Roast potatoes

[larry_stewart]

I actually roast mine with a make-shift barbecue sauce.
I do cube them and microwave them first just to get the process started.
I place them single layered on an aluminum foil lined glass pan/ dish ( whatever its called)
For whatever reason, maybe just the properties of the heating of glass, I seem to get the best crisp-factor this way ( and the aluminum foil makes it an easier clean up and also easier transfer of potatoes to serving dish)
I actually start off at about 425 for 1/2 hour, baste with the barbecue sauce, then another 1/2 hour or so at about 375, baste again, then down to 325 basting a final time sprinkling with garlic and onion powder.

to me, best served after it has cooled a bit ( when its too hot, its hard to appreciate the flavor)

***Above is more about my technique than a recipe itself. Its one of those things that I just throw together, so Id really have to pay attention to myself, next time i make them, to give any accuracy to time, ingredients and measurements***

 

[medtran49]

I peel, quarter or wedge them, steam them in a basket until they just barely start to soften, pick up the steamer basket and dump them on some paper towels just to get surface dampness off, then place on foil lined cookie sheet large enough so they can be spread in a single layer later. S and P and drizzle a good bit of olive oil. Mix so all surfaces are well coated and there should be some excess olive oil on bottom. Spread out in single layer. Bake in 375 oven until crispy and golden, stirring every 10-15 minutes or so. It usually takes 30-45 minutes for them to cook depending on size of cuts and how much moisture was in the potatoes to begin with. Soft and fluffy on the inside and crisp and crunchy on the outside.

Oh, ETA, duck fat definitely will add the taste of duck fat. I recently made a cassoulet using turkey thighs I had confit'd in duck fat plus just the tiniest bit of duck fat I used to start cooking my lardons. You could definitely tell duck fat had been used.

 

[creative]

Just to report back on having roasted my potatoes in an equal mixture of olive oil and organic coconut oil....don't bother! It browned them up fine but somehow affected the crunch factor and they were brown but slightly soft, i.e. not crisp. Thus, to my requirements, they were a total fail!!

 

[CharlieD]

I was thinking of using them both to make roast potatoes (50:50 ratio). Can you say why you wouldn't use coconut oil? The flavour?

For me it's flavor, and also I don't see need for all this new super foods.


Sent from my iPhone using Discuss Cooking

 

[Cooking Goddess]

+1, Charlie. I don't care how "good" the trendy food people say coconut oil is, the fact that it has 11.8 grams of fat per Tbsp is enough to chase me away. Besides, I'd rather flavor things with butter (7.3g sat fat) or, in my case, bacon grease (5g sat fat). The flavor is so much more appealing with, say, potatoes.

 

[creative]

+1, Charlie. I don't care how "good" the trendy food people say coconut oil is, the fact that it has 11.8 grams of fat per Tbsp is enough to chase me away. Besides, I'd rather flavor things with butter (7.3g sat fat) or, in my case, bacon grease (5g sat fat). The flavor is so much more appealing with, say, potatoes.

Erm... - 1 !

Coconut oil is very far from being an ordinary fat - for one thing (because of its components) it is metabolised differently, hence why you see it in health shops.

10 Proven Health Benefits of Coconut Oil (No. 3 is Best)

I prefer duck or goose fat with roast potatoes though. Bacon grease or butter works is appetitising though for omelettes I find.

 

[tenspeed]

Erm... - 1 !

Coconut oil is very far from being an ordinary fat - for one thing (because of its components) it is metabolised differently, hence why you see it in health shops.

10 Proven Health Benefits of Coconut Oil (No. 3 is Best)

I prefer duck or goose fat with roast potatoes though. Bacon grease or butter works is appetitising though for omelettes I find.

According to WebMD, coconut oil is not what some claim it to be. Their conclusion: "Enjoy coconut oil if it is your preference but do so in moderation until further research indicates it is better than other saturated fats."


Coconut Oil Uses & Your Health

Here's a comparison of olive oil and coconut oil from the Cleveland Clinic:

http://health.clevelandclinic.org/2013/10/olive-oil-vs-coconut-oil-which-is-heart-healthier/

 

[creative]

Tenspeed - whilst I do have reservations about coconut oil, it can easily be dismissed without knowing of its properties. (This is what I was addressing in my last post on it). It would seem that some foods undergo various plus and minuses with current research exclaiming the latest finding so it is prudent to exercise caution.

I am more inclined to use it as a moisturiser or hair conditioner since I find its taste not that pleasant. I didn't get the opportunity to try it out/taste it before I bought some.

 

[GotGarlic]

It would seem that some foods undergo various plus and minuses with current research exclaiming the latest finding so it is prudent to exercise caution.

In this case, however, the Cleveland Clinic page clearly states that there is extensive research showing the benefits of olive oil and extensive research showing the harm of coconut oil. Some small studies indicate possible benefits compared to other saturated fats, but not compared to unsaturated fats like olive oil.

 

[GotGarlic]

It would seem that some foods undergo various plus and minuses with current research exclaiming the latest finding so it is prudent to exercise caution.

In this case, however, the Cleveland Clinic page clearly states that there is extensive research showing the benefits of olive oil and extensive research showing the harm of coconut oil. Some small studies indicate possible benefits compared to other saturated fats, but not compared to unsaturated fats like olive oil.

News reports often sound as if every study is equally important, but doctors and scientists make recommendations based on the preponderance of the evidence.

Meanwhile, health food stores often base their recommendations on folklore.

 

[creative]

In this case, however, the Cleveland Clinic page clearly states that there is extensive research showing the benefits of olive oil and extensive research showing the harm of coconut oil. Some small studies indicate possible benefits compared to other saturated fats, but not compared to unsaturated fats like olive oil.

News reports often sound as if every study is equally important, but doctors and scientists make recommendations based on the preponderance of the evidence.

Meanwhile, health food stores often base their recommendations on folklore.

??? Where is this "extensive research showing the harm of coconut oil" in the Cleveland Clinic report? It just says not to overdo the HEALTHY fats i.e. concedes the coconut oil is not one of the typical bad guys foodwise. They obviously know about the MCT factor (mentioned in the link I gave on the last page # 26).

Furthermore, here in UK there are strict regulations re. claims that can be made on products obtained in health food shops, notably they are not allowed to make a medicinal claim. I wouldn't be so quick to diss folklore either since certain info passed down has now been researched and incorporated into the pharmaceutical industry e.g. that willow bark alleviated headaches. Subsequent analysis isolated the salicin in it and we now have aspirin. I wonder how many more findings there could be too with sufficient research into them?

 

[GotGarlic]

??? Where is this "extensive research showing the harm of coconut oil" in the Cleveland Clinic report? It just says not to overdo the HEALTHY fats i.e. concedes the coconut oil is not one of the typical bad guys foodwise. They obviously know about the MCT factor (mentioned in the link I gave on the last page # 26).

Furthermore, here in UK there are strict regulations re. claims that can be made on products obtained in health food shops, notably they are not allowed to make a medicinal claim. I wouldn't be so quick to diss folklore either since certain info passed down has now been researched and incorporated into the pharmaceutical industry e.g. that willow bark alleviated headaches. Subsequent analysis isolated the salicin in it and we now have aspirin. I wonder how many more findings there could be too with sufficient research into them?

Read the part under "Olive Oil Wins!"

 

[creative]

Read the part under "Olive Oil Wins."

I did...it is phrased with caution, i.e. is not conclusive. Jury is still out it would seem!

For what it's worth, olive oil is a no brainer in terms of being obviously healthier.

 

[GotGarlic]

I did...it is phrased with caution, i.e. is not conclusive. Jury is still out it would seem!

For what it's worth, olive oil is a no brainer in terms of being obviously healthier.

We must not be reading the same thing.

"Coconut oil is high in saturated fat, shown through extensive research to harm heart health."

Sounds quite conclusive to me.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

+1, Charlie. I don't care how "good" the trendy food people say coconut oil is...

...Coconut oil is very far from being an ordinary fat - for one thing (because of its components) it is metabolised differently, hence why you see it in health shops.

10 Proven Health Benefits of Coconut Oil (No. 3 is Best)...

Can we then agree on the fact that the flavor of a coconut oil does not lend itself well towards a savory dish? Since I bake infrequently, and I know our taste buds would not appreciate any faint flavor of coconut in our potatoes or Brussels sprouts, I would not reach for the tub of coconut oil in my pantry instead of using the butter or bacon fat in my fridge, or a cooking oil from my pantry. Nutrition in food is very important, but if a dish does not taste right it's not worth eating, IMO.

I did read the article that you linked to above. It does present some interesting points. But at the moment, coconut oil seems to be enjoying a lot of press. Until research is more extensive using larger test groups, I personally feel more comfortable cooking in the style which I currently use: less fat, smaller amounts of meat, more fish, mostly whole grains, and lots and lots of veggies and fruit. And, always, the less processed and refined the better. You may feel differently, and that is your choice.

 

[creative]

We must not be reading the same thing.

"Coconut oil is high in saturated fat, shown through extensive research to harm heart health."

Sounds quite conclusive to me.

Please note: What's missing here is the fact that coconut oil does not behave in the body like normal saturated fact because of the MCT properties. It is metabolised DIFFERENTLY. The comment was made as if coconut oil is a typical saturated fat which, of course, it is not!!

 

[creative]

Cooking Goddess - yes I agree with the points you make.

(To explain - I am far from rooting for coconut oil but also I, and many others, realise that it is very far from being a typical saturated fat).

I also agree that it is getting a lot of press and I am not totally won over by this.

 

[GotGarlic]

Please note: What's missing here is the fact that coconut oil does not behave in the body like normal saturated fact because of the MCT properties. It is metabolised DIFFERENTLY. The comment was made as if coconut oil is a typical saturated fat which, of course, it is not!!

There is no evidence of that. From
http://blog.armyhealth.pbrc.edu/post/The-Truth-about-Coconut-Oil

Many of the positive health claims about coconut oil are likely based on MCT oils in the purest form, which can only be manufactured. It is true that MCT can be distilled from coconut oil, but this is not the same thing you will see on the shelves in the grocery store.

 

[creative]

http://healthimpactnews.com/2014/mct-oil-vs-coconut-oil-the-truth-exposed/ (from an authentic source of info)

"Coconut oil in nature contains all four MCTs. In addition, it contains a small percentage of longer chain fatty acids."

With apologies to otuatail - who started this thread - for my part in it going off topic.

 

[Addie]

Coconut oil has too much hype and controversy surrounding it. So I will stick with what I know and like. Olive oil and butter. Both for the flavor and health benefits.