Updated 30 September 2026
Goose fat is the secret behind the best roast potatoes: crisp and glassy outside, fluffy inside, with a rich, savoury flavour you don't get from oil. It has a high smoke point, so it can get properly hot without burning, and it's a Christmas-dinner favourite. Here is our method for goose fat roast potatoes that come out crispy every time, plus how to store goose fat and whether it goes off.
Serves: 4–6 | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: about 1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1.5kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or King Edward
- 4–5 tbsp goose fat. Our Pure Goose Fat 180g (£3.70) jar does two big trays.
- 1 tbsp semolina or plain flour (optional, for extra crunch)
- Flaky sea salt
- A few sprigs of rosemary or thyme and 4 garlic cloves, bashed (optional)
How to make goose fat roast potatoes
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6).
- Heat the fat. Put the goose fat in a large, sturdy roasting tin and put it in the oven for at least 10 minutes, until it's shimmering and very hot.
- Peel and cut. Peel the potatoes and cut them into large, even chunks (halves or thirds, depending on size). Angles and flat edges crisp up best.
- Parboil. Put the potatoes into a pan of cold, well-salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until the edges are soft but the middles are still firm.
- Steam dry. Drain in a colander and leave them to steam for 2–3 minutes. This dries the surface, which is essential for crispness.
- Rough them up. Tip them back into the dry pan, sprinkle with semolina or flour and a pinch of salt, put the lid on and give them a firm shake. You want fluffy, roughed-up edges.
- Into the hot fat. Carefully take the tin out and tip the potatoes in. They should sizzle loudly. Turn each one in the fat so it's coated.
- Roast for 45–60 minutes, turning once or twice, until deep golden and crisp all over. Add the herbs and garlic for the last 15 minutes.
- Season with flaky salt as soon as they come out, and serve straight away.
The rules for crispy roast potatoes
- Floury potatoes. Waxy potatoes (like Charlotte) hold their shape too well and don't go fluffy.
- Salted water. Season the parboiling water well; it's your only chance to season the inside.
- Don't under-parboil. You need soft, fluffy edges to rough up.
- Dry potatoes, hot fat. Wet potatoes in cool fat go greasy.
- Give them space. A crowded tin steams them. Use two tins if you need to.
- Don't keep opening the oven. Turn them once or twice only.
Timing roast potatoes with the meat
Roast potatoes like a hot oven, but most joints roast at 180°C and then rest. That works in your favour: while the joint rests for 20–30 minutes, turn the oven up to 200–220°C and give the potatoes a final blast. See roast beef cooking times per kg and roast pork cooking times per kg to plan the timings.
Can you make roast potatoes ahead?
Yes, and it's a good Christmas trick. Parboil and rough up the potatoes the day before, then cool, cover and chill them. On the day, roast them straight from the fridge in hot goose fat, allowing 5–10 minutes longer. You can also freeze them after parboiling and roast from frozen.
Is goose fat healthy?
Goose fat is still a fat, so it's high in calories and best used in moderation, like any cooking fat. According to typical nutrition labels, it contains less saturated fat than butter and more monounsaturated fat: roughly a quarter to a third of goose fat is saturated, compared with around half or more for butter. Because a little goes a long way and most of it stays in the tin, it doesn't have to add as much to your plate as you might think. The NHS advises choosing unsaturated fats and oils where you can and keeping saturated fat down across your diet overall.
Does goose fat go off?
Yes, eventually. Unopened, it keeps until the best-before date on the jar. Once opened, keep it in the fridge with the lid on and use it within the time given on the label. Used goose fat can be strained through a fine sieve while warm, kept in a clean jar in the fridge, and reused a few times over the following weeks. If it smells stale or rancid, throw it away.
Other uses for goose fat
- Roasting parsnips and carrots
- Yorkshire puddings (use it in the tin instead of oil)
- Frying eggs or potatoes for breakfast
- Confit-style slow cooking
What to serve with goose fat roast potatoes
Every roast. For Christmas, see our Christmas meat guide 2026 and the Christmas trimmings range. For a Sunday, try topside roast with roast potatoes or roast leg of lamb. Browse Sunday roast joints and our Christmas roasting joints.
Goose fat roast potatoes FAQs
How long do roast potatoes take in goose fat?
About 45–60 minutes at 200°C (180°C fan) after parboiling for 8–10 minutes, turning once or twice.
Do you need to parboil potatoes before roasting in goose fat?
Yes. Parboiling and roughing up the edges gives the fluffy surface that turns crisp in the hot fat.
How much goose fat do you need for roast potatoes?
About 4–5 tablespoons for 1.5kg of potatoes: enough to coat the bottom of the tin generously.
Can you reuse goose fat?
Yes. Strain it while warm, keep it covered in the fridge, and reuse it within a few weeks. Discard it if it smells rancid.
What are the best potatoes for roasting?
Floury varieties such as Maris Piper and King Edward give the fluffiest insides and crispiest outsides.