Broast Potatoes
If you'd like to make potatoes that are crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, make broasted potatoes. Start with starchy Russet potatoes and slice them into wedges or thick strips. Pressure cook the potatoes for a few minutes and then immediately fry them in hot oil. This will create potatoes that are perfectly cooked and fried. Season the potatoes with a little salt and pepper or parsley and lemon. Serve them while they're still hot and crispy!
Contents
Ingredients
- 1/2 to 1 pound (225 g to 450 g) Russet potatoes
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (240 ml) cold water
- Frying oil, shortening, lard or rendered animal fat for frying
- Salt to taste
Makes 2 to 4 servings
Steps
Setting Up a Frying Station and Preparing the Potatoes
- Heat oil in a deep skillet. Set a skillet with high sides on your stove top. Pour enough frying oil into the skillet so you only have 2-inches (5 cm) of space above the top of the oil. Turn the heat to medium-high. If you're using a thermometer, attach it to the side.
- You can use your favorite frying oil, shortening, lard or rendered animal fat. Avoid using olive oil or extra-virgin olive oil because it will burn.
- Set up a draining rack. Place a baking sheet next to your stove top and put a metal wire rack or draining rack on the sheet. Ensure that there's at least 1-inch (2.5 cm) of space between the rack and the sheet.
- You'll be able to drain the broasted potatoes on the rack which will help keep them crispy.
- Peel and slice the potatoes. Get out 1/2 to 1 pound (225 g to 450 g) of Russet potatoes, but do not wash them. Instead, use a vegetable peeler to peel the potatoes. Use a paper towel to wipe the potatoes off. Carefully slice the potatoes into thick slices about 1/2-inch (12 mm) wide.
- The slices should be the size of large French fries or wedges.
- You want to avoid getting the potatoes wet because moisture will prevent the potatoes from crisping up.
- Combine brine in a pressure cooker bowl. Pour 1 cup (240 ml) of cold water into the bowl of your electric pressure cooker. Add 1 teaspoon of coarse kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of baking soda. Stir the brine to dissolve the salt and baking powder.
- Arrange the potatoes in a steamer in the pressure cooker. Put a trivet or vegetable steamer basket into the bottom of the pressure cooker with the brine. Lay the sliced potatoes in the steamer so they're in an even, single layer. Avoid overcrowding the steamer basket or the potatoes won't become crispy.
- You can always make more broasted potatoes in batches.
Pressure-Cooking and Frying the Potatoes
- Pressure cook the potatoes for 2 minutes. Put the lid on your pressure cooker and seal it shut. Turn the pressure cooker onto HIGH pressure. This should be 10 PSI. Cook the potatoes for 2 minutes.
- If you're using a stove top pressure cooker, just cook the potatoes for one minute.
- Release the pressure and remove the potatoes. Leave the pot on your pressure cooker and release the pressure according to the instructions that came with your pot. When the pressure is removed, take off the lid. Use 12-inch (30 cm) tongs to carefully lift the steamer with the potatoes. Set this on your work space. Throw away any potatoes that fell into the water.
- If you don't have tongs, you can use a thick oven mitt to pull the steamer basket out by the center prong.
- Blot the potatoes dry and check the oil. Take a paper towel and dab away any moisture on the potatoes. The potatoes should feel a little sticky once you've finished drying them. Check the temperature of the oil in your skillet. Once, it's at 350 degrees F (175 C), you can fry the potatoes.
- Avoid over handling or wiping the potatoes. Doing so can wipe away starch that helps the potatoes crisp up.
- Arrange the potatoes in the oil. Use tongs to place the potatoes in the skillet with oil. They should be in a single layer and there should be space between the potatoes. If you need to, you can fry the potatoes in batches.
- If you overcrowd the skillet, the potatoes might become soggy.
- Fry the potatoes for 2 to 3 minutes. Fry the potatoes in the hot oil for about a minute so the bottom side becomes brown. Use the long tongs to carefully turn the potatoes over and fry them for about one more minute or until they're golden brown all over.
- Drain and season the broasted potatoes. Carefully lift the potatoes out of the skillet and place them on the metal rack on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt according to your taste. You can also season the potatoes with your favorite herbs or spices. Serve the broasted potatoes while they're hot.
- Consider squeezing fresh lemon over the potatoes and sprinkling them with chopped fresh parsley for a burst of flavor.
Things You'll Need
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Digital scale
- Electric pressure cooker
- Metal wire rack or draining rack
- Baking sheet
- 12-inch (30 cm) tongs
- Trivet or steamer basket
- Oven mitts
- Frying pan, cast iron skillet or deep fryer
- Metal rack and cookie sheet (or plate/paper towels)
- Thermometer (optional)
