If they don’t need peeled, scrub them under running water until they’re about as clean as they’re going to get. If they do need peeled, with your potato peeler or a sharp knife (be careful!), peel them above a bowl or the trash. This makes clean up a lot easier. Wash them after peeling for good measure.
And, in general, the smaller the potato, the quicker it’ll cook. If you have really big potatoes, cut them into quarters just to cut down on your parboiling time.
Make sure your potatoes are clean and to size! You want to do them all at once, if possible, to make sure they’re all the same level of doneness.
Some people swear on bringing the potatoes to a boil and immediately turning it off, leaving the potatoes in the hot water on the hot burner. This method generally takes a solid 15 minutes, but is better for ensuring you don’t overcook your potatoes.
You can also take your knife to the edge of the potato. Do the edges come off all nice and fluffy-like? When you get to the center, is it whiter, harder, and clearly a bit uncooked? That’s perfect.
Parboiled potatoes will not keep for very long time – aim to use them within a day or two, at most. Keep them in the fridge in a bowl, not a plastic bag (this causes them to sweat, softening them).
If you’re a fan of the crispy, try wikiHow’s How to Make Extra Crispy Roast Potatoes recipe.
