A generous serving of crispy roast potatoes is a vital component of a traditional Sunday roast. However, there are countless differing views on how to prepare the most delicious, crispiest roasties.
The Potato Queen's Revolutionary Technique
Michelin-trained chef Poppy O'Toole, who has earned the title of "Potato Queen", has amassed nearly six million TikTok followers who value and relish her approachable and, as she described it, "easy-frickin'-peasy" recipes. Poppy became an internet phenomenon after losing her restaurant position during the Covid-19 pandemic and was compelled to return to Birmingham, where she began creating recipe videos simply to occupy herself.
Among her early viral successes was a homemade version of a McDonald's hash brown, and much of her online material has been decidedly spud-focused: "what I know REALLY well is potatoes." She explains, "I kept gravitating toward spud-based recipes which ultimately led me to create the '25 days of Christmas potatoes' series, cementing my status as potato queen."
The Unexpected Freezer Method
Now Poppy has introduced a fresh approach to roast potatoes. While some cooks advocate pre-microwaving them or incorporating a touch of bicarbonate of soda into the boiling water, the "Potato Queen" has discovered an even more unexpected technique. Surprisingly, she says, the optimal method for creating a piping-hot roastie requires putting it in the freezer.
Beginning with a batch of Maris Pipers, widely regarded as the ideal variety for creating perfectly crispy roast potatoes, Poppy roughly cut them into quarters before par-boiling for approximately 15 minutes. Afterwards, having taken the spuds off the heat and drained them, she positioned them on a rack to dry out. The following step involves introducing some fat to help the exterior crisp up beautifully in the oven. While Poppy opts for goose fat, there are numerous alternatives: "You could use beef fat, duck fat, or goose fat. Clarified butter would work as well," she says.
What matters, Poppy emphasises, is that "every single nook, cranny, and crevice" of your par-boiled potatoes is covered in fat.
Freezing and Roasting
Next comes the unusual bit. Once the potatoes have reached room temperature, she puts them in a freezer drawer where they'll remain until Sunday arrives. After that, Poppy's method returns to more conventional ground. The now-frozen spuds are transferred into a fan oven at 180°C and cooked for roughly half an hour. Subsequently, she removes the tray of potatoes and cautiously flips each one before raising the oven temperature to 200°C and returning them for a further 20 minutes.
The outcome is a batch of gorgeous golden-brown potatoes that are crispy on the exterior yet still retain a light, fluffy centre. Perfect for serving alongside your Sunday roast or, if you're feeling self-indulgent, simply seasoning with salt and devouring on your own when nobody's watching.
