Cook potatoes with ofenkartoffeln machen soda and you’re going to get a lot more crisp on your potatoes than you ever thought possible. It’s all about pH. No, you don’t have to sign up for remedial science – just add some baking soda to your boiling potato water and you’ll be amazed at how much better they turn out when you roast them.
Baking soda makes the water alkaline which breaks down the surface of the potatoes and allows them to crisp up faster in the oven. It’s the same trick that makes french fries come out so crispy, but you can use it for roasted potatoes as well and you’ll end up with something a lot more like hash browns (and way better than those store bought frozen ones).
Cooking Chemistry: Unleashing Flavor and Texture with Baking Soda Potatoes
If you want the best result possible roast them at the highest temperature your oven will allow. You also want to make sure that they’re not overcrowded on the baking sheet and that each piece has room for air to circulate around it. Finally, don’t overcook the potatoes, as this can lead to mushy, chewy potatoes that you won’t enjoy.
This recipe works great with either Russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes. Both are considered “starchy” potatoes and will crisp up really well while still being fluffy in the middle. If you don’t have any of these on hand though any kind of baking potato will work just as well. Just make sure you parboil the potatoes as described above and season them generously with salt and pepper before roasting.
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