Ultimate Roast Potatoes
There are a few things that set this recipe apart from a standard roast potato. The first is parboiling in beef stock with aromatics instead of salted water, which seasons the potato all the way through and adds a savoury depth you can’t get any other way. The second is cooking the potatoes until they’re genuinely almost falling apart, not just fork tender. That level of softness is what creates the rough, craggly surface that turns into a shatteringly crispy crust in the fat. The third is beef tallow. It has a higher smoke point than most oils and adds a richness to the crust that vegetable oil simply can’t match.
The method has three distinct stages: parboil in stock, stovetop sear to start the crust, then oven roast with the aromatics added halfway through. It’s more involved than throwing potatoes in the oven with some oil, but every step has a purpose. The steam-dry in the colander, the toss to rough up the edges, the single layer in hot tallow on the stovetop before the oven even gets involved. All of it contributes to the final crust. The tallow also gets infused with the garlic and herbs as the potatoes cook, so anything you make with it next time starts with extra flavour already built in.
Ingredient Notes
Starchy potatoes:
Variety matters here. Starchy potatoes have a dry, fluffy interior that breaks down beautifully when parboiled aggressively and tossed in the colander, creating the craggly surface that forms the crust. Waxy varieties like Desiree or Kipfler have too much moisture and won’t develop the same texture. In Australia, Sebago is the most widely available starchy variety and my go-to. In the UK, Maris Piper or King Edward are the standard. In the US, look for Russet Burbank.
Beef tallow:
Tallow is rendered beef fat and it’s the key to the crust on these potatoes. It has a smoke point of around 250°C, well above what’s needed for roasting, and conducts heat into the potato surface more efficiently than most plant-based oils. It also adds a subtle beefy richness that makes these taste like proper roast potatoes. Tallow is available from good butchers and some supermarkets. Lard or duck fat are the best substitutes. Avoid butter or olive oil as their low smoke points will cause them to burn before the crust has a chance to form.
Beef stock:
Parboiling in beef stock instead of water seasons the potato from the inside out and adds a savoury base note that stays through to the final bite. Use a good quality store-bought stock. The leftover stock after parboiling will be starchy and enriched with the aromatics. Don’t tip it down the drain. Save it as a gravy base or soup starter. It won’t be crystal clear but the flavour is excellent. Chicken stock works well as a substitute and keeps the recipe lighter in colour.
Ingredients
- 2kg (4.4 lbs) starchy potatoes (Sebago, Maris Piper, Russet Burbank)
- 6 cloves garlic
- 4 fresh Bay leaves
- 6 sprigs thyme
- 6 sprigs rosemary
- Sea salt, to season
- 2 L beef stock
- beef tallow, for roasting (approximately 500ml/2 cups)
- flakey sea salt, to serve
Equipment
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Chopping board
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Chef’s knife
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Large saucepan with lid
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Colander
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Stovetop-proof roasting tray (or heavy-based oven tray)
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Tongs
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Sieve (for straining tallow)
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Paper towel
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Serving platter
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Airtight container (for storing infused tallow)
Directions
PARBOIL THE POTATOES
FIRST BAKE
SECOND BAKE AND SERVE
Notes
Chef Tips
Parboil until the potatoes are almost falling apart
After 30 minutes in the stock, the potatoes should be very soft with edges starting to break. That degree of cook-through is what gives you the rough, craggly surface when you toss them in the colander.
Get the tallow ripping hot before the potatoes go in
This only works if the tallow is fully hot before the potatoes go in. Add the tallow to your roasting tray and put it in the oven to heat through until it is shimmering and almost smoking. When you carefully slide the first potato in, you should hear an immediate, aggressive sizzle. If you don’t, give it a few more minutes. If the fat isn’t hot enough, the potatoes will stick and stew rather than get that crust. Work in a single layer so every potato has direct contact with the hot tallow. Please be careful with this step and the tallow will get very hot!
Storage
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a hot oven at 200°C for 15 minutes to bring the crust back. Don’t microwave them as they’ll steam and go soft. The infused tallow can be strained through a sieve, stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to a month. It’s excellent for roasting vegetables or searing meat and comes with the garlic and herb flavour already built in.
FAQs
Can I make these ahead of time?
Can I use a different fat instead of tallow?
Can I make these vegetarian?
Nutrition
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- 1 serving
- Calories
- per serving
- 820
- Carbs
- 47 grams
- Protein
- 6 grams
- Fat
- 67 grams
- Saturated Fat
- 29 grams
- Fiber
- 5 grams
- Sugar
- 2 grams
- Sodium
- 1130 milligrams
- Cholesterol
- 21 milligrams
- Potassium
- 1030 milligrams
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