The secret to the perfect roast potatoes

Acclaimed British chef Heston Blumenthal has shared his tips on how to cook the perfect roast potato. 

Nothing compares to a tray full of crispy potatoes to complete a Sunday roast. We all love a potato that’s both crunchy and fluffy, but sometimes it’s a lot harder than it seems. We all have our own methods when cooking the beloved roast potato, but could there be another way? 

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Flavour is an important component to a perfect roast and while you might not think potatoes taste like much at all on their own, Blumenthal swears enhancing their flavour in the boiling process makes your roast spuds taste even better.

So how do you do this? Blumenthal says the best way to get delicious spuds is to put the potato peelings into the cooking water while boiling.

Sounds strange, but apparently it works! 

Opinions vary on how long a potato should be boiled for before roasting, but instead of the usual 8-10 minutes, Blumenthal advices leaving potatoes in for 20 minutes before roasting. He says this ensures your potatoes crumble just a little bit, so that the fat (or cooking oil) covers a wider surface area and penetrates deeper. 

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If you’re after a crunch, score the potato with a fork creating ridges and grooves, to enable the hot fat to collect and form a crispy surface. 

While some chefs favour goose fat or other fancy oils for roasting, Blumenthal says he adds a slug of good old-fashioned olive oil for a classic flavour. 

To ensure they are cooked to perfection Blumenthal advices to sit back, relax and check in on them in 40 minutes. 

What do you think of these tips? Do you already use any of these at home?