Potato Help - Page 2

Aliantha · 06-24-2011, 11:50 PM

I never used to par boil, but my step mum makes the best roast potatoes, so I watched her a while ago and that's how she did it.

I don't get them stuck to the pan, but I do use a stainless steel baking tray, so maybe that helps. I usually have my oven at about 225 for potatoes and other root veges. Normally I cut a fist sized potato into quarters then par boil for about 5 mins. Drain while hot then put them in a large bowl. I find the excess moisture dries out pretty quickly if you let them sit for a while. After that I pour a liberal amount of oil over the top with whatever herbs (usually rosemary and sage or something like that) and toss them around for a while till they're glistening all over, then it's into the pan and into a hot oven.

I think the pan I use has a lot to do with them not sticking because it's quite thin and heats instantly. I've never been fond of heavy roasting pans for no particular reason other than that the weight of a family sized roast plus a heavy pan can be a bit of a problem.

I think the baking paper idea is a good one. That was going to be my first suggestion, but it's already there as I suspected it would be. I line my meatloaf pan with baking paper too because it just makes things so much easier.

Sundae · 06-25-2011, 11:02 AM

Right.
Making again tonight.
Forget the whole not-experimenting thing, the rents are both out.

Intention:
Chop into wedges.
Don't parboil.
Toss in seasoned cornmeal.
Put onto a greased baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper and drizzle with oil (can't really toss once they're coated).
Turn halfway.

Temp 200 (fan oven) for approx 40 mins.

If they're good they will become part of my small list of envied and asked for dishes.
And at the very least we'll have them again tomorrow for as part of Sunday lunch (marinated salmon and salad).
If they're grim I'll give them to our neighbour for compost and never love any of you again.

footfootfoot · 06-25-2011, 12:43 PM

Corn STARCH not corn meal
drizzle = FAIL
you can toss them after they are coated or before

Sundae · 06-25-2011, 01:03 PM

They turned out okay.
Maybe I shoulda waited until I was really hungry though.
I got bored halfway through eating them. Then again I did use three potatoes for just me.

One wedge was not quite cooked through. I only had three more to eat at that point so didn't feel guilty binning them.
I think the greaseproof paper made the big difference. The cornmeal made them very dusty (see what you mean foot) but I had no cornflour/ cornstarch anyway.

Drizzle did work (in fact I used my spray again).
What I really want - I think - is sauteed potatoes/ patatas bravas. So after all this I need to learn how to fry after all.

Thanks for the tips many nice people. They worked well enough to make me realise I don't want to cook wedges, even though I can now - kinda.

bbro · 06-25-2011, 01:08 PM

Glad you got it figured out. I make french fries this way quite a bit. I also throw some seasoning on depending on my mood - cajun, salt and pepper, garlic.

Clod's guidelines are almost exactly what I do - besides timing and shape

Lola Bunny · 06-25-2011, 02:58 PM

Sundae: Yay! Now, if you ever want to eat wedges again, don't make 3 potatoes for yourself.

Sundae · 06-25-2011, 03:02 PM

Excuse:
they were lickle ones and I didn't expect them all to be edible and I was experimenting with the sizes and I didn't realised it was a no-parking zone and she said she was over sixteen...

You're right.
And I need to practice frying too.

Aliantha · 06-25-2011, 07:00 PM

If you want things nice and crispy use peanut oil for any kind of frying. high smoke point and a good flavour too. Of course, if you have a peanut allergy, it's probably not the oil for you.

footfootfoot · 06-26-2011, 09:11 AM

Peanut oil is great!

Sundae · 06-26-2011, 12:05 PM

Bleurgh. Peanuts.
I might pretend I am allergic to them in future. And bananas.

footfootfoot · 06-26-2011, 01:36 PM

bananas fried in peanut oil are the bomb

Aliantha · 06-26-2011, 06:30 PM

I haven't noticed that things taste like peanuts after being fried in the oil.

Another good oil for frying is macadamia oil. It's a bit more expensive, and it does give the food a very slight nutty flavour, but it's good for some things.

Sundae · 06-27-2011, 12:45 PM

Sorry, I did jump to a conclusion re peanut oil.
I'd still rather not risk it though

Too hot for potato experimenting right now.
32 degrees in here. I'm melting.

06-24-2011, 11:50 PM	#16
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	I never used to par boil, but my step mum makes the best roast potatoes, so I watched her a while ago and that's how she did it. I don't get them stuck to the pan, but I do use a stainless steel baking tray, so maybe that helps. I usually have my oven at about 225 for potatoes and other root veges. Normally I cut a fist sized potato into quarters then par boil for about 5 mins. Drain while hot then put them in a large bowl. I find the excess moisture dries out pretty quickly if you let them sit for a while. After that I pour a liberal amount of oil over the top with whatever herbs (usually rosemary and sage or something like that) and toss them around for a while till they're glistening all over, then it's into the pan and into a hot oven. I think the pan I use has a lot to do with them not sticking because it's quite thin and heats instantly. I've never been fond of heavy roasting pans for no particular reason other than that the weight of a family sized roast plus a heavy pan can be a bit of a problem. I think the baking paper idea is a good one. That was going to be my first suggestion, but it's already there as I suspected it would be. I line my meatloaf pan with baking paper too because it just makes things so much easier. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

06-25-2011, 11:02 AM	#17
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Right. Making again tonight. Forget the whole not-experimenting thing, the rents are both out. Intention: Chop into wedges. Don't parboil. Toss in seasoned cornmeal. Put onto a greased baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper and drizzle with oil (can't really toss once they're coated). Turn halfway. Temp 200 (fan oven) for approx 40 mins. If they're good they will become part of my small list of envied and asked for dishes. And at the very least we'll have them again tomorrow for as part of Sunday lunch (marinated salmon and salad). If they're grim I'll give them to our neighbour for compost and never love any of you again. __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac

06-25-2011, 12:43 PM	#18
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	Corn STARCH not corn meal drizzle = FAIL you can toss them after they are coated or before __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

06-25-2011, 01:03 PM	#19
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	They turned out okay. Maybe I shoulda waited until I was really hungry though. I got bored halfway through eating them. Then again I did use three potatoes for just me. One wedge was not quite cooked through. I only had three more to eat at that point so didn't feel guilty binning them. I think the greaseproof paper made the big difference. The cornmeal made them very dusty (see what you mean foot) but I had no cornflour/ cornstarch anyway. Drizzle did work (in fact I used my spray again). What I really want - I think - is sauteed potatoes/ patatas bravas. So after all this I need to learn how to fry after all. Thanks for the tips many nice people. They worked well enough to make me realise I don't want to cook wedges, even though I can now - kinda. __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac

06-25-2011, 03:02 PM	#22
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Excuse: they were lickle ones and I didn't expect them all to be edible and I was experimenting with the sizes and I didn't realised it was a no-parking zone and she said she was over sixteen... You're right. And I need to practice frying too. __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac

06-25-2011, 01:08 PM	#20
bbro Insert witty comment here Join Date: May 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 2,182	Glad you got it figured out. I make french fries this way quite a bit. I also throw some seasoning on depending on my mood - cajun, salt and pepper, garlic. Clod's guidelines are almost exactly what I do - besides timing and shape

06-25-2011, 02:58 PM	#21
Lola Bunny Junior Master Dwellar Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 2,728	Sundae: Yay! Now, if you ever want to eat wedges again, don't make 3 potatoes for yourself.

06-25-2011, 07:00 PM	#23
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	If you want things nice and crispy use peanut oil for any kind of frying. high smoke point and a good flavour too. Of course, if you have a peanut allergy, it's probably not the oil for you. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

06-26-2011, 09:11 AM	#24
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	Peanut oil is great! __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

06-26-2011, 12:05 PM	#25
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Bleurgh. Peanuts. I might pretend I am allergic to them in future. And bananas. __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac

06-26-2011, 01:36 PM	#26
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	bananas fried in peanut oil are the bomb __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

06-26-2011, 06:30 PM	#27
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	I haven't noticed that things taste like peanuts after being fried in the oil. Another good oil for frying is macadamia oil. It's a bit more expensive, and it does give the food a very slight nutty flavour, but it's good for some things. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

06-27-2011, 12:45 PM	#28
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Sorry, I did jump to a conclusion re peanut oil. I'd still rather not risk it though Too hot for potato experimenting right now. 32 degrees in here. I'm melting. __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac

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