Perfect roast potatoes are an essential part of every Sunday lunch, and they are at their best when roasted in a pan with a joint of meat!
Roasting tatties in a roasting pan with the meat needs a couple of hints and tips, depending on the temperature of the oven, and I will cover as many as I can here.
The Perfect Roasties
Sunday lunch growing up would always have roast tatties, mashed tatties, and possibly even boiled tatties.
My food is much more moderate now, I have grown up, and roasted potatoes are the only tatties that appear on my perfect Sunday lunch.
I am pretty old school when it comes to roasting my spuds; I very strongly prefer to roast them in a roasting tin with a chunk of meat.
So much so that I rarely make big roasted spuds if I am not making a Sunday lunch.
I would rather opt for another variation like Parmentier potatoes or fondant potatoes if I am not cooking a roast.
Roasting tin roasted potatoes are the heavyweight champion of the Sunday lunch side dishes, as far as I am concerned!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you prefer to roast potatoes in a roasting tin with a joint of meat?
As far as I am concerned this is THE best way to make roasted potatoes because they take on the character of the meat they are to be served with.
The pictures above are of roasties cooked with roast chicken; the fat is "cleaner" and results in a completely different roasted spud than those pictured below, which are cooked with pork belly.
What sort of potatoes should I use?
You are looking for a floury variety or mealy, as they are known in the US.
Something like a Maris Piper or King Edwards if you are in the UK, or Russet or Idaho in the US. If you are in one of the European countries that use the awful A,B,C classification, you are looking for type C potatoes.
You can get away with a middling potato like a Desiree at a push.
What fat should I use if I am roasting the potatoes separately?
As far as I am concerned, you want a good, hard fat, whether it is lard, beef dripping, duck fat or even hard vegetable fat. This is because hard fats help you get the crispiest roasties.
But you can get away with a neutral cooking oil if you like.
Why do you rough up the edges of the potato?
This is because those roughed-up edges increase the number of "edges" on the potatoes.
Each of the little rough bits is an edge, and we all know that the edges are the best bits. So more edges means more best bits.
Serving Suggestions
No Sunday lunch is perfect without roast potatoes as far as I am concerned.
Whether it is roast pork belly, roast chicken, slow roasted lamb shoulder, slow cooker pork loin, roast ham hock roasted lamb or roast beef, tatties must be part of the routine!
Of course, they need to be served with all of the trimmings!
Yorkshire puddings, buttered cabbage, glazed Chantenay carrots, braised red cabbage, sage and onion stuffing balls and of course, Brussels sprouts are all worthy of consideration!
You could even add cauliflower cheese, although that is a Sunday lunch addition that I find a step too far!
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Oven.
- Hob/stovetop.
- Colander.
- Roasting tin.
- Vegetable peeler.
- Kicthen knife.
- Chopping board.
- Weighing scales.
How to Cook Perfect Roast Potatoes
Ingredients
- 400 g Potatoes 14oz
- Salt for boiling the potatoes
- Fat if you are roasting the potatoes separately
Instructions
- Bring a 20cm or 8" saucepan of generously salted water to a boil (I use 1 teaspoon of salt in a pan this size).
- Peel and cut the potatoes into large 40-50mm (1½-2") pieces.
- Drop the potatoes into the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, then remove them from the water, toss them around in a colander to rough up the edges and allow them to steam dry for 10 minutes.
- If you are cooking in a separate tray, melt the fat in a pan, toss the potatoes in it and drop them in the oven for 60 minutes at 180°C or 350°F.
- If you are cooking in a pan with a joint of meat (I think this is the best way). When the meat has 45 minutes left to cook, add the potatoes, spoon over the fat from the base of the pan and cook until the meat has cooked and rested. If your meat is cooking at a temperature below 180°C or 350°F, cook the potatoes for an additional 15 minutes and turn the heat up to 180°C or 350°F when you remove the meat for resting.
Carol Ryan
Friday 20th of August 2021
I Just used old fashioned lard brian. But that's me I cook like my mum did. It made the most crispy roast potatoes super soft middle crunchy on the outside.
Brian Jones
Saturday 21st of August 2021
I love cooking with lard, the lard section in your average Hungarian supermarket is bigger than the butter section, but I do have a thin for duck fat and cook a lot of duck so usually have it to hand :)