Crispy, golden-brown roast potatoes are a beloved staple of many meals, but achieving that perfectly crunchy exterior can be trickier than it seems. Luckily, there’s a simple method that can elevate your air fryer roasties to that restaurant-quality crispiness everyone strives for.
The secret lies in preparation, according to experts at online butchers, Campbells Meat, who suggest that the key to crispy potatoes is in the way you treat them before cooking. They recommend: “Once you’ve chopped and peeled your potatoes, add half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to your boiling water before parboiling.” This simple addition of bicarbonate of soda to the water helps soften the potato’s exterior and boosts surface starch, creating the ideal foundation for crispiness.
But that’s just the start, as once the potatoes are parboiled, there’s another step that will help you achieve an extra crispy result.
“Once parboiled, drain the potatoes and give them a gentle shake in the pan,” said the experts.
This step roughens the edges of the potatoes, providing more surface area to absorb that much-desired crunch.
For an even more textured finish, the specialists advised: “To add an extra crunch, try adding a sprinkling of semolina or flour to achieve the perfect texture.”
If you’re in the mood for a flavour twist, you can swap the flour for a crushed-up stock cube for an added umami kick. Once the potatoes are prepped to perfection, it’s time to toss them in fat.
“Toss the potatoes in a generous coating of duck fat or an alternative of your choice, along with a pinch of salt and pepper,” said the experts.
The fat is essential as it adds rich flavour and plays a key role in helping the potatoes crisp up beautifully in the air fryer.
For the best results, the air fryer temperature should be set to 180C, and the experts recommended spreading the potatoes out in a single layer to ensure even cooking.
“Make sure to avoid overcrowding them to allow for even cooking,” they added.
After about 30 minutes, give the potatoes a shake halfway through to guarantee that every side is evenly browned and crispy.
