With Christmas Day fast approaching, the pressure is on to perfect every element of the festive feast. For many, the roast potato is the centrepiece of the plate, and achieving that ideal combination of a shatteringly crisp exterior and a fluffy, steaming interior can be a culinary challenge. Fortunately, Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett has shared her professional secrets, and it all hinges on one key ingredient: the type of fat you use.
The Chef's Foolproof Method
Angela Hartnett divulged her technique during a special Christmas edition of the Dish from Waitrose podcast, where she was joined by co-presenter Nick Grimshaw and actress Keira Knightley. The acclaimed chef, who holds a Michelin star, advocates for a specific process that begins with the choice of potato. She recommends Maris Piper potatoes, praising them as excellent for both roasting and making chips.
Her professional kitchen trick involves starting the potatoes in cold water, bringing them to a gentle simmer for just six to eight minutes. This par-boiling is deliberately brief, leaving the centres slightly underdone. After draining, a crucial step follows: returning the potatoes to the hot pan for one to two minutes to drive off any excess moisture, which is the enemy of crispiness.
The Golden Secret: Duck Fat
The cornerstone of Hartnett's recipe is her fat of choice. Duck fat is non-negotiable for the chef, who insists it must be properly preheated in a roasting tray at 180°C before the potatoes are added. Once the par-boiled and dried potatoes are nestled in the hot fat, she gives the tray a gentle jiggle to ensure every spud is thoroughly coated. The potatoes then roast at 200°C to achieve their ultimate golden, crispy finish.
The podcast clip showcasing this method has proven immensely popular, amassing over 275,500 views, 13,400 likes, and dozens of enthusiastic comments from viewers eager to try the technique for their own Christmas dinners.
How to Recreate Angela Hartnett's Roast Potatoes
For those ready to elevate their Christmas roasties, here is Angela Hartnett's detailed recipe to follow at home.
Ingredients:
- 120ml duck fat, beef dripping, or vegetable/sunflower oil
- 2kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled
- Two sprigs rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
- ½ tbsp sea salt flakes
Method:
- Heat your oven to 180°C (gas mark 4). Place the fat or oil into your largest roasting tray and warm it in the oven.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Chop the peeled potatoes into halves or thirds, aiming for even sizes and creating plenty of flat edges for maximum crispiness.
- Boil the potatoes for nine minutes, then drain them in a colander. Give them four good shakes to rough up the surfaces—this creates more texture for the fat to cling to.
- Carefully remove the hot tray from the oven and tip in the potatoes, rolling them in the hot fat to coat completely.
- Cook for 30 minutes, then turn them over. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C (gas mark 6) and roast for a further 30 minutes, turning again after 15 minutes, until deeply golden and crisp.
- Transfer to a serving plate lined with kitchen paper. In a small dish, massage the chopped rosemary into the sea salt for about a minute to infuse the flavours, then toss the crispy potatoes in the aromatic rosemary salt before serving.
This expert guidance from a top chef provides a clear path to potato perfection, ensuring your Christmas dinner centrepiece will be remembered for all the right reasons.
