Let’s be honest here: for many of us, roast potatoes are the star attraction of Christmas dinner (it’s never the sprouts). We all feel pretty passionate about them, and every single member of your family will have an opinion on the best way to cook them. Hot oil? Duck fat? Olive oil? The methods vary wildly (although the potato variety tends not to – it’s Maris Piper all the way).
If you’re on potato duty this Christmas, it could be wise to channel the greats this festive season, to ensure your spuds are good enough to remember and not the opposite. Plus, a good plate of roasties always goes down a treat, so being known to make them best is a form of praise I’d take any day. A lot of our favourite TV chefs have a foolproof roast potato method, but if you’re looking for what they do at Christmas when they want their roast spuds to be really special, we’ve got you.
To save you from trawling through old tapes of Nigella, Jamie Oliver or even Mary Berry, read on to find the special ingredient your favourite TV chef enlists for their tasty roast potatoes dish for the epic Christmas dinner.
– Additional reporting by Lauren Gordon
Mary Berry: Goose Fat
Of course Mary Berry opts for the classic maris piper, what else? She opts to cook her spuds in goose fat and also has a couple of time-saving tips for the big day. Part-roasted spuds? If it works for Mary, we’re willing to give it a go.
Jamie Oliver: Balsamic Vinegar
Jamie is the king of classics with a twist, and his roast potato offering is no exception. He’s previously whipped up “black roast potatoes” on his show Jamie’s Italian Christmas. Not convinced? Try his festive sage and orange recipe or his classic perfect roast potatoes. He reckons using a potato masher is the key.
Nigella: Hot Goose Fat
Nigella’s perfect roast potatoes feature in her Christmas book, and she’s firmly in the camp that the oil should be searingly hot before the spuds go in. She’s also got a nifty trick up her sleeve for the ultimate crispiness: covering them in semolina.
The Hairy Bikers: Polenta
Like Nigella, The Hairy Bikers are fans of hot melted goose fat, but they opt for a good scruffing up after boiling and then a dredging in polenta for maximum crispiness.
Gordon Ramsay: Chilli and Turmeric
If you want something a little less conventional on Christmas Day, try Ramsay’s spiced roast spuds. Here’s a video of him making them – he even ropes his mum in to help, and amazingly she doesn’t immediately put her sherry down and take over the entire running of the kitchen.
Delia Smith: Lard
There’s really nothing sexy about lard, but if you want roasties the Delia way, then you’ve got to go all in.
Tom Kerridge: Boil Them All the Way
Tom Kerridge has no truck with parboiling. He reckons that this leaves unwanted moisture in the spuds, which stops them from going crispy. His method tells you to boil all the way through so be careful not to shake or over fluff or you’ll be left with Christmas mash instead.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall: Groundnut Oil
Don’t fancy goose fat? Opt for groundnut oil like Hugh instead. This is a simple recipe, and your potatoes will have a really interesting flavour. Perfect if you want to mix things up without any extra faff, or if you’re serving up a vegetarian feast.
Heston Blumenthal: Beef Dripping and Herb Salt
If you’re going to follow a Heston recipe, you’re probably already aware that a certain amount of effort will be involved. His Christmas roast potato recipe is a delicious concoction of beef dripping and homemade herb salt.
Nigel Slater: Around the Bird
Nigel also opts for goose fat (it’s richer than duck fat), but he chooses to cook his around the bird if there’s room in the tin. Meaning that you’ve got extra room to try out his chickpea and lemon stuffing. Don’t forget: your kitchen, your rules.
Sian Meades (she/her) is a PS contributor.
Lauren Gordon (she/her) is the editorial coordinator at PS UK, where she creates lifestyle and identity content. Lauren has a degree in journalism from University of the Arts London and previously worked as a showbiz and TV reporter at The Mirror US. Lauren specialises in pop culture, hair and beauty, focusing on trends, sharing in-depth tutorials, and highlighting hidden gems in the beauty industry.
