Saturday, March 22, 2014

Super Crispy Skillet Potatoes

Remember when I told you that this month's Secret Recipe Club assignment, Amy's Cooking Adventure, was so good that I just kept on trying different recipes?

Well I just had to share this one with you. Because it's just that good.

And the best part? It's super simple, as well.

A couple of weeks ago, my meal plan called for roasted chicken, with potatoes and asparagus listed as the sides.

Now, I'd ordinarily just toss the potatoes in the oven while the chicken roasts and have baked potatoes. Easy, right?  But then I remembered seeing a recipe on my assigned blog for the best skillet potatoes. I mean... it said "best" right in the title! How could I not try it?

We've all made skillet potatoes... chop some potatoes, season as you wish, toss 'em in a pan and cook until their done. How are these different?

They start the same... chop some potatoes, add some seasonings....


...but before you toss them in a pan, choose your cooking fat very carefully. Because it can add flavor and make the potatoes awesome. This recipe called for two fats. Butter, which I replaced with olive oil so that little man could enjoy them too, and... bacon fat.

Yup.

And wouldn't you know... we save our bacon fat.

Melt the bacon fat, heat it with the olive oil, then add the potatoes.  Then be a little patient. You don't want them to burn, but you want to make sure they get nice and crispy on all sides.


Now, the problem is that potatoes take a long time to cook. So how do you keep them from burning, but also keep them from losing that crispiness you just worked to achieve? Lower the heat but, whatever you do, do not cover the pan. Shake 'em and toss 'em as needed to keep the heat and cook even, and I promise, you're going to love the results.


We sure did!


The Best, Crispiest Skillet Potatoes
(from Amy's Cooking Adventure)

1 pound of potatoes (I used russetts), cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon bacon drippings
1 tablespoon butter (I used olive oil to keep these dairy free)
Salt, pepper and seasonings to taste (I used a sprinkle of garlic powder and a sprinkle of thyme)

Heat the bacon drippings and butter (oil) in a large skillet over medium-high heat until nice and hot (if using butter, the butter will get bubbly).
Add the potatoes and season generously with salt, pepper and your choice of seasonings.  Cook, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are browned on all sides.  Lower the heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the potatoes are cooked through (do not cover, or those crispy brown skins will get soggy!)  Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

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