How long should I parboil the potatoes?

About 16 minutes in well salted water, until the outsides just start to break down but the centres hold their shape. Drain and shake them well in the colander so the edges turn fluffy, which gives the best crisp.

Why add the garlic halfway through?

So it softens without burning. Slice the garlic bulbs through the middle and add the halves to the tray halfway through roasting, while you keep turning the potatoes every 20 minutes for even browning.

Can I use another fat instead of goose fat?

Yes. Beef dripping or duck fat work the same way. Whichever you use, make sure the fat is fully hot in the tin before the potatoes go in, so they start crisping straight away.

Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / Potatoes

Goose fat roast potatoes with rosemary and garlic

Cooked in the Charlie Charcoal Oven

Goose Fat Fire Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic

Name: Goose Fat Fire Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 6 to 8
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 3 kg Maris Piper potatoes, washed, peeled and cut to preferred size; 6 sprigs Fresh rosemary; 2 bulbs garlic; 240g (80g per kg potatoes) Rendered goose fat; Salt

These roast potatoes are fluffy inside, crisp outside and full of flavour from goose fat, rosemary and garlic, with the Charlie adding a gentle smoky edge.

William PodburyChef

Roast

Prep20 minutes

Cook1 hour 20 minutes

Serves6 to 8

DifficultyEasy

Oven temperature190 to 200°C (375 to 390°F)

RackLower rack

CharcoalRoughly half a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal

Ingredients

3 kg Maris Piper potatoes, washed, peeled and cut to preferred size
6 sprigs Fresh rosemary
2 bulbs garlic
240g (80g per kg potatoes) Rendered goose fat
Salt

Equipment

Charlie Charcoal Oven$6,400.00Choose your oven, Charlie Charcoal Oven

Method

Setting up Charlie

Place roughly half a football-sized pile of good-quality lumpwood charcoal on the fire grates. Bring the Charlie to 190 to 200°C (375 to 390°F). Use the lower rack so the potatoes sit close to the heat for roasting.

Fill a large pan halfway with salted water and bring to a simmer. Taste the water to make sure you can taste the salt. Add the potatoes and bring back to the boil. Cook until the outside just starts to break down while the centres still hold their shape, about 16 minutes.
Drain the potatoes in a colander and shake them well so the outside becomes bashed and fluffy. This helps them crisp up in the Charlie.
Place a roasting tin in the Charlie with enough goose fat to coat the potatoes and heat until the fat is hot.
Remove the roasting tin carefully and add the rosemary, followed by the potatoes. Turn so each piece is coated in the hot fat.
Return the tray to the lower rack and roast at 190 to 200°C (375 to 390°F) for about 1 hour 20 minutes, turning every 20 minutes so they brown evenly.
Slice the garlic bulbs through the equator and add the halves to the tray halfway through the cooking time so they soften without burning.
Once the potatoes are crisp and golden, lift them out of the fat onto a warm serving dish. Season with a little extra salt if needed and serve straight away.

Tips

Shake the potatoes well after draining to get plenty of fluffy edges. This is what gives you the best crisp. Make sure the goose fat is fully hot before adding the potatoes so they start crisping immediately. Add the garlic halfway through to stop it burning. Use lumpwood charcoal only.

More recipes

The cook

William Podbury

Chef

William Podbury is a professional chef and open fire cooking expert. Formerly a chef at Embers in Northampton, his cooking is all about harnessing fire and smoke to get the very best from great ingredients.

More recipes by William Podbury

Frequently asked questions

What temperature should Charlie be for goose fat roast potatoes?

190 to 200°C (375 to 390°F), with the roasting tin on the lower rack. Roughly half a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal holds that heat for the 1 hour 20 minutes the potatoes need.
How long should I parboil the potatoes?

About 16 minutes in well salted water, until the outsides just start to break down but the centres hold their shape. Drain and shake them well in the colander so the edges turn fluffy, which gives the best crisp.
Why add the garlic halfway through?

So it softens without burning. Slice the garlic bulbs through the middle and add the halves to the tray halfway through roasting, while you keep turning the potatoes every 20 minutes for even browning.
Can I use another fat instead of goose fat?

Yes. Beef dripping or duck fat work the same way. Whichever you use, make sure the fat is fully hot in the tin before the potatoes go in, so they start crisping straight away.