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Mary Berry Twice Cooked Roast Potatoes Recipe

Mary Berry Twice Cooked Roast Potatoes Recipe

Mary Berry's twice cooked roast potatoes are par-boiled, roughed up, and roasted in very hot fat — the definitive method for perfectly crispy roast potatoes every time.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 Portions
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: British
Calories: 290
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Twice Cooked Roast Potatoes:
  • 1.5 kg Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes peeled and cut to large-egg size
  • 1 tbsp fine salt — for par-boiling water
  • 100 g goose fat duck fat, or lard — or 100ml vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp fine salt and ½ tsp white pepper — for seasoning
  • 1 tsp semolina or plain flour optional — for extra crunch
  • Optional Flavourings Final 15 Minutes:
  • 4 unpeeled garlic cloves bruised
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme

Method
 

  1. Peel and cut potatoes to large-egg size pieces — evenly sized.
  2. Place in cold salted water. Bring to the boil from cold. Boil 8–10 minutes until just beginning to soften at the edges but still firm inside. Drain thoroughly.
  3. Return to empty pan. Lid on. Shake vigorously 10–15 seconds until all surfaces are rough and fluffy. Scatter semolina or flour if using. Leave uncovered 10 minutes to steam dry.
  4. Place fat in a large roasting tin in 220°C / 200°C fan / Gas 7 oven for at least 15 minutes until smoking. Test — a potato piece must sizzle dramatically immediately on contact.
  5. Remove tin from oven. Tip potatoes into smoking fat carefully. Turn each piece immediately to coat all surfaces. Return to oven without delay.
  6. Roast 45–55 minutes, turning 2–3 times, until deeply golden and crispy on all surfaces. Add garlic and herbs in the final 15 minutes. Season with salt immediately on coming out of the oven. Serve immediately.

Notes

Start par-boiling from cold water — more even cooking throughout.
Par-boil 8–10 minutes only — the potatoes finish in the oven.
Shake vigorously without mercy — the rough surface creates the crust.
Fat must be smoking before potatoes go in — not just hot, smoking.
Turn 2–3 times during roasting — every surface must achieve the same crispness.
Add herbs in the final 15 minutes — earlier and they burn.
Season immediately on coming out of the oven — salt adheres to the hot surface.
Par-boil and rough up the day before — leave uncovered in the fridge for even crispier results.
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