Tillie Doyle
Pan-fried potatoes are a quick, easy, and delicious side dish. They can be made without the need for precooking or parboiling the potatoes. The key to achieving crispy potatoes is to use a combination of oils with high smoking points, such as vegetable oil and extra-virgin olive oil, and to cut the potatoes into thin slices or small cubes. By pan-frying potatoes over medium to medium-high heat, you can achieve a golden-brown and crispy exterior with a tender and fluffy interior. Various seasonings, herbs, and spices can be added to enhance the flavor, making them a versatile and flavorful addition to any meal.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Peeling | Optional |
| Cutting | Cut into 1/4" thick slices or 1/2" cubes |
| Pan | Cast iron skillet or nonstick pan |
| Oil | Vegetable oil, extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, or butter |
| Temperature | Medium-high heat |
| Cooking time | 20-30 minutes |
| Seasoning | Salt, pepper, onion powder, rosemary, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, cumin, taco seasoning, coriander, Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, chives |
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$37.95
What You'll Learn
Use a cast iron skillet for better heat retention
Yes, you can cook raw potatoes in a pan. In fact, using a cast iron skillet can help you achieve better heat retention and more even heat distribution, resulting in perfectly crispy potatoes. Here are some tips for using a cast iron skillet to cook your potatoes:
First, it is important to preheat your cast iron skillet. Place it over medium-high heat and give it plenty of time to heat up. A 10 to 12-inch skillet is a good size to work with, providing ample surface area for your potatoes. Make sure your skillet is clean, with nothing stuck on the bottom, to prevent your potatoes from sticking.
Once your skillet is hot, add your choice of fat. You can use beef tallow (rendered beef fat), bacon fat, butter, or a combination of butter and olive oil. You want enough fat to properly coat your potatoes. If you're using butter, be aware that it burns more quickly over high heat, so it may be best to mix it with a neutral oil like vegetable oil.
Next, add your potatoes. For even cooking, cut your potatoes into small, evenly sized pieces before adding them to the skillet. A thickness of around 1/4" to 1/2" is ideal, and a mix of coins and small cubes will give you a variety of textures. Red potatoes, baby Yukon gold, or other waxy varieties are great choices as they hold their shape well during cooking.
Season your potatoes generously, as they are excellent flavor absorbers. You can use salt, pepper, onion powder, rosemary, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, chili powder, or any other spices you like. If using dried spices, add them towards the end of cooking to prevent burning. Heartier herbs can be added earlier, while delicate herbs like parsley, basil, or chives should be added after cooking to maintain their freshness.
Finally, cook your potatoes undisturbed for several minutes until they develop a golden crust, then flip and cook the other side. Continue cooking and flipping until the potatoes are tender and evenly browned. The entire process should take around 20 to 30 minutes.
By following these steps and utilizing the excellent heat retention of a cast iron skillet, you'll end up with perfectly crispy and fluffy pan-fried potatoes.
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Thinly slice the potatoes for faster cooking
Thinly slicing raw potatoes is a great way to speed up the cooking process when using a pan. While some recipes call for boiling or baking potatoes before frying them, this extra step is unnecessary. By slicing the potatoes thinly, you can achieve the same level of doneness in a shorter amount of time.
When thinly slicing potatoes, aim for a thickness of around 1/4" to 1/2" for the best results. This ensures that the potatoes cook evenly and helps to reduce the overall cooking time. To ensure uniform thickness, consider using a mandolin to slice your potatoes.
After slicing, it is important to heat your pan, preferably a cast iron skillet, to medium-high heat. Add in your preferred cooking oil or fat, such as vegetable oil, olive oil, or butter. Using a combination of oils, such as olive oil and vegetable oil, can help balance flavor and smoke point. Once your oil is hot, carefully add the potatoes to the pan.
Depending on the size and thickness of your potato slices, the cooking time will vary. For thinly sliced potatoes, it typically takes around 10 to 20 minutes to cook them through. During this time, you may need to flip or move the potatoes to ensure even cooking. Keep in mind that the goal is to achieve a golden-brown crust on the potatoes.
While the potatoes are cooking, you can prepare any additional seasonings or ingredients. Fresh or dried herbs, spices, and aromatics like garlic and onion can enhance the flavor of your dish. However, it is important to add these ingredients at the appropriate time to avoid burning. Dried spices and fresh herbs like parsley, basil, and chives should be added towards the end of cooking, while heartier herbs like rosemary and thyme can be added earlier.
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Use a mix of oils to avoid burning
To cook raw potatoes in a pan, you can use a mix of oils to avoid burning. While olive oil tastes great with potatoes, it has a low smoking point and can burn quickly at high heat. A better option is to mix extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) with vegetable oil or another neutral oil with a high smoking point. This combination will give you the flavor of olive oil while also providing the high heat needed for crispy potatoes.
When using a mix of oils, follow the same steps as you would for pan-frying potatoes with a single oil. Start by scrubbing your potatoes clean and slicing them into coins or wedges. The recommended thickness is around ¼” for coins and ½” for wedges. You can peel the potatoes beforehand if you prefer a prettier presentation, but it's not necessary if you don't mind the skin. Just make sure to scrub the potatoes well.
After slicing, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil and extra-virgin olive oil. You want the pan to get nice and hot so that the potatoes sizzle when they hit the oil. Add the potatoes to the pan and season them with your choice of herbs and spices. A classic combination is rosemary, garlic powder, and chili powder, but you can also experiment with other options like paprika, cumin, taco seasoning, or coriander. Just be mindful that dried spices like garlic powder and chili powder can burn easily, so it's best to add them during the last few minutes of cooking. Heartier herbs like rosemary or thyme can be added at the beginning.
Once the potatoes are well-coated in the oil and seasonings, let them cook undisturbed until they are golden and crispy on one side. This should take around 4 to 5 minutes. Then, flip the potatoes and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until the other side is golden. If you're using a cast iron skillet, you may need to give it a bit more time to heat up, and you'll likely need to use more oil. Nonstick pans, on the other hand, require less oil since they don't absorb it.
Finally, sprinkle the potatoes with garlic powder and chili powder, and continue cooking for about 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender. Then, your crispy, golden potatoes are ready to be served warm!
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Parboil the potatoes to reduce cooking time
Parboiling potatoes is a great way to reduce the cooking time of your fried potatoes. It is an optional step, but it can help speed up the cooking process, especially if you are short on time. Parboiling your potatoes involves partially boiling them before frying. This process can be done in advance, and the potatoes can be refrigerated until you are ready to cook them.
To parboil your potatoes, start by slicing them into your desired shape. You can cut them into rounds, cubes, or wedges. The key is to ensure that the pieces are relatively uniform in size so that they cook evenly later on. Once sliced, place the potatoes in a pot of cold water and bring it to a boil. You only need to parboil them for a few minutes. Then, drain the water and let the potatoes cool down and dry thoroughly. This drying step is crucial, as it ensures that your potatoes will be crispy when fried.
After your potatoes have dried, you can proceed with the frying process. Heat some oil in a pan, preferably one with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil or canola oil. Add the potatoes to the hot oil and cook them until they are golden brown and crispy. You can also add seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic powder, or onion powder to taste.
By parboiling your potatoes before frying, you can reduce the overall cooking time and still achieve delicious, crispy results. This method is especially useful for thicker cuts of potatoes that may take longer to cook through directly in a pan. So, the next time you're in a rush to get your potato fix, remember the parboiling trick to speed up the process!
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Season the potatoes with herbs and spices
Yes, you can cook raw potatoes in a pan. In fact, there are many recipes for delicious crispy skillet-fried potatoes that require nothing more than a pan and a lid.
When it comes to seasoning your pan-fried potatoes with herbs and spices, the options are endless. You can use fresh or dried herbs, but if you're using fresh herbs, it's best to add more delicate varieties like chives, parsley, or basil at the end of cooking to prevent them from wilting. Hardier herbs like rosemary, thyme, and oregano can be added at the beginning of the cooking process.
For spices, it's best to add them towards the end of cooking so they don't burn. Spices like garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and taco seasoning are all great options to add flavor to your potatoes. You can also add salt and pepper to taste.
If you want to get creative, you can make your own spice blend by combining herbs and spices in a small mixing bowl or spice jar. A simple blend might include oregano, thyme, parsley, garlic, and black pepper. You can customize this blend by adding paprika for color or smoked paprika for a smoky flavor.
Remember, the key to successful pan-fried potatoes is to slice them thinly so they cook through evenly, and to use a combination of oils with a high smoking point, like vegetable oil and extra-virgin olive oil, for optimal crispiness.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can cook raw potatoes in a pan.
You can use any type of potato, but some varieties are better suited for pan-frying than others. For example, Yukon Gold, red potatoes, and sweet potatoes are great options. Russet potatoes can also work, but they may be more prone to sogginess.
Peeling the potatoes is optional. Peeling them will result in prettier-looking potatoes, but it is not necessary if you don't mind the skin.
It is recommended to cut the potatoes into small cubes or slices that are around 1/4" thick. This ensures that the potatoes cook evenly and results in a crispier texture.
It is best to use an oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or a mixture of extra-virgin olive oil and vegetable oil. While butter can be used for flavour, it is not recommended as the primary cooking fat as it burns too quickly.
