These Duck Fat Potatoes are deliciously crunchy on the outside but pillow soft on the inside. Watch people fight over this side dish!
Get ready for a food fight!
For me, potatoes are supposed to be simple and comfort food. We boil roast or fry them and then forget about them. So, it probably won’t surprise you to know that I don’t make Duck Fat Potatoes very often.
Let’s be honest, these potatoes will not be part of our weeknight meals. They take some time, and they’re a few steps involved! So, I put the effort in and do Duck Fat Potatoes only when I’m expecting guests or on special occasions, usually around Christmas time.
I love hearing my guests rave about how good my roast potatoes are and I’ve even witnessed people fighting for their share. Oh, wait, those people are me and my husband (Tomi). We shamelessly fight over good food!
These irresistible golden roasted potatoes are worth fighting over as they’re super addictive. Be prepared to be greeted with a loud crunch, then melt-in-the-mouth fluffy and tender potatoes inside. The stark contrast in textures makes these Duck Fat Potatoes a joy to eat!
You only need a few modest ingredients, but the most expensive one would be the duck fat. A 200gm/7oz jar cost me $12! You’ll get better value roasting your own duck and collecting the fat. I roast an entire duck a few times a year, but mostly using my Chinese Style Duck recipe so I don’t keep the rendered duck fat. Hmm, maybe I should next time!
Go crazy for Duck Fat!
What does duck fat taste like? Duck is quite a strong-tasting and smelling meat, so it’s surprising that its fat actually has a clean and subtly sweet flavour. It’s also very rich at the same time. This flavour combination pairs very well with potatoes, but mainly because it gives potatoes that extra crispy crust!
Why do duck fat potatoes taste so good? Duck fat has a high smoke point, which means we can cook duck fat at high temperatures. Cooking potatoes with duck fat gives them a super crispy golden crust. The neutral flavour of duck fat also doesn’t overwhelm the potatoes, but it adds a delicious richness to them.
Is duck fat good for you? Some believe cooking with duck fat is better health-wise when compared to pork, beef, chicken fat and even butter. It’s mostly pure and not processed like other kinds of fats. Some also believe that duck fat has similar health benefits as olive oil.
However, others argue that although duck fat is relatively healthy when compared to other animal fats, it’s still high in saturated fats. So I guess, like most fats, we should have them in moderation.
These dishes would go amazing with Duck Fat Potatoes:
Tuscan Chicken Thighs
Salmon Patties with Cheese and Broccoli
Ragu with 3 meat
Pepper Beef and Mushroom Pie
Ingredients for Duck Fat Potatoes
Potatoes – I used cheap all-rounder large white brushed potatoes. Starchy or all-rounder potatoes work best (not waxy potatoes). Desiree, Dutch Cream, Maris Piper, or Russet potatoes are excellent choices.
Duck fat – You can use duck fat rendered from a previous duck roast or store-bought duck fat. I had none on hand, so I used store-bought duck fat, which I found sold near the cooking oils. Some supermarkets also sell duck fat in their chilled section, usually near poultry meat.
Bi-carb soda – Helps to tenderise the potatoes when boiling. This is optional and you can leave it out if preferred.
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How to make Duck Fat Potatoes
Step-by-step guide with photos
Preheat oven to 220°C (430°F) or 200°C (390°F) for fan-forced ovens. Wash and peel the potatoes and chop them into quarters, or if they’re very large, chop them into 6 pieces. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and pour enough water to cover them by 1 inch, then add in the bi-carb soda and salt.
Place the saucepan over high heat until it boils, then reduce the heat to medium and boil for 8 to 10 minutes. The potatoes should be tender on the outside but not fully cooked inside (a little firm). If it’s too tender, they’ll break into little pieces when it’s time to shake them.
Meanwhile, pour the duck fat into a large, deep steel tray and place it in the oven for 10 minutes. Once the potatoes are done, place them in a large colander to drain the water. Leave them in the colander for 5 minutes. The steam will help dry out the potatoes so they’ll be extra crispy when roasted.
Transfer the potatoes back into the saucepan (should be dry) along with the flour and salt. Place the lid on the saucepan and give it a good shake until the potatoes form rough edges.
Carefully remove the tray with the duck fat from the oven. Using tongs, place potatoes in a single layer, then turn them over so that most of the potatoes are covered in fat. You don’t need to space them out too much, just make sure they’re not touching.
Roast the potatoes for a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes, but turn them every 20 minutes for even cooking. In the last 15 minutes of roasting, smash the garlic using a side of a meat cleaver, or the bottom of a mug and cut the rosemary stalks into 4 pieces. Scatter the garlic and rosemary with the potatoes and continue to roast.
Serve immediately for that irresistible crunch because sadly, these potatoes don’t have the same wow factor when reheated. The crispy crust becomes a little rubbery and chewy.
I’ve used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
I would love your feedback and support if you made this recipe. To do this, please rate this recipe and provide a comment by scrolling down this page or by clicking that green circle on the bottom left. An email address is required (for spam), but it won’t be published. I would also love to see your dish, so don’t forget to tag me on my Instagram account ‘3catsfoodie’
Cheers – Cat T
Duck Fat Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 kg large to medium potatoes (peeled and cut into quarters) (NOTE 1)
- 1 tbsp salt (for boiling with the potatoes)
- 1 tsp bi-carb soda (baking soda) (NOTE 2)
- 200 gm duck fat (NOTE 3)
- 2 tbsp cornflour (or cornstarch, plain. all-purpose flour)
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 stalk rosemary
- 5 cloves garlic (smashed)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220°C (430°F) or 200°C (390°F) for fan-forced ovens. Wash and peel the potatoes and chop them into quarters, or if they're very large, chop them into 6 pieces. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and pour enough water to cover them by 1 inch, then add in the bi-carb soda and salt.
- Place the saucepan over high heat until it boils, then reduce the heat to medium and boil for 8 to 10 minutes. The potatoes should be tender on the outside but not fully cooked inside (a little firm). If it's too tender, they'll break into little pieces when it's time to shake them.
- Meanwhile, pour the duck fat into a large, deep steel tray and place it in the oven for 10 minutes. Once the potatoes are done, place them in a large colander to drain the water. Leave them in the colander for 5 minutes. The steam will help dry out the potatoes so they'll be extra crispy when roasted.
- Transfer the potatoes back into the saucepan (should be dry) along with the flour and salt. Place the lid on the saucepan and give it a good shake until the potatoes form rough edges.
- Carefully remove the tray with the duck fat from the oven. Using tongs, place potatoes in a single layer, then turn them over so that most of the potatoes are covered in fat. You don't need to space them out too much, just make sure they're not touching.
- Roast the potatoes for a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes, but turn them every 20 minutes for even cooking. In the last 15 minutes of roasting, smash the garlic using a side of a meat cleaver, or the bottom of a mug and cut the rosemary stalks into 4 pieces. Scatter the garlic and rosemary with the potatoes and continue to roast.Serve immediately for that irresistible crunch because sadly, these potatoes don't have the same wow factor when reheated. The crispy crust becomes a little rubbery and chewy.
