What's the secret to making the crispiest roasted potatoes?
Making yummy roasted potatoes seems like a no brainer.
Chop up some potatoes.
Toss them with olive oil, salt and a few fresh herbs.
Roast them in a super hot oven.
Seems pretty easy, right?
Oh, but there's a better way. A much much better way.
I've done the research. Roasted a whole bushel of potatoes. Tested out different theories.
All in search of the perfect crispy roasted potato.
And after searching for the secret.......at long last......I finally discovered it.
The secret, my friend, is.......(drumroll, please)
GHEE.
Yep, ghee, is the secret to making the crispiest roasted potatoes EVER. Just one little ingredient makes ALL the difference.
Before ghee, I usually just roasted potatoes in olive oil. Sometimes it would be a mix of olive oil and melted butter. And they were always good.
But I always felt like they could be better.
Crispier.
So I decided to tried ghee. And the difference was so noticeable. My kids and hubby ALL claimed them to be the best potatoes I'd ever made. And the crazy thing is.......I made them EXACTLY how I always do. Except, this time, I used ghee. That was the only difference. Just that one little ingredient.
Wondering what ghee is?
Ghee is a type of clarified butter. Butter is melted until the milk solids separate from the liquid fats (the water). Ghee is simmered longer than regular clarified butter. For traditional French clarified butter, the milk solids aren't cooked. This creates a very clean and sweet flavor. For ghee, the milk solids are cooked until they turn golden brown. This is what creates ghees toasty nutty flavor.
Because all the liquids have been removed, ghee has a much higher smoke point than regular butter (which tends to burn) and olive oil. What does smoke point meant? Basically, it means ghee can tolerate high heat better. And by tolerate, I mean it won't burn nearly as quickly.
This makes ghee perfect for using when roasting potatoes. The potatoes won't burn (well, unless you completely forget all about them in the oven) AND they get infused with a lovely nutty flavor.
You can make your own ghee or buy it in your local grocery store. There are loads of different brands to choose from -- my personal favorite is 4th and Heart.
The Easiest Recipe for the Best Crispiest Potatoes Ever.
Before you roast your potatoes, put a heaping spoonful of ghee on a sheet pan. Pop it into a 450 degree oven for about 1 minute. Just until it melts. Then, carefully, add your potatoes to the sheet pan. I like to chop my potatoes nice and small (they cook faster that way), but cut them into wedges, or larger pieces if that's what you like. You seriously can't go wrong.
I plan on 2 red potatoes per person (this is if you have big eaters in your house -- like teenagers, boys, kids who play sports, husbands, spouses, aunts, cousins......basically anyone who gets reeeeeaalllly huuuuuuungry)
Sprinkle with salt and add a few sprigs of fresh rosemary. Toss the potatoes so they are coated in the ghee, salt and herbs. Then roast for about 15 - 20 minutes, until the bottom gets lovely and golden brown and toasty. Use a spatula to turn them over, and keep on roasting for another 15-20 minutes, so they get toasty brown on the other side.
Once they are golden brown all over, remove from the oven. Serve them with ketchup, aioli, alongside your favorite grilled meat/chicken/fish, or just sprinkle with more salt and eat them hot out of the oven.
So now the secret's out.........what are you excited to serve your crispy potatoes with? I'm pretty partial to a spicy ketchup or aioli......let me know what you're serving them with in the comments below.
I'm so excited you're cooking one of my recipes, so don't leave me hanging -- tag your pics #amenuforyou so I can see what's cookin' in your kitchen!
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