Pre-boil Potatoes for Roasting... the night before

[Stark]

OK, Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow and I want to get as much done today to lessen tomorrows workload.

I make great fluffy roasted potatoes by boiling them until they are soft and starting to almost crumble, then adding them to the pre-heated oil. Traps the moisture inside them.

I know I can peel and cut them the night before and put them in a bowl of water in the fridge to stop them going black.

Now the question I have is, can I boil these the night before? I have read you can elsewhere and put them in a bowl of water in the fridge, but don't see how once they have started cooking they won't just absorb water all night.

Anyone ever done this?

If you have should I drop them back into boiling water for a minute to get the insides of them up to temp? or should I just avoid and boil and then roast them the day of?

 

[Andy M.]

If you boil them the night before, they don't have to be kept in water. Just put them into a bowl and cover with plastic. When you're ready, just slice and add to the oil. They will just take a little extra time to get up to temp.

 

[luvs]

i wouldn't boil them; that is blantantly making 4 pseudo gerber food if they're placed in your oven post-boil.

 

[justplainbill]

After cooking, whole potatoes can be stored in fridge overnight. Wife used to do it all the time when the following morning she wanted some potatoes to slice and fry more quickly than frying raw sliced potatoes,

 

[Stark]

i wouldn't boil them; that is blantantly making 4 pseudo gerber food if they're placed in your oven post-boil.

You are kidding right? Parboiled until the outside is just starting to break away then into the oil preheated to the oven temp makes the perfect roasted potatoes with crispy outsides with crunchy bits, and light fluffy moist insides perfect for splitting with a fork and covering in rich gravy.

:drool:

edit: no drool smiley on the cooking forums?

 

[4meandthem]

I par boil potatoes before each of our travel trailer trips.
Makes for easier cooking of most recipes with potatoes.

I am on vacation at that time!

 

[NYBrit]

That actually sounds really good. I haven't had roast potatoes for years. I'm going to try this.

 

[val123]

I got a tip the other day to make roast potatoes really brown and crispy, once par-boiled dust them with flour before dropping them in hot oil.

 

[Stark]

hmm, will have to try adding that to the mix, thanks Val.

 

[Claire]

I also have had good luck with "baking" the potatoes in the microwave until not quite soft enough to eat, then proceeding to do whatever preparation -- fried, baked, roasted -- at a higher heat than normal for a much shorter period of time. This really helps when you're in a time crunch, or like me, have no air conditioning in the kitchen. So the potatoes can be pre-cooked in the morning or the night before, then the time for cooking them can be greatly reduced (as can the heat in the kitchen). No one has every known the difference.

 

[spork]

I also like to parboil my potatoes and leave them in the frig overnight. Prepping, if you will. I also like it because an overnight or more in the frig will dry out the spuds; less moisture will fry them up better as well as allow oil to better adhere for a great oven roast.

(I second the need for the discussion boards to have a "drooling smilie!")