Kathy,

Again interesting differences between US & UK cooking. For me a roast potato should be soft in the middle and crispy on the outside.

As you have presented them in your photos the potatoes would be called potato wedges in the UK the while a roast potato (or roastie) is chunkier (see link)

To get really great roasties (and when I can be bothered) I cut the potatoes into chunks and then cook them in simmering water for about 5 minutes before putting them into hot oil and roasting for about 45 minutes at 400.

Scrummy.

What is also really good is to put in some cloves of garlic (loosened from the bulb but still in their skins) – very tasty.

P.S. Jon, love your idea about throwing in some cloves of garlic. I think I never have the patience to roast garlic, but this gets it all done at once. Can’t wait to run to the kitchen to cut up some good spuds and fresh garlic to make this for my hubby!

Hi Jon, You say potato I po-TA-toe……..
My version of roasted potatoes can be cut into any shape or size you wish. I like the wedge shape because you don’t need a fork to eat them!

Bethany I will be demonstrating how to make a baked potato, (or as they say in the UK, a jacket potato!) very soon!

Soap is definitely not used to wash fruits and vegetables.
The USDA says, “Consumers should not wash fruits and vegetables with detergent or soap. These products are not approved or labeled by the Food and Drug Administration for use on foods. You could ingest residues from soap or detergent absorbed on the produce.”
Cheers! (I’m off to get some ice cream!)

Hi Rebecca, given a choice, my husband would eat roasted potatoes every night of the week!  I'm delighted to hear that they are such a hit in your home!

Hi there. Jon was not describing a Jacket Potato, why on earth would you pre boil a roast potato? He did however neglect to mention that you should peel the spud. 

While delicious, your version of the Roasty would indeed be classed as a potato wedge in the UK.

For me the perfect Roast potato goes as follows. Peel and cut your potato's into quarters; 6 pieces if they are large. Par boil in heavily salted water until soft (don't skimp on the salt. I really mean it!) then drain the potatoes and give them  a good shake so the outsides start to break up. 

While your potatoes are par boiling heat some oil (Peanut, or sesame or if you are feeling adventurous Goose fat is the best)  in a roasting tray until it is smoking hot. add your drained potato's to the pan, season and chuck in a couple of bulbs of garlic and a handful of Rosemary. Roast for an hour and enjoy...

Sorry to disagree Rob and Jon BUT…I rarely peel potatoes when I’m roasting them.  Mine have never turned into rocks.  In fact the crispy skin gives them a great texture.  Rob, your method sounds wonderful, but a bit more involved.  (BTW, here is Boston, Goose fat is only available at really top notch gourmet shops.  I’ve never seen it in my local grocery store.)    

Great recipe. Can't wait to try it out!! Thank you Kathy.

Me - I guess I enjoy the differences in cultures, the differences in recipes and also the differences in how people do things.  Imagine how boring it would be if we all did things the exact same way - AND think of all the things we get to try by listening ( or reading) about how someone does it differently, or that they call it something different.!! 

I would like to know what I am ordering in a pub or diner when I go somewhere to eat and I happen to be in another country!!

THANKS GUYS I LOVE IT!!

I'm cooking for the family tonight as we do in our family (I'm the teenager, therefore I get it the most) and I stumbled upon this and decided to try it. The family loved it! I didn't have rosemary, so I used oregano instead. Turned out lovely.

Diane, you are so right!  Adding some carrots, onions and parsnips to the pan and suddenly eveyone is eating their vegetables!

Hi Rob, my mom always made her oven roasted chicken that way.  She heated the oil in the oven before adding the chicken to the pan.  It always came out really (really!) crispy. 

This is a great recipe that works well and isn't difficult at all to get good results from.

One thing I've learned just recently after having taken delivery of a new stove that does everything but solve world peace is that it takes a lot longer to pre-heat an oven than I think most people are aware of.

This is a beastie of a stove, not some apartment-grade starter unit, and it'll use all of 12 to 15 minutes to get to 425 degrees F. You can't just turn it on, then stick something in there a few minutes later and start timing. It'll be way off.

This is especially important with things that you're trying to "oven fry" like potatoes. Put them in a moderate oven, and they're likely to absorb the oil rather than cook in it, which isn't what you want. You want that oil to get hot ASAP and transmit the heat to the food. So. start the pre-heat before the food prep. You might get even better results than you have.

These look great, and easy.  Thanks a lot!

www.sporadiccook.blogspot.com

I do very similar. Add paprika and cumin powder. I mix it all up in a large bowl - I like to feel the food so do it by hand - but thats just me.
I sometimes add a little chicken soup powder - awesome.
THANKS

The discussion about naming is valid. The original recipe and Jon's comments are describing two different things. Roast potatoes are not potato wedges, and potato wedges are not roast potatoes. But both as just as tasty!