Mary Berry's Secret Ingredient for Perfectly Crunchy Roast Potatoes
Undoubtedly, the crowning glory of any Sunday roast is achieving perfectly crispy roast potatoes. If you have been chasing those spuds with crackly, golden shells and fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth middles, then you have arrived at the right culinary destination. I can honestly say I have never produced roast potatoes quite as crunchy and scrumptious as these, and it is entirely down to Mary Berry's straightforward recipe featuring one surprising ingredient.
The Transformative Trick: A Modest Sprinkling of Semolina
The secret that transforms these potatoes into perfection is a simple sprinkle of semolina over the potatoes once they have been parboiled. It might sound unconventional, but this ingredient roughens up the surface of the potatoes so they roast into crunchy brilliance every single time. The extra texture creates additional surface area, which leads to deeper caramelisation and phenomenal crispiness in the oven.
Should you not have semolina to hand, plain flour will do the job. You will still achieve fantastic roast potatoes with soft, pillowy centres, though they will not quite match the exceptional crunchiness provided by semolina. Beyond delivering crispiness, semolina contributes a delicate, nutty flavour that complements the wholesome taste of potatoes beautifully.
Elevating the Dish with Goose Fat
Besides semolina, I opted for goose fat to roast the potatoes in, as Mary Berry favours this over oil. I had previously never tried goose fat for making roast potatoes, and it genuinely elevated them to another level. Goose fat possesses a wonderfully rich flavour that enhances roast potatoes magnificently. It also boasts a high smoking point, allowing it to tolerate considerably higher temperatures than most standard oils, which delivers crispier roast potatoes.
Ingredients and Method for Perfect Roasties
Ingredients:
- Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and quartered
- Four tablespoons of goose fat
- 30g of semolina
- Salt, to taste
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 200°C Fan.
- Place the peeled and chopped potatoes into a saucepan filled with cold, salted water. Bring to a rolling boil and let it bubble away for around 10 minutes, until the edges start to soften.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander until they are bone dry, then return them to the saucepan. Give them a good shake to roughen up the edges.
- Sprinkle over the semolina and salt, then shake everything again until the potatoes are nicely coated.
- Heat a large, shallow roasting tin in the oven until piping hot, then add the goose fat to the tin and leave it to heat for eight minutes until it is smoking.
- Carefully tip in the potatoes, making sure to roll them around in the fat until they are well coated.
- Slide the tray back into the oven and roast the potatoes for roughly 50 minutes until they are golden brown and crispy. Turn the potatoes halfway through the cooking time.
- To serve, dust the roasties with a sprinkle of sea salt to draw out that last bit of moisture, giving them an extra hit of crispiness.
This method ensures that every bite delivers a satisfying crunch, making these roast potatoes a standout addition to any meal. Whether for a Sunday roast or a special dinner, Mary Berry's tip with semolina and goose fat is a game-changer in achieving culinary perfection.
