Heritage Baked Accordion Potatoes

Why This Heritage Baked Accordion Potatoes Works

In the hot oven, the thin cuts in the potatoes slowly open up like a fan. Heat moves down into each slice instead of just cooking the outside. Over time, the centers soften and turn fluffy while the edges of each slice dry out a bit and start to brown and crisp.

As the butter and olive oil melt and run into the cuts, they coat every little surface. Fat keeps the inside from drying out, so the potatoes stay tender even though the edges are getting crunchy. The salt, pepper, rosemary, and garlic ride along with the butter, slipping between the slices instead of just sitting on top.

With the long bake, the outside of each slice firms up and browns, while the inside stays soft. Basting during baking keeps sending more fat and seasoning into the gaps, so the potatoes end up with crisp, almost chip-like edges and a soft, baked-potato middle all in one bite.

Mistakes To Avoid

Cutting the slices too thick or not all the same size makes the potatoes cook unevenly. The thinner cuts crisp and brown fast while the thicker parts stay hard in the middle, so the potato ends up partly crunchy and partly undercooked instead of tender all the way through.

Starting with a low oven or opening the door too often keeps the heat from staying steady. The potatoes then dry out slowly instead of puffing and crisping at the edges, so they come out leathery on the outside and still a bit firm in the center.

Skipping the step of brushing the butter mixture into the slices leaves the inside of the “accordion” dry. The outer surface may brown, but the inner layers stay pale and tough, and the fat pools on the tray instead of coating the potato.

Using waxy potatoes instead of russets changes how they cook. Waxy potatoes hold their shape too much, so the slices don’t fan out as well and the centers stay dense instead of turning fluffy and soft.