Heritage Roast Potatoes

Why This Heritage Roast Potatoes Works

During the quick boil, the potato chunks start to soften on the outside while the centers stay firm. Their surfaces rough up a bit in the pot and when they are tossed with olive oil and seasonings, those rough edges catch the oil, salt, herbs, and garlic. Extra moisture on the outside steams off, so the potatoes go into the oven already partway cooked and not waterlogged.

In the hot oven, the oiled outsides dry out more and start to brown. The rough, starchy coating on the surface becomes a crisp shell, while the inside of each piece finishes cooking and turns fluffy. Turning the potatoes halfway through gives more sides a chance to touch the hot pan, so more of that surface browns and crisps. By the time they come out, the contrast is set: crunchy, golden edges on the outside and soft potato inside, with the rosemary, thyme, and garlic baked onto the crust instead of sliding off.

Mistakes To Avoid

Boiling the potatoes for too long turns them soft all the way through, so when they go on the baking sheet they crush and smear instead of holding chunky edges. In the oven they then dry out in flat patches instead of getting those crisp, rough corners.

Putting the potatoes on the baking sheet while they are still wet from boiling leaves water on the surface, which steams instead of evaporating. The outsides stay pale and leathery, and the bottoms can stick instead of forming a crunchy crust.

Crowding the potatoes into a tight pile on the tray makes the oven heat trap steam between the pieces. Instead of roasting, they mostly steam, so they come out soft and unevenly browned, with only a few edges turning crisp.

Skipping the halfway turn in the oven leaves one side sitting in the oil the whole time and the other side exposed to dry heat. The bottoms can get too dark and hard while the tops stay patchy and only lightly browned.