Roast Potatoes

First, heat your oven. Crank it to 425°F (220°C). If you like aggressively crispy potatoes, you can go 450°F.

Choose your potatoes. Yukon Golds are creamy, Russets are extra crisp, reds work too. Cut them into chunks about the size of a large walnut. Uniform-ish is good enough.

Parboil.
Put the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold, well-salted water. Bring to a boil, then simmer 8–10 minutes. You want the outside soft enough that a fork meets little resistance, but the centers still holding their dignity. Drain well.

Rough them up.
This is the magic. Return the drained potatoes to the hot pot, put the lid on, and shake like you’re mad at them. You want fluffy, mashed-looking edges and cracked surfaces. Steam escaping is good. Let them sit uncovered for a minute to dry out.

Oil and season.
Pour the potatoes onto a preheated baking sheet if you’re feeling fancy, or just a regular one if you’re not. Drizzle generously with olive oil or melted butter. Toss with salt, black pepper, and anything else you love: garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, smoked paprika.

Roast.
Spread them out so they’re not touching. Roast for 25–30 minutes, then flip. Roast another 20–25 minutes until deeply golden and crunchy.

Broil finish.
Turn on the broiler for the last 2–4 minutes. Watch closely. This is the difference between “restaurant potatoes” and “fire alarm.” Pull them when the edges are blistered and audibly crisp.

Optional finishing touches.