The best, easiest, fastest, and tastiest crispy pan-roasted potatoes I've ever made

Honest confession. I hate cooking potatoes. They always take longer than I like for them to cook and I never allow enough time. That said, this is about the best roast potatoes I've ever made and they're about as fast as roast potatoes go and taste fantastic. Super duper easy too.

Gotta admit, I'm pretty darned excited about this recipe. I know the title for this recipe is a big claim. I mean - best, easiest, fastest, tasties! C'mon, Deanna!! I promise it's all those things. As far as potatoes go, this one was easy.

Important Note:
I am attempting to include alternative cooking methods in all my recipes, so where application there will always be a traditional/conventional cooking method, an air fryer or crock pot option, or a Thermomix option.
You can choose whichever method you prefer to use.

Here's the recipe:

Overview

Crispy pan-roasted potatoes are a delicious side dish that highlights the natural flavors of the potatoes. This method, inspired by traditional cooking techniques, uses fat for frying to achieve a golden, crispy exterior while keeping the insides soft. The addition of garlic and rosemary enhances the dish with aromatic flavors.

Ingredients

• Baby Potatoes: 500g (1 lb), peeled
• Beef Tallow, Bacon Fat, or Duck Fat: 200g (7 oz)
• Garlic: 5 to 8 cloves, whole
• Fresh Rosemary: 3 to 4 sprigs
• Salt: to taste
• Spring Onions: for garnish, sliced

Cooking Instructions

1. Preparation of Potatoes:
   • Peel the baby potatoes and boil them in salted water until they are tender enough to poke a skewer through easily, approximately 30 to 35 minutes.
   • Drain the potatoes and let them cool completely in the colander. To speed up the cooling process, you can dump them in a bowl of ice water. If you're pressed for time, you can skip the cooling step, but be cautious when roughing up the potatoes, as they will be quite soft.
2. Roughing Up:
   • Once cooled, gently rough up the potatoes in the colander by shaking or lightly pressing them. This will create more surface area for crisping.
3. Heating the Fat:
   • In a large frying pan, heat the beef tallow, bacon fat, or duck fat over medium-high heat until it is sizzling hot (about 180°C or 350°F).
4. Cooking the Potatoes:
   • Carefully add the roughened potatoes to the hot fat in a single layer, ensuring they are not overcrowded.
   • Using a potato masher, gently press down on each potato to flatten them to about 1.5cm to 2cm high, being careful not to break them apart.
   • Add the whole garlic cloves and sprigs of rosemary to the pan.
5. Frying:
   • Cook the potatoes on high heat, turning them occasionally with a spatula to ensure they brown evenly on all sides. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crispy.
6. Draining:
   • Once the potatoes are crispy, remove them from the pan and transfer them to a bowl lined with paper towels to drain any excess fat.
7. Seasoning:
   • While the potatoes are still hot, sprinkle them generously with salt. Toss gently to coat, and then sprinkle with salt on the other side.
8. Serving:
• Serve immediately as a side dish or in a bowl garnished with sliced spring onions.

Notes & Tips

• Fat Choice: The choice of fat significantly impacts flavor; duck fat is particularly rich, while bacon fat adds a smoky touch.
• Garlic and Herbs: Adjust the amount of garlic and rosemary according to your taste preferences.
• Batch Cooking: If making a larger batch (e.g., 1kg for 4 servings), cook in batches to maintain crispiness.
• Keeping Warm/Reheating: If cooking in batches or in advance, keep the potatoes warm in the oven at 100°C (210°F) or reheat them at the same temperature for about 10–15 minutes. This will help maintain their crispy texture without overcooking or burning.
• Estimated Cooking Time: This recipe takes approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes to prep and cook.

PS. Make extra. They are very more-ish. Hubby complained I didn't make enough potatoes and was disappointed when some of the potatoes in the serving bowl were mine. I thought 500g of potatoes for two people was plenty, but apparently not!!

PPS. This is not the most revolutionary recipe there is, but I love pan roasting instead of sticking the potatoes into the oven for the roasting step. It makes a difference for me, but if you prefer to chuck it all into a roasting tray and do it in the oven, go ahead. Just do whatever floats your boat.

© This work is copyrighted to Invest-Ex and Destiny's Fortunes Pty Ltd


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