Baked Spuds

[sleepygreg]

One of my favourite side dishes for a roast dinner.....or any dinner for that matter...is roast (baked) spuds. I reckon I do a pretty mean baked spud....and my nieces have always loved my baked spuds. But No1 niece on having returned from a sleepover at a schoolfriends place has informed me that her friends Nan makes better baked spuds than me. On further investigation (nieces friends mum also happens to be a family friend) it turns out that the secret is they use Goose Fat to cook the spuds in. Having researched this on the net I have come up with a donut on where I can get Goose Fat in Aus. They used to get it at a deli in Kippa-ring.....which has since closed. Does anyone out there know where I can buy Goose Fat? It turns out this is quite a common 'secret' for superb baked spuds in England and France.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Greg

[Noelm]

I guess you could always buy a Goose and cook it, then keep the "drippings" I have not seen it for a while now, my local Butcher used to keep it, maybe they could order some for you from one of their suppliers!

[FNQCairns]

I will have to remember that one for the future i found a couple places mail order when in stock anyway.

http://www.themeatboutique.com.au/epages/tmb.sf/en_AU/?ObjectPath=/Shops/meatboutique/Products/914

http://www.rhcl.com.au/index.php/larder_store_view/christmas/goose-fat.html

Holy crap...healthy baked spuds!!

http://www.luxuriousfeast.com/caviars/goose.html


also read there is/was a goose fat shortage due to avian flu..who would have guessed.

cheers fnq

[lusco]

hey greg
try james street markets in the valley or the deli in the complex at portside on the river at hamilton.both are unique delis or even newfarm deli.

[Tangles]

Serious business doing a good jacket.

No fat, goose or not, just do them on the weber with charcoal, skins on, cant beat them. Slight drizzle of oil and S&P.. leave for the duration of the roast.. it doesnt get any better.

Doing them in goose fat is like doing the old pub trick of deep frying them to get them crisp.. very chefy and goose fat only makes them taste better...but still over-rated and greasy, and they even take the skin off?

I know its a serious business doing a good tatta..so you need to do a comparison,, try the goose and the weber, but reckon the weber will do a proper tatta. But if the niece want goose fat, well cant argue with that.

[sleepygreg]

I am one of those that likes the crispy PEELED spuds. I hate the taste of potato skins. I used to use the solidified oil (that had animal fats in it) because of the taste it gave the spuds. But since a health scare have tried to be a bit more discerning in what I cook my food in. It turns out that goose fat is actually quite ok health wise......and for the once a fornight roast dinner...well I like a treat occassionally. I even score my spuds with a fork to try to get a crispier finish. Have done them in the webber as you have suggested, most of the family loved em....but I want a traditional crispy pommie style roast spud.

[deepfried]

I have never used goose fat but have used duck fat a bit. I get mine from buying a whole duck and keep the fat from cooking it. When it is broiled for a while it gives you a lot of usable fat. It also is a close match for goose fat and is used in french cooking. If i could get a whole goose that is how i would do it, a great feed of goose ( which is delicious ) and plenty of fat for the spuds.

[Tailortaker]

I roast mine skin off and i drizzle macdamia nut oil over them. It makes them roast up great and gives them a nice hint of macadamia flavour.
cheers TT

[Swindells]

I use penut oil with a bit of parmisan. will have to try goose fat.

[sleepygreg]

ok - local butcher has duck fat in store, and is going to suss out the goose fat supply. Will keep you posted (will try duck fat in the meantime to see how it goes).

Greg

[Noelm]

yep, that's the way, give the local guy a go, let us know how it all goes, my wife does good baked potatoes, but she uses the half boil, score with a fork, and brush with oil, then bake in the oven at blast furnace heat to finish off and get a crispy outside, seems to work a treat.

[flybloke]

LOL
None of that fat is any good for you:-X
Particularly goose and duck fat.
I know it makes for superb roast pratis but at what cost?
You lot are a bunch of silly arse clowns;D
For those that want to commit food suicide and cant get goose or game fat, Simple dripping lard from the W or C market will brown up a mean spud.
Once you got a dripping can happening you can add to it from cooking chops and stuff.
My old man was fed dripping sandwiches for school,,,, He has now had a triple bypass:o
But I cant talk, I'm just as bad.
Peace

[GBC]

Fig tree deli Camp Hill has both Goose and Duck fat.;)

Places like - the chef's butler - etc should have it online for home delivery.

[Horse]

yep, that's the way, give the local guy a go, let us know how it all goes, my wife does good baked potatoes, but she uses the half boil, score with a fork, and brush with oil, then bake in the oven at blast furnace heat to finish off and get a crispy outside, seems to work a treat.

Thats the way I do them except at times I bill give them a good brush with garlic butter. The par boil then roughen outside makes them crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Dont try to do them in the same pan as the roast as the liquid keeps them soft. Take the roast out to rest and turn up the heat. You can throw in a variety of veges (sweet pot, brussel sprouts, carrots etc) and they come out great

[FNQCairns]

Anyone here make real gravy to go along with their quality roasts? You know add flour to the leftover juices and fork it like crazy over the stove top? It's a shame to go all out and miss this step IMO.

cheers fnq

[GBC]

Isn't that where the whole 'rest the meat' thing came from? To give you time to make the gravy in the juices.....

[Noelm]

you must have proper gravey made from the pan juices of the meat, that way you get gravy to suit, like Chicken Gravy for Chicken and so on, packets and tinned gravy is OK for a rushed dinner, but nothing tops off a baked dinner like proper sauce/gravey!

[flybloke]

Here is a good way to do spuds that go great with lamb.
Place peeled and cut (however you like) spuds into a microwave pyrex dish.
Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup cider or white wine vinegar.
Add a sprinkle Italian herbs.
Add a pinch paprika.
Place pyrex lid on and par cook on high in the microwave.
Remove and place in baking dish with olive oil and more herbs, Salt to taste.
Roast till golden.

[sleepygreg]

Got hold of some duck fat from the local butcher today. Par boiled the peeled and cut spuds for about ten minutes. Drained them into a collander. In the saucepan i boiled them in, I put two tablespoons of duck fat, some ground rock salt, then in small batches tossed them around the pan to coat them and rough them up. Put them into a non stick baking tray, then blasted them in the oven at about 240degrees till they were golden and crispy. Niece gave me the thumbs up! went well as a side for the char grilled lamb forequarter chops. Had a tossed garden salad and homemade garlic bread as other sides. (with a Marlborough Suavignon Blanc to wash it down).

Cheers
Greg

[PinHead]

bloody hell..I did not know you blokes are a bunch of master chefs..I cannot even make toast without cremating it.
some of those spud recipes sound yummy.

[sleepygreg]

Had the leftover spuds tonight, warmed up in the oven. To go with the marinated Y-bone steaks done on the BBQ. (marinade was equal parts tomato sauce, bbq sauce, chicken marinade...with a splash of olive oil and a teaspoon of crushed garlic). other sides were a pasta salad, tabouli, and the ubiquitous tossed garden salad. (and the ever present snags.....no way i can bbq anything without putting some snags on.....the dog wont let me back inside unless he gets his sausage).

[Noelm]

I reckon the secret is definately the half boil and blast furnace heat in the oven to brown/crisp the outside.

[cormorant]

Stoooooooooooppppppp you mongrel bastards - yep the lot of you. I have reported your posts to admin!!


You mongrels are making me drools so much I'm going to have to buy a waterproof keyboard


Please stop now as I am not home till later in the week and will have to put up with slop and swill till then.

At least put a warning on the posts if you are talking about nice food.

Stop rubbing it in Greg and if you put up a photo I'll go ballistic.


PS Peeled, par boiled and dry roasted - yum. Charcoal meat - is there any other sort!!!

[deckstar]

Anyone here make real gravy to go along with their quality roasts? You know add flour to the leftover juices and fork it like crazy over the stove top? It's a shame to go all out and miss this step IMO.

cheers fnq


this may sound crazy but you can add a tablespoon of rasberry jam to it aswell. goes really well with a rack of lamb.

cheers steve

[deepfried]

Glad you liked or more importantly the niece licked the spuds in duck fat. Would be interested to see how goose fat compares if you get hold of it. After this thread started i have had roast spuds once a week with a thickly cut rib fillet and creamy garlic and brandy sauce, and yes using all the juices from the steak. If i die of a heartie in the near future i know who to blame.

Deckstar it doesnt sound crazy too me. I do a lot of raost meats with all sorts of jams rubbed in. Bloody delicious.

[pommy]

Well mate!

You are not going to die of a heart attack going round the Point this weekend as you havn't replied to my PM!

Any more of that food though and I doubt any falling rock will squash the fatty you will become.

Rob.

[flybloke]

Here is my fave way to do spuds and its a meal in itself.
I do this different every time so give or take with ingredients.
I put Mex spice and that is a proven winner.
(They are Paprika,Cumin,Chilly powder).
Salt and pepper is up to you.

One BIG spud per person being served
Slice a "H" shape in each spud , but not all the way through, Say 1/2 to 3 1/4 through.
Place on Microwave dish with a sprinkle of water and cook till soft (Done)

Start up oven at 180c

Next
Dice and fry bacon till they are tid bits. Set aside
Dice and fry one small onion , Set aside (Onion optional)
Julian sandwich ham (or real stuff) and set aside (don't fry).
Shred cheese

Next
Take each spud and press down on it with a masher (But dont mash it) until it breaks open and forms a base for toppings.
You want it "Smashed", not mashed

Add a dob of butter to each and add a sprinkle of bacon, onion, ham, Mexican spice and then the cheese.

Place into oven at 180 deg C

While that is cooking about 20 min, Prepare guacamole, Sour cream, Chilly sauce in there own containers for the table as condiments.

Place these condiments onto golden spuds and serv a side of plane old hot baked beans on the same plate.
If you know how to smoke baked beans all the better.
Enjoy:)

[flybloke]

My bad, I double posted this for some reason so Ive deleted this one but had to write 10 characters or more. There , all done