Description
These crunchy confit roast potatoes are the ultimate festive side dish, offering a perfectly crisp exterior with a light, fluffy interior. Maris Piper potatoes are parboiled, chilled overnight to enhance texture, then roasted slowly in rich duck or goose fat until golden and crispy. Finished with flaky sea salt, they pair beautifully with roast turkey and are a holiday favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes
- 2 kg floury potatoes (Maris Piper recommended), cut into chunks
Fat
- 200 g duck fat or goose fat (reserved from confit turkey)
Seasoning
- Flaky sea salt, to season
Instructions
- Parboil the Potatoes: On Christmas Eve, place the potato chunks in a large saucepan and cover them with cold salted water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook the potatoes for 2-3 minutes until just starting to become tender but still firm.
- Drain and Shake: Drain the potatoes in a colander and give them a good shake to roughen the edges, which helps create a crispier texture when roasted.
- Chill Overnight: Transfer the potatoes to a large roasting tin lined with baking parchment. Leave them uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry out and further enhance their texture.
- Heat the Fat in the Oven: When ready to roast, place the duck fat in your largest roasting tin and heat it in the oven for about 10 minutes until very hot and shimmering.
- Roast the Potatoes: Carefully transfer the cold potatoes into the hot duck fat; you should hear them sizzle upon contact, indicating the fat is hot enough. Toss to coat them evenly in the fat and season generously with flaky sea salt.
- Spread and Crisp: Spread the potatoes out in a single layer to ensure they crisp up properly.
- Slow Roast: Roast the potatoes in the oven for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, turning them several times during this period to ensure even browning and crispiness.
- Serve Immediately: Once golden and crunchy, serve the potatoes immediately for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Using floury potatoes such as Maris Piper is key to achieving a fluffy interior.
- Shaking the potatoes after parboiling creates rough edges that crisp beautifully during roasting.
- Chilling the potatoes overnight dries them out, helping to increase crispiness.
- Duck or goose fat imparts rich flavor and superb roasting qualities compared to regular oils or butter.
- Careful turning during roasting ensures an even golden crust on all sides.
- Serve the potatoes immediately after roasting to enjoy their perfect crunch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: crunchy roast potatoes, confit potatoes, festive side dish, duck fat roast potatoes, Christmas potatoes
