foodfavesfun: Perfectly Roasted Potatoes

Perfect. Crisp. Potatoes.

Some people love mashed potatoes. I think they are yummy for Thanksgiving but never really think to eat them throughout the year. What I really enjoy are Perfectly Roasted Potatoes. When done right, these things will make you forget about french fries (almost) and will round out your menu for any occasion. We don't eat regular potatoes around here very often but when we do I cook them this way.

This is less of a recipe than a technique. I thought of this a few years ago after I remembered AB's directions for getting your rice the right constancy for homemade sushi. The key was to rinse the starch so that it would be sticky but not overtly so. I tried it for my roasted potatoes and it worked!

Dice your potatoes into 1 or 2 inch cubes. It doesn't matter the size you want to make but just remember the larger chunks, the longer it will take in the oven. Put in a bowl and rinse thoroughly (I stick my hand in there to mix up all the chunks) then drain the water. It is important to do this until it is no longer opaque and the water is clear, usually three or four times.

Turn the oven on for 350. Drain the potatoes for the last time. Spread out on a kitchen towel and leave to dry for at least 20 minutes- sometimes I wait up to an hour while I am cooking other things. It is important for them to be dry so when you put the fat on it'll stick to the spuds. Once you are ready to cook, spread the potatoes in a single layer, you might have to use two cookie sheets to accomplish the single layer. Melt a the fat of your choice (Ghee, Coconut Oil , duck fat, bacon fat is a favorite of mine for this) and mix in to evenly coat the potatoes. Sprinkle on salt, pepper and garlic powder. Now is the time to add other spices if you wanted to get fancy; Sometimes I'll do rosemary, thyme or paprika. Then stick in the oven for 20 minutes or until you can stick a fork in the potato and it is just done but not mushy. Then turn the oven up to 425. After 5-10 minutes take the tray out and turn the potatoes over then stick back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes. Are your potatoes getting crispy brown edges? If so you are on the right track and will be finished soon, if not you need to wait until your spuds are at least a bit brown on the edges. Also after the oven is turned up you have to make sure to pay attention to them since the temperature is so high. This can go from really delish to really burnt pretty fast.