Here’s the thing about roast potatoes – everyone thinks they’ve cracked them… until they taste better ones. Crispier. Louder. The kind that shatter when you cut into them. The secret isn’t fancy fat, goose dripping, or a specific potato variety.
It’s one humble ingredient you already have in your cupboard – vinegar.
The one-ingredient upgrade that changes everything
If your roast potatoes are good but not obsessive-level good, vinegar is the missing step. Not in the roasting tray. Not drizzled on top. It belongs in the boiling water.
Yes – vinegar water. And before you panic! No, your potatoes will not taste sour. What they will taste like is perfection.
Why vinegar works (The science bit, made chic)
Adding vinegar to the water when parboiling potatoes does three important things:
1. It strengthens the potato’s structure
Vinegar (acid) helps the potatoes hold their shape by slowing down the breakdown of pectin. Translation?
- Fluffy inside
- Intact edges
- No sad, crumbly potatoes falling apart before they even hit the oven
2. It creates more surface texture
The goal of elite roast potatoes is maximum rough edges. Vinegar allows you to boil the potatoes longer without them disintegrating, which means more roughed-up surfaces, more nooks and crannies and more places for crispiness to happen.
3. Crispier exterior, guaranteed
That textured exterior and hot fat = crunch. Vinegar sets the stage so the oven can do the rest.
No bitterness. No acidity. Just crunch.
How to make the crispiest roast potatoes ever
You’ll need:
- Potatoes (floury varieties work best)
- Salt
- Vinegar (white, apple cider, or malt all work)
- Oil or fat of choice
Step-by-step:
1. Peel and chop
Cut potatoes into large chunks – bigger than you think. Crisp outside, fluffy inside is the goal.
2. Boil with vinegar
Add potatoes to cold water.
Salt generously.
Add 1–2 tablespoons of vinegar per pot.
Bring to a boil and cook until the edges are soft but the centres still hold.
3. Rough them up
Drain well. Let the steam escape.
Shake the pot gently until the edges look fluffy and slightly broken.
This step is non-negotiable.
4. Hot oil, always
Heat your roasting tray with oil in a hot oven (220°C)
Carefully add the potatoes – they should sizzle immediately.
5. Roast, flip, repeat
Roast for 40–50 minutes, turning once or twice, until deeply golden and audibly crisp.
Finish with salt. Always salt at the end.
What vinegar does not do
Let’s be clear your potatoes will not taste like vinegar and you don’t need specialty vinegars. You don’t need more than a tablespoon or two. This is subtle chemistry, not a pickle.
Perfect roast potatoes aren’t about more ingredients. They’re about smarter steps.
Vinegar is the quiet hero – doing the structural work behind the scenes so your oven can deliver drama.
Crispy edges. Fluffy centres. No shortcuts.
Just one overlooked ingredient, doing exactly what it does best. Once you try it, there’s no going back.
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Featured Image: Pexels
