English Roasted Potatoes (also sometimes called British Roasted Potatoes) require a traditional way of roasting potatoes that result in a super crunchy shell encasing a soft, fluffy interior.
The method involves boiling the peeled chunks of potatoes until they are just barely fork-tender, then draining them well.
Then here's the critical step: shaking them in the colander - or back in the pot - to create craggy books and crannies that help the potatoes crisp up beautifully in the oven and letting them dry.
Then they are spread in a pre-heated rimmed baking sheet and tossed with hot lard or tallow and roasted until they are crunchy and golden. You really want them to brown up nicely to a deep dark golden color on the outsides. Then a sprinkle of good-quality finishing salt is all they need to finish them off.
Because the potatoes are being baked for a fairly long time at high heat, it's important to use an oil with a high smoke point. Duck fat, pork lard, or beef tallow are all good choices. They will also add nice flavor to the potatoes.
Ghee would also work, but I love using duck fat for the flavor and richness it infuses into the potatoes (and sssh, don't tell my ducks!).
Just don't use butter or olive oil unless you want to do a test to be sure that your smoke detectors are working!
Also, because the potatoes are added to a hot pan and hot fat, they absorb very little of the fat. The heat creates a crunchy crust around each chunk of potato, while allowing the center to soften so it almost melts in your mouth when you eat it.
Shake and Bake English Roasted Potatoes
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Meanwhile, fill a large pot with water and add some Kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then add the potatoes.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are just barely fork-tender - they should still be fairly solid in the center - about 7 or 8 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Cover the pot and shake it vigorously to rough up the potatoes a bit. Uncover the pot and let the potatoes sit and dry while you wait for the oven to preheat.
Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of duck fat (or lard or tallow) to a rimmed baking sheet - you want just enough to cover the bottom with maybe 1/4-inch of the fat - and put it in the oven to melt for 10 to 15 minutes.
Carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven and add the potatoes, tossing them in the hot fat, then arranging them in a single layer.
Reduce the heat to 375 and return the baking sheet to the oven. Roast the potatoes for about 50 to 55 minutes, until dark golden and crispy, turning them with a spatula or fish turner every 15 minutes or so.
Use a slotted spoon or the fish turner to remove the potatoes from the fat, then toss them with finishing salt and serve immediately.
Note: If you have a convection oven, you can reduce the oven temperature to 400/325, and the time to maybe 30 to 35 minutes. You'll love the results, but the potatoes come out great in a conventional oven as well.
Optional: You can toss the roasted potatoes with minced garlic, Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary or thyme once they come out of the oven.
