The Preparation Mistake Causing Your Roasted Potatoes To Turn Out Soggy

Roasted potatoes are one of the easiest and most versatile side dishes that you can make. But despite their simplicity, there are numerous mistakes people make when preparing them that can result in a less-than-optimal texture. If you're shooting for a perfectly golden-brown exterior with a crunchy skin and soft interior, you'll want to follow one potato roasting hack in particular: Drying the potato pieces after you wash them and before you roast them.

Once your potatoes are sliced and diced into the shape of your choosing, it seems logical to just toss them in oil and seasonings, spread them out on your baking sheet, and cook them away to perfection. However, you'll want them to par-boil (which is different from blanching) to wash away the excess starch. Forgetting to remove any residual moisture or steam would be a big mistake, as the starch would cause the potatoes to come out slimy rather than crispy.

With your par-boiled potatoes ready, you'll want to pop them in a colander and cover them with a clean towel. This will encourage any water to drain off and for the skins to dry. If time is on your side, you can even par-boil the potatoes and leave them in the fridge overnight before roasting them the next day. 

Besides removing any leftover moisture from the par-boiling process, you may also want to try some other foolproof methods to ensure crispy roasted potatoes. Once you've dried your potatoes, always be sure to layer them on your baking sheet in a single layer, as you don't want them to steam (again, too much moisture can cause mushiness). If this means using multiple sheet pans instead of precariously stacking them on a single one, then so be it.

Another simple step to getting perfectly roasted potatoes that you can utilize with the drying trick is to add a bit of baking soda to the water. This method breaks down the pectin in the spuds, in turn pulling out the starch that makes the potatoes crispy. Adding enough oil to the spuds after they're dried — including duck fat, butter, or oil — will not only add flavor to your spuds but also encourage the exterior to get nice and crispy.