Parboiling and freezing roast potatoes before cooking them is the key to achieving extra crispy results, according to culinary experts. The preparation method helps remove moisture from the potato surface, producing a superior crisp during cooking while maintaining a fluffy interior.
Why freezing improves roast potatoes
Preparing ingredients in advance not only eases the cooking burden on the day, but it can also enhance the flavour of dishes. Simply leaving potatoes in the oven for a long time often leads to burnt potatoes with dry, hard insides rather than light and fluffy ones.
Outlining the advantages of freezing roast potatoes prior to cooking, Sainsbury's said: "Freeze up to a month ahead. Parboiling potatoes before freezing them is not only a great way to get ahead, it also makes the potatoes extra crunchy when cooked. Roast from frozen while your meat is resting."
How to prepare the crispiest roasties
Peel and cut the spuds into small chunks, then tip them into a pan. Add some boiling water from the kettle and leave them to boil for eight to 12 minutes.
Once the potatoes have been parboiled, they should be drained in a colander and shaken to roughen the edges, then returned to the pan. Place a clean tea towel over the pan and allow the potatoes to steam dry and cool for approximately five minutes.
Next, remove the tea towel and spread the potatoes across a baking tray - ensuring they're not touching - and loosely cover with clingfilm before freezing until solid. Once frozen, tip the potatoes into a large freezer bag and store in your freezer.
Roasting from frozen
When it comes to roasting your potatoes, there's no need to defrost them beforehand either. Simply heat some olive oil in a roasting tin in the oven at around 200C fan for approximately five minutes, then carefully add your potatoes, coating them thoroughly with the hot oil and cook for around 40 to 50 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Culinary specialists at Tesco added: "Freezing cooked potatoes has no negative impact on the taste or texture of your cooking, and in some cases, will add to the delicious crispiness that makes potatoes so irresistible."
