The trick in Hairy Bikers roast potatoes is two tablespoons of semolina, shaken over parboiled Maris Pipers before they go into hot goose fat. In British Classics, 1.5kg feeds 4 to 6, and I work it out at about 80 minutes and roughly 350 calories a portion for six.
They picked up the semolina idea in Ireland, calling it “a clever little tip” in Perfect Pies, and at least five books use it. But the potatoes only get 5 minutes in the pan, so I’d guess the middles finish cooking in the fat rather than the water.
The fat has to be properly hot before the potatoes go in, and in British Classics they’re firm that “it must be good and hot”. So the scuffed edges start frying the second they land, and that, I suspect, is where the crunch comes from.
Hairy Bikers Roast Potatoes
Description
Large chunks of potato get a brief boil and a rough shake in the pan to fluff up their surfaces, then a sprinkle of semolina. After that, they tumble into a tin of hot fat and roast until golden, crunchy outside and soft within.
Ingredients
For the roast potatoes
Instructions
- Peel and parboil: Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Put them in a pan of cold, salted water, bring to the boil and boil for about 5 minutes.
- Heat the fat: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200 to 220°C/Fan 180 to 200°C/Gas 6 to 7. Then put the goose fat in a roasting tin in the oven, so it melts and gets really hot.
- Drain and scuff: Drain the potatoes well in a colander, then tip them back into the pan. Shake the pan to scuff up the surfaces, because this helps to make lovely crispy roasties.
- Coat and roast: Sprinkle the semolina over the potatoes, then carefully tip them into the sizzling fat. Season well and roast for 45 to 50 minutes until golden and crisp, then serve them at once.
FAQs
Semolina or polenta, and which potatoes?
Semolina is the default in British Classics, Perfect Pies and Ultimate Comfort Food, while in Meat Feasts they write “semolina or polenta”. And for the roast potatoes and parsnips in Veggie Feasts, they ask for fine semolina or polenta.
My own view is that either works, since both are gritty ground grains that crisp up in hot fat. As for the potatoes, Maris Pipers appear in every version, while in Meat Feasts they rate King Edwards too.
Can you make them without goose fat?
Yes, since in Ultimate Comfort Food they give “goose or duck fat”, and their Christmas tray bake uses lard or dripping too. And for a plant-based option, their roast potatoes and parsnips in Veggie Feasts use 75ml of olive oil instead of animal fat.
That recipe adds a useful trick, because the peelings are tied in muslin and boiled with the potatoes for flavour. Then the drained potatoes sit under a tea towel over a very low heat for a few minutes, so they dry out before the shake.
How do they fit into a Christmas dinner?
Their Christmas tray bake in Everyday Winners roasts potatoes with parsnips and carrots, all simmered first for 5 minutes. Then the potatoes and parsnips are shaken to fluff them, before everything roasts in 25g of smoking hot fat for 40 to 45 minutes.
With the roasties sorted, their sage and onion stuffing and a jug of proper onion gravy fill in the rest of the plate. And in Veggie Feasts they call crispy roasties “a must” with their Christmas veggie Wellington.
Is there a lighter Hairy Dieters version?
One lighter option is cumin-crusted vegetables in the original Hairy Dieters book, which they call a spicy variation on classic roasties. And there, 600g of Maris Pipers are parboiled for 5 minutes, roughed up and tossed with just 2 tbsp of sunflower oil and spices.
Then peppers and courgettes join them after 30 minutes, and the dish comes in at 199 calories a portion for 4. By comparison, my 350 figure for the goose fat version counts all 100g of fat, though some always stays behind in the tin.
What do you serve them with, and can you make them ahead?
In Ultimate Comfort Food they suggest them with skirlie-stuffed chicken, while their classic stuffed roast chicken is, I’d say, just as good a match. Or for pork with crackling, try their roast pork loin. And with Hairy Bikers roast beef, the oven sits at 200°C after the first blast, so both can roast side by side.
Two of the books end with “serve at once”, and none of the four gives a make-ahead stage. So my own advice is to peel and parboil early if you must, but roast them just before you eat. And leftovers keep in the fridge for a day or two, though in my view they never get their crunch back.
