The Best Pork Lard Roast Potatoes

CRISPY ROAST POTATOES 

with Chestnut Pork Lard 

You can’t beat a crispy potato with plenty of sea salt. For this very special roast potato I have used a pork lard by local producers Chestnut Brae. Their Wessex Saddleback pigs graze on fallen chestnuts from around the grounds of their beautiful farm in Nannup giving the lard a lovely chestnut flavour. Lard has recently come back to popularity because it contains no trans fats and offers a number of health benefits…and it just tastes damn good!

GF | DF

SERVES 6

Ingredients

75g jar of chestnut pork lard (Chestnut Brae) (or duck fat or other lard product)

1 bunch fresh sage

800g Royal Blue potatoes, peeled and cut into 4cm pieces

1 tsp bicarb soda

2 tsp sea salt

To Prepare

Pre-heat oven to 210°C fan forced.

Place the chestnut lard in a roasting pan, then place the pan in the oven for 5 minutes to heat, 

Add sage and cook until crispy (5 mins). 

Remove pan from oven and allow sage to infuse into the fat whilst waiting for the potatoes to boil. 

Place peeled potatoes in a large pot of salted cold water. Add bicarb soda and bring to a boil.

From boiling point, par cook potatoes for 6 minutes. 

Drain, then return potatoes to the pan and shake well over medium heat to dry out and rough up the edges ,this will help them crisp up when roasting.

Remove sage from fat and reserve for garnishing.

Carefully add potatoes to the warm duck fat and gently toss to coat.

Return to the oven and roast, turning twice, for 35 minutes or until golden and crisp. 

Sprinkle with salt and serve sprinkled with crisp sage.

COOK’S NOTES

+Roast potatoes are best made just before serving

+ The Bicarb trick: Baking soda breaks down the pectin in the potato and draws starch to the surface giving you lovely browning and a crispiness you wouldn't otherwise achieve.

Flavour Variations

+ Duck fat can be used in the same way as chestnut pork lard.