack the oven door open once or twice during the roasting process to allow any excess steam escape.
He recommends seasoning them once they have been fully roasted - but you could add seasoning earlier in the process if you wish.
Ideally, roasties should be served as soon as possible once they're cooked. However, if you need to hold off, Russ says they can be refreshed 'really easily' by popping them back into the oven.
Crucially, Russ urges: 'If it all goes wrong, you're still spending Christmas with your loved ones. It doesn't matter that much.'
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