Family favorite alert! Here is a step by step guide to making excellent oven roasted potatoes.
In the photos below, I am making butter roasted potatoes to serve 6-8 people.
3 1/2 pounds red potatoes
5 tablespoons melted butter
salt
coarse ground black pepper
12×17 inch heavy rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
To peel or not to peel? That’s easy. If your potatoes look like this
Don’t Peel!
On the other hand, if your potatoes look like this…
Peel!
 |
| Cut potatoes into 1 1/2 inch pieces. |
Put potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Let boil one minute then…
Use a slotted spoon to transfer potatoes to a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Toss to make sure potatoes are evenly coated then arrange them in a single layer with the largest flat side down. (if the potatoes are unpeeled, make sure that they are arranged cut side down.)
Potatoes should be no closer together than this in order to roast properly.
Let potatoes roast undisturbed for 40 minutes or until dark golden brown on the bottom. (If you try to toss them around before this bottom crust is formed, they will stick to the pan) Remove from the oven and let sit for 2 minutes then toss them around with a spatula. At this point, you can either taste for seasonings and serve right away or put them back in the oven for a few minutes. In any case, they are at their best piping hot out of the oven.
Variations: Before roasting….season with fresh rosemary and or garlic
After roasting….toss with fresh either fresh parsley, chives, or slivered basil
toss with freshly grated Parmesan cheese
