3 MINUTE TL;DR READ | 10 MINUTE FULL READ
BY: DAVID OLKOVETSKY
Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 40 mins | Servings: 4 servings
Potatoes are one of those tricky ingredients that are are incredibly easy to mess up. Soggy fries. Non-crispy baked potatoes. Today we're going to make average and sub-par potatoes a thing of the past. One thing to note is that this baked potato recipe can easily be adjusted for thinner French fries. And remember, this recipe will take some time in the oven. So, if these potatoes are a part of a bigger meal, like our next-level Crispy Salmon, you may want to start on them first.
Okay, here's the SECRET. Parboiling the potatoes first. This works because it creates a thick layer of dehydrated starch, which then gets crisped up. Let's get to work.
TL;DR Directions (Short Version):
Get the right potatoes. Idaho Russet are best.
Preheat the oven to 450 F.
Cut potatoes into ~1” cubes. Try to keep sizing consistent.
Place in a pot with cold water that covers the potatoes.
Parboil the potatoes. I.E. bring to a boil and reduce to lower heat.
Continue cooking for about 5 more minutes.
Check the potatoes with a fork. You want a medium level of resistance. Not too tough, and not too soft.
Drain and transfer to a bowl.
Add fat to the bowl. Ghee, butter, or olive oil. Add salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and thyme. Mix the potatoes up with a spoon. You want them to get a bit roughed up.
Transfer to a baking pan or place on a baking rack. If using a rack, you won’t need to flip the potatoes.
Check on the potatoes after 30 minutes, and then again every 5 minutes until desired crispness.
Remove the rack from the oven and let cool.
Serve.
Detailed Directions:
One of our favorite side dishes is incredibly crispy potatoes. Whether they’re fries or roasted potatoes, when you do it right, there’s just something incredible about that crunchy and crispy texture that drives our lizard brains a little bit crazy. Today, we’re going to make some ‘taters that will leave you wanting more. Let’s get to cooking.
1. Get the right potatoes
Grab some russet, Yukon gold, or fingerling potatoes. Russet are best for this recipe, but you can make it work with Yukon gold and fingerling potatoes too.
Why Are Russet Best? They have the highest starch content.
2. Pre-heat your oven
Pre-heat your oven to 450 F. Depending on your oven, this could take 20+ minutes. It's best to start warming up your oven sooner rather than later.
3. Cut Potatoes into 0.75" - 1.25" pieces.
Ideally, all of your pieces will be about the same size so they cook and crisp evenly.
4. Place them into a sauce pan or pot.
Cover with cold water.
5. Add salt and a tablespoon of vinegar.
Note: The potatoes we made here were made without vinegar, and they came out perfectly.
6. Boil and reduce heat
Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat, and then reduce to low heat. Cook the potatoes until the exterior is tender, but the interior is still somewhat firm.
7. Test firmness with a fork
This is about 4-6 minutes of extra pot time, depending on the size of your cuts.
8. Drain the potatoes & transfer to a bowl
9. Add fat
2-3 tablespoons of ghee/butter or olive oil to the bowl. Ghee & butter will get your potatoes crispier, however olive oil potatoes still come out superbly, and are tolerated better by folks with dairy sensitivities.
10. Season well
We like salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and thyme.
11. Mix and toss with a spoon
This gets the potatoes roughed up and helps spread the seasoning evenly.
Science Tip: Tossing with a spoon is important because it adds additional surface area for the seasoning to grab onto and it makes for additional crispiness.
12. Transfer to a baking pan
Transfer the potatoes to a baking pan or place on a baking rack. If using a rack, you won’t need to flip the potatoes. Place the potatoes into the hot oven.
13. Check on the potatoes
Your first check can be after 25-30 minutes, and then again every 5 minutes until desired crispness is achieved.
14. Remove from the oven & serve
Yes, they're going to taste amazing, but don't forget to let them cool off for a few minutes before eating them.
Thats all there is to it. Healthy, crispy, and delicious potatoes that will knock your socks off. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.
We bought 2 chef's knives for a couple of our customers as an end of project gift. It was awesome to find such high quality knives, they look and feel amazing. David the owner of Artisan Revere was very helpful and even helped us get the customers names engraved on the leather sheath and knife.
The Artisan Revere chefs knife cuts with ease, is super well balanced, and keeps a sharp edge for longer than any of my Wustofs or other European knives. The edge is perfect and the knife is dulled in the exact areas where your fingers might be exposed. The leather sheath is a more plus for protecting the knife. The materials are top notch and are lightweight allowing for fast and easy cutting. You simply are less tired after using this knife compared with others.
Being somewhat of a knife geek, I have a multitude of knives, including ten chef's knives and Santukos of German, Japanese, and American steels in both German and Japanese knives. I researched this and other premium American made blades before purchasing this knife, mainly based on steel technology, but also its light weight. I also appreciated a 1:1 conversation with David to discuss the technology and craftsmanship before I ordered. After using this knife for six months, it is now my favorite knife for most all tasks that don't involve cutting foods that are prone to sticking to the blade, e.g., potatoes, (Glestain specialty Santuko for that unique task), or butternut squash, bones, etc. (Henckles and a rubber mallet for that).
It excels at precision cuts, like brunoise cut veggies, and prepping meat and fish. It is as light as the best custom Japanese knives I have, but sharper and better balanced. It is very well made. It maintains an edge significantly better than any other knife I own. In fact, I haven't sharpened it once in six months and it's still a razor. Its blade and handle geometry is superb. It fits my hand perfectly.
My guests may be impressed by some of the beautiful Japanese knives I have displayed in the block, but this is the one I use all the time and appreciate the most. I keep it in its handsome sheath in my drawer away from curious guests who might otherwise cut themselves, or god forbid, drop it. Well worth the money!
This is the ultimate knife. You will never need to buy another knife in your lifetime. A one-time forever purchase. Nothing even remotely comparable out there.
I'm having so much fun getting acclimated to my new knife. Immediately noticeable was how light it was in comparison to my current daily driver. This translates into a wonderful nimble-ness when in use, feeling very much like a natural extension of my intent as I cut rather than a tool for which I need to plan each movement. The details are beautifully considered, and I was pleasantly surprised by both the rounded spine and the very useful point at the heel. I'm so glad I finally treated myself to this knife!!
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