Traditional Oven-Crisped Potatoes

Why This Traditional Oven-Crisped Potatoes Works

In the hot oven, the outside of the potato wedges dries out while the inside steams. As the water near the surface cooks off, the starch on the outside starts to firm up and form a thin shell. That dry, starchy shell is what becomes brown and crisp. Inside that shell, the potato stays soft and fluffy because the steam is trapped for a while and keeps the center moist.

Olive oil coats each wedge so the heat can reach the surface evenly. The oil also keeps the potatoes from sticking to the pan and lets the edges brown instead of just drying out. When the wedges are spread in a single layer, the hot air can move around each piece, so more sides can crisp instead of steaming against each other.

Flipping halfway through gives the other side of each wedge time against the hot pan. By the time they come out, the outsides are firm and crunchy, and the centers stay tender.

Mistakes To Avoid

Crowding the potatoes on the baking sheet makes them steam instead of roast. The trapped moisture keeps the edges from drying out, so the wedges stay soft and pale instead of getting crisp and browned.

Cutting the wedges in very different sizes causes uneven cooking. The thin pieces dry out and turn hard or even burn by the time the thick ones are just barely cooked in the center.

Starting with a cooler oven than 425°F keeps the outside from setting quickly. The potatoes slowly dry out all the way through instead of forming a crisp shell, so they end up leathery rather than crunchy on the edges.

Skipping the flip halfway through leaves one side stuck to the pan and the other side under-browned. The bottoms can get too dark and tough while the tops stay soft and patchy.

Using much less oil than listed makes the surface of the potatoes dry out before they can brown. Instead of a thin, crisp coating, the wedges come out with a dull, rough texture that feels floury on the tongue.