Duck Fat Potatoes: The World's Crispiest Roast Potatoes Recipe
These Duck Fat Potatoes are the ultimate crispy roast potatoes, made irresistibly crunchy and golden by par boiling, roughing up their surface with semolina, and roasting them in rich duck fat. Perfectly seasoned with rosemary and sea salt flakes, they bring a luxurious flavor and texture that elevates any meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: British
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 1.75-2kg (3.5-4lb) medium to large potatoes (Sebago or Dutch Creams in Australia, Yukon Gold or Russet in the US, Maris Piper in the UK)
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp semolina
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt
Roasting Fat & Seasoning
- 200g (7oz) duck fat (or goose fat as an alternative)
- 2 tsp rosemary, roughly chopped
- Sea salt flakes, to sprinkle
Instructions
- Preparation: Peel the potatoes and cut them into 7.5cm (3 inch) pieces to ensure even cooking and perfect roasting size.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 230°C (450°F), or 230°C fan-forced, so it is hot enough to crisp the potatoes well.
- Par Boiling & Roughing Up: Add 1 tablespoon of salt to a large pot of boiling water and then add the potato pieces. Boil for 10 minutes until slightly tender but not fully cooked. Drain the potatoes well to remove excess water.
- Steam Drying Potatoes: Shake off any remaining water by placing the drained potatoes back into the pot off the heat and let them steam in the covered pot for 5 minutes to dry out the surfaces.
- Adding Salt & Semolina: Sprinkle 1.5 teaspoons of kosher salt and 2 tablespoons of semolina over the potatoes. Cover with the lid and shake the pot vigorously 5 to 7 times to roughen the potato surfaces, creating texture for crispiness.
- Heating Duck Fat: Pour the duck fat into a heavy-based metal roasting pan (avoid glass or ceramic) and place it in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes until the fat is shimmering, very hot, and slightly smoking.
- Coating Potatoes: Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. Quickly transfer the potatoes into the pan, turning them in the fat to coat thoroughly. Arrange them cut side down for maximum contact and crispiness.
- Roasting: Roast the potatoes for 25 minutes. Then turn them to roast another 15 minutes. Turn once more and roast an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the potatoes are deep golden and super crunchy on all sides.
- Serving: Transfer the roasted potatoes to a warm serving bowl. Sprinkle generously with sea salt flakes and chopped rosemary. Serve immediately to enjoy the best crunch and flavor.
Notes
- Choose potatoes suitable for roasting like Sebago, Dutch Creams, Yukon Gold, Russet, or Maris Piper for best texture.
- Using semolina helps to roughen the surface of the potatoes, creating extra crunchiness during roasting.
- Duck fat can be substituted with goose fat if duck fat is unavailable.
- Cut potatoes into uniform pieces (around 7.5cm) to ensure even cooking.
- Avoid glass or ceramic roasting pans as metal pans conduct heat better to achieve superior crispness.
- Be careful when handling the hot duck fat; it will be very hot and can cause burns.
- Serve immediately as potatoes will lose crispness if left to sit.