Do you chuff your potatoes? You’ll be aware of the process if not the term. Any dad worth his salt will tell you about chuffing his roasties over a pint at the pub: “I parboil my potatoes and then toss them in a colander, to mess up the edges, and then roast them in goose fat”.
Well, you know, chuffing is key. Though more important is allowing the potatoes to steam dry to remove excess moisture and to use a floury, high-in-starch variety (try rooster) that stands up to the rigmarole of roasting. Crucial too — and oft-forgotten by home cooks — is pre-heating the fat in an extremely hot oven beforehand. Adding the potatoes to a spitting pan is integral to a golden, crispy exterior that crackles and falls away to reveal that fluffy interior so craven. Those with pizza ovens might consider using them. And a word to the wise: Aldi is doing wagyu beef dripping this year, which is less good than Iberico pork fat but nevertheless worth experimenting with over the festive period.
