Perfect Crispy Roast Potatoes in a Cast Iron Skillet: Your New Favorite Side Dish
Few foods hold a place in our hearts and on our dinner tables quite like potatoes. Their incredible versatility means they can be transformed into countless delicious dishes – boiled, mashed, fried, baked, or, as we’re celebrating today, perfectly roasted. Here in my home, potatoes are a permanent fixture, and I’m always on the hunt for a new, exciting way to prepare them. This particular recipe for roast potatoes in a cast iron skillet isn’t just “amazing” – it’s truly a game-changer, promising crispy exteriors and fluffy interiors every single time. It’s quickly become a family favorite, proving that sometimes, the simplest ingredients yield the most satisfying results for a comforting side dish.
The Inspiration: Discovering the Best Cast Iron Roast Potato Recipe
My journey to these incredible cast iron skillet potatoes began, as many great culinary adventures do, with a scroll through Pinterest. I stumbled upon a recipe for “BBQ Potatoes” on the Kayotic Kitchen blog, and the images alone were enough to convince me. They looked so succulent, so inviting, that I knew I had to drop everything and give them a try. There’s something undeniably captivating about a beautifully roasted potato, and these promised to deliver on that crisp, golden perfection that makes any meal feel special.
However, as any seasoned home cook knows, adapting a recipe to your own kitchen can sometimes require a bit of experimentation. The original recipe’s author, Kay from Kayotic Kitchen, is based in the Netherlands and uses a “BGE” (Big Green Egg) for her cooking. This is a specialized ceramic charcoal cooker known for its excellent heat retention and precise temperature control, making it ideal for high-temperature roasting. While I dream of owning a Big Green Egg one day, my trusty conventional oven had to suffice. Initial attempts at the recommended 350°F quickly revealed that my oven wasn’t delivering the same heat intensity required to achieve that perfectly crispy skin.
Adjusting for Perfection: Understanding Oven Temperatures and Equipment Variations
This experience highlights a crucial aspect of home cooking: understanding your equipment and its nuances. Ovens, especially older ones or those of different brands, can vary significantly in their actual temperature compared to their dial settings. An inexpensive, freestanding oven thermometer can be a valuable tool for any serious cook, ensuring your dishes are consistently baked or roasted at the correct heat. For this specific roast potato recipe, after a few trials, I found that bumping up my oven temperature to a steady 425°F for approximately 40-45 minutes was the sweet spot. This higher temperature was absolutely key to developing that wonderfully golden, crispy exterior while ensuring the inside became tender and fluffy. It’s a valuable lesson that recipes are often guidelines, and personal adjustments based on your kitchen environment are not only acceptable but often necessary for culinary success and achieving perfectly cooked, crispy potatoes.
The Indispensable Tool: Why a Cast Iron Skillet Excels for Roasting Potatoes
While you can certainly use another oven-safe dish for this recipe, I cannot recommend a cast iron skillet enough. My cast iron skillet is one of my most cherished kitchen tools, and it gets an immense amount of use, especially for dishes like these easy roast potatoes. Why is it so fantastic for roasting vegetables, particularly potatoes? Cast iron is renowned for its exceptional heat retention and incredibly even heat distribution. This means that once your skillet is hot, it stays hot, creating a consistent cooking environment that promotes beautiful browning and incredible crispness on the potato surfaces. The heavy bottom of the skillet helps to create a perfect sear, transforming ordinary potatoes into something extraordinary. If you don’t already own one, a good quality cast iron skillet is a worthwhile investment that will elevate your cooking across many dishes, not just these amazing roast potatoes in the oven. It’s truly the secret weapon for crispy roasted vegetables.
The Ultimate Stamp of Approval: A Recipe That Even Impresses Picky Eaters
These cast iron roast potatoes were, to put it mildly, delicious. In fact, they received a rare and highly coveted “rave review” from my husband. Now, for those who don’t know him, that’s a monumental achievement. He’s generally quite apathetic when it comes to the new recipes I introduce, often content with a rather “boring flavor palate” as I lovingly tease him. So, when he goes out of his way to comment that something is genuinely good, I not only take notice, but I know I’ve hit culinary gold. This recipe, dear readers, is officially a keeper – a testament to its undeniable deliciousness, ease of preparation, and universal appeal. It’s a reliable side dish that you can confidently serve to guests or whip up for a simple weeknight dinner.
Preparing Your Potatoes for Perfect Oven Roasting
Next time, I’m eager to experiment with a basil butter I discovered at our local mushroom farm. That place is a treasure trove of unique ingredients; there’s always something fabulous to be had! But for now, let’s focus on the core technique for these sensational roast potatoes. The success of this dish begins with proper potato selection and careful preparation, laying the groundwork for that irresistible crispy texture and tender interior.
Choosing and Arranging Your Potatoes for Optimal Crispness
You’ll need enough potatoes to snugly fill your cast iron pan. I highly recommend using russet potatoes for this recipe, as their high starch content leads to a wonderfully fluffy interior and a perfectly crispy exterior when roasted. Opt for potatoes that are roughly even in size to ensure uniform cooking; this prevents some potatoes from being undercooked while others are overdone. A common mistake is to try and gauge how many potatoes you need before peeling them. Remember, once peeled, potatoes shrink slightly, so an initial fitting can be deceptive. A better approach is to peel 1-2 potatoes at a time, rinse them thoroughly, and then arrange them in your skillet. Continue this process until the pan is adequately, but not overly, filled. They should fit snugly, allowing some space for the broth to circulate and for hot air to crisp the surfaces, but not so tightly that they steam instead of roast. This thoughtful arrangement is crucial for achieving truly crispy roast potatoes.
Once your peeled potatoes are nestled in the cast iron skillet, it’s time for the liquid element. Add chicken broth to the pan, ensuring it comes about one inch up the sides of the potatoes. This broth serves multiple purposes: it prevents the potatoes from drying out during the initial baking phase, infuses them with a rich, savory flavor, and creates a lovely steam bath that helps tenderize the potatoes from the inside before the higher heat fully crisps the exterior. This dual action is part of what makes these oven-roasted potatoes so incredibly delicious and tender inside.
Seasoning and Baking to Golden Perfection: The Secret to Delicious Roast Potatoes
Now for the flavor profile. Generously season your potatoes with garlic salt and freshly ground black pepper. Don’t be shy here; potatoes are notoriously bland on their own and truly absorb and benefit from bold seasoning! For an extra touch of richness and to aid in that beautiful golden-brown crust, thinly slice cold unsalted butter and place a small sliver on top of each potato. As the butter melts, it will baste the potatoes, contributing to that irresistible golden crust and adding a subtle, luxurious flavor to every bite. This simple addition elevates the overall taste and texture of these easy potato recipes.
Bake these beauties in your preheated 425°F oven for approximately 45 minutes. At this point, carefully remove the skillet (it will be hot!) and baste the potatoes thoroughly with any broth remaining in the pan. This step is crucial for distributing flavor and moisture, ensuring every potato is infused with savory goodness. Return them to the oven and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes, or until they are perfectly tender when pierced with a fork and boast a magnificent golden-brown hue. If you desire an even crispier top, you can briefly increase the oven heat to broil for 1-3 minutes, but watch them *very* carefully to prevent burning – they can go from golden to burnt in a flash! Once perfectly cooked, serve immediately and prepare for a chorus of compliments on your incredibly easy and delicious roast potatoes.
More Delicious Potato Recipes to Explore for Your Family
If you’re like me and have an undeniable love affair with potatoes, then you’ll be thrilled to discover even more ways to enjoy this incredible, versatile vegetable. From hearty casseroles to decadent baked varieties, potatoes offer endless possibilities for side dishes or even satisfying main courses. They are a staple in many cuisines for a reason, providing comfort, flavor, and sustenance. I’ve personally curated a selection of my all-time favorite potato recipes below, each promising a unique and satisfying culinary experience. Dive in and find your next potato obsession, whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight option or a show-stopping holiday side!
|
Bacon Topped Three Cheese Potatoes
|
Cheesy Bacon & Chive Twice Baked Potatoes
|
 Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Rosemary
|
Crispy Roast Potatoes
|
Roast Potatoes in a Cast Iron Skillet
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It
Pin It
Rate It
Save ItSaved!
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds russet potatoes evenly sized, peeled and rinsed
- 1 ¾ cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
- Garlic salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Garnish
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 425 F. Place a 9-inch cast iron skillet on a baking sheet.
-
For the potatoes, you need enough to snugly fill the pan. Keep in mind that once you peel the potatoes they will be smaller, so putting them in the skillet to figure out how many before peeling won’t work. Peel 1-2 at a time and place them in the skillet until you have enough to fill it.
-
Add broth to the potatoes in the skillet, broth should come about one-inch up the side of the pan.
-
Season with garlic salt and freshly ground pepper.
-
Slice butter thinly and place a sliver on the top of each potato.
-
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes then baste with broth remaining in pan. Bake up to another 15 minutes or until tender.
-
If the potatoes are not brown enough on top, increase the heat of the oven to broil and bake another 1-3 minutes, watching them carefully.
-
if you like, rub one tablespoon of butter across the tops of the potatoes and sprinkle with fresh thyme.
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click through AND buy something, a small sales commission will go toward maintaining this site and keeping the recipes free for you. 🙂