How to make roast potatoes… and why you’ve been doing it WRONG

Michelin-trained chef, foodie influencer, and Young Masterchef judge, Poppy O’Toole has set out to perfect the art of the humble roast potato and share her tips for classic potatoes with her millions of followers.

The 28-year-old has an impressive 3.5 million followers on her TikTok channel, where she shares her favorite food hacks, most recently with a ’12 Days of Christmas Potatoes’ series.

With an additional 427,000 followers on Instagram, the BBC judge is well known for her love of food porn and has also appeared on TV shows including Weakest Link.

But she knows that as the star of any roast dinner, the roast potato is a tough nut to crack, and millions across the country are getting it wrong. From vegetable oil to kettle, Poppy has some unique tips and tricks up her sleeve.

Poppy has now teamed up with MailOnline to share the secrets behind one of the nation’s favorite foods.

The influencer started working in high-end restaurants at the age of 18 and landed an apprenticeship at Purnell’s in Birmingham.

She soon moved to London to pursue her career, but lost her job when the pandemic hit in March 2020.

Poppy O’Toole is the self-proclaimed potato queen of the chef world: she puts her Michelin-star training to use

Poppy said: “I can safely say that I’ve done my life’s work to achieve the perfect baked potato and I’m proud to say I’ve done it.”

Poppy’s Roasted Potato Tips are sure to be a hit no matter what the occasion.

It was then that he started making TikTok videos and spending time with his Instagram followers, reaching 1.5 million TikTok followers in 12 months.

He first went viral with a video explaining how to make McDonald’s-style hash browns.

The self-proclaimed potato queen, told MailOnline: “I can safely say I’ve done my life’s work to achieve the perfect baked potato and I’m proud to say I’ve cracked it.”

To test her recipe, Poppy says it’s important to always parboil potatoes before putting them in the oven.

Fill a pan with potatoes and cover with cold water, as the chef explains, “If you throw the potato chunks into boiling water right away, they’ll start to cook from the outside and cook unevenly, which means you won’t get anything in the end.” those perfectly fluffy potatoes.

Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until the ‘knife drop’ stage.

Poppy O’Toole regularly breaks down her roast potato routine for her 3.5 million TikTok fans, as well as dozens of other potato hacks that elevate the humble potato.

The chef says it’s important to boil the potatoes in cold water, as placing them directly in boiling water will cause uneven cooking.

This is a simple trick that allows anyone to check if their potatoes are done in seconds, just pierce them with a knife.

Poppy says, ‘To tell if your potatoes are done, poke them with a knife, and if they don’t stay on the knife, you’re good to go.’

The third step is to ‘steam dry’. Drain the potatoes through a colander, then place the colander over the skillet. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave for 10 to 15 minutes.

After the time has passed, Poppy advises tossing the potatoes into the colander: “This will mean you’ll get all the nice white bits around the potatoes that will even out the crunch that everyone loves.”

While you wait for the potatoes to dry out, preheat the oil in the oven. Poppy usually opts for plain vegetable oil, but says those looking for something a little ‘extra’ can use goose fat or beef fat.

Anyone looking for an extra flavorful kick can try adding a tablespoon or two of Marmite to their roasts in place of goose fat or beef fat.

She also says not to stop at the seasoning, adding plenty of salt and pepper to the potatoes before cooking them in oil.

Poppy says: ‘Now pour them into the preheated boiling oil and cook for 40-50 minutes for the perfect potato.

“I like it simply made with vegetable oil and plenty of salt and pepper, but if you’re looking for something a little more, try goose fat or beef instead of oil, or even drizzle a tablespoon or two of marmite over your potatoes.” “. before putting them in the oil to give them extra flavor.’

Marmite may seem like a step too far to some, but Poppy fans assure us that it’s delicious.

In 2021, Poppy released her own cookbook, Poppy Cooks: The Food You Need, in which she has an entire chapter on how to perfect a Sunday roast.

Poppy has just become a judge on the BBC’s Young Masterchef, which pits young cooking stars against each other (Pictured: Poppy O’Toole with fellow judge Kerth Gumbs)