Tom Kerridge's 'key' to perfect roast potato shows we've been doing it wrong

The celebrity chef was asked what he thought was the "key" to cooking the ideal spud (Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Tom Kerridge has revealed the best way to cook the perfect roast potato and claimed that many of us have been doing it wrong.

In an Instagram clip promoting the latest episode of the Proper Tasty podcast, the celebrity chef was asked what he thought was the "key" to cooking the ideal spud.

The Hidden World of Hospitality star explained that a "lot of people" are performing the job incorrectly and ultimately missing out on a "lovely, creative, crusty beautiful skin".

Tom said: "Don't do that thing where you put a lid on and you shake it once you drain the water. You gently poach them all the way through, then lift them out."

Host Chris Stark interjected: "You don't boil them?" Tom replied: "No, boil them, but a lot of people boil them for five minutes, then drain the water with the lid on a saucepan and then shake the saucepan."

Tom said the method leads to a "lovely, creative, crusty beautiful skin" (Image: mtreasure/Getty Images/iStockphoto)

He continued: "Don't do that! Gently, softly boil them away in salted water; then, when they're cooked, with a slotted spoon, lift them out and put them onto a cake rack, alright.

"Then leave them to cool. Then take the potatoes and gently place them into the oil and all you're doing then, it's almost frying and roasting them at the same time.

"They're already cooked; you haven't got to worry about them being soft and fluffy. So you're giving them just a lovely, creative, crusty beautiful skin. It's the best way of doing it."

It wouldn't be the first time that Tom has shared his potato pearls of wisdom, however, as he's outlined how to cook his roasties previously.

The Hidden World of Hospitality star said a "lot of people" are performing the job incorrectly (Image: Ki Price/Getty Images)

In an episode of Joe Marler's Things People Do podcast, the chef opened up about his life in the restaurant business before sharing a step-by-step guide to cooking roasties.

Tom said the first step is to boil them in salted water and gently simmer them until they're cooked through, adding that you shouldn't "boil the f*** out of them".

Next, you should turn the heat off, remove them with a slotted spoon, and pop them on a cake rack to dry at room temperature. Tom said they then should "go all crackly and broken".

After this, you should place them in the oven on a tray of hot oil (Tom recommends vegetable oil) and cook them at 200-210C, baking them until they're "golden and crispy".