Simple Braised Potatoes Recipe (2024)

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SonomaSMB

These great potatoes have become a staple at our house. The basic recipe is really good (I do add more garlic.)

But it's a fun one to play with, too. I've used leeks or red onions for some color. Duck fat makes it heavenly. It works well with so many other seasonings: paprika, lemon pepper, cumin, Moroccan spices, endless possibilities.

And always make more than you need for dinner. Leftovers are for breakfast with poached or fried eggs. Breakfast doesn't get better than that!

Rina

This resulted in too much liquid. I suggest using only 2/3 of what's used here.

cfwagner@gilanet.com

My dear mother and her mother who grew up in Southwest Louisiana cooked these (without garlic or suggested herbs) but called them "parsley potatoes" as they added plenty of fresh chopped parsley. Do not cover and add water (or broth) only as needed. Type of broth gives different taste - all good.

Road Cook

The comments are hilarious. Southerners have been cooking potatoes like this all my life...and I'm old.

Karyn

Add white wine and lemon to the braising liquid...just trust me on this!!

josee

I made these potatoes last week. I used duck fat and homemade stock. The potatoes were outstanding alongside some pork tenderloin and roasted beets.The real fun began with the leftover potatoes. Later in the week I heated some oil in a pan, added some leftover potatoes and “squished” them to a flat pancake form. Cooked to a crisp, flipped crisped up the other side and covered with a sunny side up egg from my chickens. This recipe goes up to my number 2 all time favorite potatoes recipe.

Lyn

Just clicked on it, so haven't made it yet... Looks good and simple. Just to respond to the 1st comment: I don't think it would be too much liquid. It's meant to be simmered uncovered for 30 minutes. If covered, YES, it would be too much.

Laura

Very lovely, simple, satisfying dish! I used about 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth. I cooked them in a large cast iron skillet. I think it depends mostly on the type and depth of skillet or pot you use. Just mind the instruction to have the stock barely cover potatoes and you've set.

HESPhoenix

Huge favorite! I’ve tried various potatoes. Yukon Gold are ideal for this, both in terms of flavor and structural integrity.

Norah Robb

These are Scottish stovies. Even better when the fat used is left over from the Sunday roast.

kmbap

Be careful on salt; between the stock and salt added to the potatoes, I inadvertently made it too salty. Next time I will not add salt until the end, if needed. Added extra garlic and thyme and will again the next time I make it.

Annie

Have been doing this since I first married and was not much of a cook back then, thought it up as easy and used parsley as my herb of choice.It is still one of our favorite ways to have potatoes, something very fresh and summer-like about them in my mind.These days I often use tiny potatoes of all colors, fingerlings ,get the same results.I could literally make a total meal of them.It is important to let the liquid reduce considerably, the potatoes absorb the broth and drizzle with a bit of EVOO

rubrodisca

I also feared it would be too much liquid, so I started with 1 cup. When that dried out but the potatoes weren't quite done, I splashed on just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan and keep them from burning. (I kept the lid on my pan). When that liquid was absorbed, they were done. It was a simple and tasty recipe.

SMT

We loved these potatoes. Simple, tasty, and kid friendly which makes this a winner in our house. I think two cups of broth is just about right. I added a little extra to make sure they were just barely covered and that ended up being slightly too much. Still turned out delicious.

Edwin Carrington

I love this ! And all your comments are fun! Yes it's an old recipe but it's deliscious. Growing up in Brasil and Costa Rica they make this with a bit of "achiote" or tomato paste if you can't find that and cook them very slow. We add meat to it, nice chunks of beef mixed in with a nice salad and a cold beer!!! Mmmmmmm (easy to make too)

JenG

Used peeled russets in a cast iron Dutch oven. The flavor was good thought but most of the potatoes became too soft and mushy after 30 minutes. I also had the experience of ending up with too much liquid, which resulted in something resembling a potato soup at the bottom.

bob lafferty

outstanding. smallest white new spuds, homemade chicken stock. seems impossible to screw up. also; prepped spuds, onions, garlic with Duck fat. used thyme. did not cover spuds, bathed them. side dish to baked cod and tomatoes and shallots

John M.

Simple and delicious way to fix potatoes. I used Wirecutter recommended Imagine Low Sodium Chicken Broth (best I've ever used!) and aside from doubling the garlic, I made the recipe as written using a cast iron skillet. Thanks a lot, Mr. Bittman. Finally, a recipe I can memorize.

MMS

I'm not sure why, but this dish simply didn't excite even though I added additional garlic. I'll try again, but next time I think I'll take Karyn's advice and add wine and lemon juice.....and probably a handful of chopped, fresh herbs.

Erin M

Delicious. Exactly what we hoped for from a braised potato dish. I will try the lemon+white wine recommendation next time. I used fresh oregano because that's what I had. Turned out lovely.

Ann Grant

Seemed like too much liquid, so I reduced it and cooked with the lid off, as others have suggested. Used dry vermouth to deglaze the pan before adding chicken broth. Seasoned with savory from the garden and a little ground pepper. Perfect for me recovering from an extracted tooth rather than potato salad--any kind of acid stings!.

Moira H.

Really delicious. Cooked frozen peas in the remaining liquid which gave them a sauce too. It’s clearly a technique that can be applied to a lot of different vegetables, which was probably Bittman’s point. A great new addition to my cooking education.

Amber

Maybe I cut the slices too large but these took forever to cook and I wasn’t wowed by them. A fine dish but not one worth repeating.

Jon

Made this for a family dinner and my daughter and son-in–law, both super-tasters, loved it. My daughter described it as "delicious with an amazing depth of flavor."

Patricia

My mother called these watered potatoes. She would use bacon fat, onions, and water. So simple and delicious.

Elisabeth

Made this exactly as written and it was absolutely perfect. Looking forward to to playing with different spices and broths, and wine, too!

Vern

Potatoes stuck on bottom of pan very quickly, so then I added the stock to loosen them up and everything turned to mush. The taste was good but it did not look appetizing.

Gabriel

Seasoning your braising liquid of choice with generous salt during the braising/simmering phase is hugely important. While the dish came out as expected (and great, btw!) it definitely needed salt and, unfortunately, salting after doesn’t allow for the salt to be absorbed into the potatoes.

Mary

Great recipe! I did need to add a lot more of salt to get it there though. I doubled the amount of garlic and found that using the full 2 cups of chicken broth did the trick. Needed to simmer for 45 minutes rather than 30. Would definitely make again!

Sylvia Flores

This is a great recipe - like other comments, I would also cut the recipe down 2/3s. I had rainbow potatoes, and it took about 45 minutes versus 30. I used bacon fat, an entire head (large!) of garlic, Walla Walla onion, and fresh Thyme with chicken bone broth. I wanted to keep it simple, but I love SonomaSMB's commentary on the additional spices additions. Cumin would be divine!

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Simple Braised Potatoes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do I have to boil potatoes before roasting them? ›

Do I have to boil potatoes before roasting? Not necessary but this can help get the perfect consistency and crispiness. Make sure you boil them but leave them a bit al dente and they will crisp up perfectly in the oven.

When to add potatoes to a braise? ›

Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, or until the pot roast is very tender. Add the potatoes and carrots, if using, and continue cooking for about 30 to 45 minutes longer, or until the vegetables are tender. Serve the pot roast sliced or shredded.

How does Gordon Ramsay cook potatoes? ›

You'll just have to boil the potatoes for only about 10 to 15 minutes, or until you can easily poke through them with a fork, then proceed with the baking as usual. And for even more crispiness, Ramsay suggests sprinkling the potatoes with a bit of flour right before putting them in the oven.

Why do you soak potatoes in water before roasting? ›

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

What happens if you don't parboil roast potatoes? ›

You'll end up with toasty outsides and raw insides. The par steam / boil is to make sure they're cooked well, then roasted. If your potatoes are small enough the straight roast works.

What is the best fat for roast potatoes? ›

The best fats and oils for roast potatoes are: Goose fat. Vegetable oil. Sesame oil.

What are the 4 steps in braising technique? ›

Whether you are using a stainless steel braiser, enamelled cast iron, or a toughened nonstick one, the process does not change.
  1. Step 1: Pre-Heat the Braiser. A braiser is designed to cook slow food evenly throughout and retains heat exceptionally well. ...
  2. Step 2: Searing. ...
  3. Step 3: Add the liquid. ...
  4. Step 4: Add in the meat.
Jul 27, 2021

How long to simmer potatoes until tender? ›

Bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot with a lid and let simmer until fork-tender, about 10 to 15 minutes for small and/or cubed potatoes or 20 to 25 minutes for large potatoes. Drain and cool.

Is it better to braise on the stove or oven? ›

Once the liquid is added, braising can be done on a burner or in an oven. Stove-top braising is faster, but the item being braised must be tended to more frequently. Braising in an oven takes about 20 percent longer than braising on top of the stove, but the ingredient cooks much more evenly with far less manipulation.

Why are restaurant baked potatoes so good? ›

The olive oil helps the seasonings adhere to the surface of the potato. To save time, restaurants often apply the oil with a spray bottle. Thanks to their naturally high starch content, which creates a plush texture under heat, Russet potatoes make a good fit for baking.

Why do chefs soak potatoes in water? ›

"Placing [peeled and cut] potatoes in water helps prevent oxidation, which turns their exposed flesh brown," says Ronna Welsh, the author of The Nimble Cook and the owner and chef instructor at Purple Kale Kitchenworks in Brooklyn, N.Y. While oxidation won't make the potatoes unsafe to eat, it does change their flavor.

How does Ina Garten make baked potatoes? ›

Garten doesn't wrap her baked potatoes in aluminum foil.

Instead of wrapping the potato in foil, Garten just covers a baking sheet with it. I followed suit, placing my seasoned potato on a foil-covered tray. Once the oven was preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, I baked the potato for one hour.

What happens if you don't soak potatoes? ›

A: First let's talk about why cut potatoes need to be immersed in water to begin with. The reason is to prevent the potatoes exposure to air, which causes dehydration, oxidation, and discoloration. Immersing cut potatoes will also help rinse off excess starch.

Should you boil potatoes before roasting? ›

Parboil the Potatoes First

Parboiling helps soften the potato insides before the roasting begins, so you won't be tempted to burn the outsides in exchange for less undercooked insides. Boil the potato chunks for eight to 10 minutes—they won't be fully cooked, but they'll be ready for the next step.

Why do you put salt in the water when cooking potatoes? ›

Dense potatoes don't absorb seasonings easily, so you'll need to salt the water liberally so that the water the potatoes do drink up also carries in seasoning. And because potatoes are so timid in flavor, they need that salt to bring them out of their shells. Pour some salt in, then keep going.

Do potatoes have to be cooked before baking? ›

No, you do not need to boil your jumbo potatoes before baking them. Just follow this recipe for your best baked potatoes!

Do you always have to boil potatoes first? ›

And even if recipes don't call for it, sometimes the recipe is quick and tastier if you boil the potatoes first, anyway. Start with cold water and salt (so the potato gains flavor as it cooks). And whatever size or type of potato you're boiling, you'll want everything to be of a similar size so they cook evenly.

Why don't my roast potatoes go crispy? ›

Then make sure oven is preheated and get fat nice and hot before you add the potatoes. The best for crispy potatoes is goose or duck fat or even lard but I as a little healthier have success also with a simple vegetable oil. You always should preheat the oven and get that fat nice and hot.

Do you have to pre boil potatoes? ›

Put differently, you may not need to parboil potatoes, but there are a lot of scenarios where you certainly should, because it will save you time and effort, in addition to being more effective.

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