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How do I make my wedges go nice and crispy in the oven?

I usually season them with a cajun mix, add a tiny bit of oil, and cook them in the oven on fan-bake at about 200 degrees (celcius). They come out okay, but not amazing.

What can I do to make them come out a lot crispier, while still using a normal household oven? Would more oil improve their texture, or do I need to crumb them maybe?

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  • While it's not directly potato wedges: I love the crunchy potatoes of Mr. Oliver. Parboiled, shaken in the pot, then pushed a bit and baked: jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/… You could of course season them to taste with some cajun powder.
    – eckes
    Commented Aug 4, 2015 at 16:55

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You could put them in a pan of boiling water for 3 or 4 minutes (not so to they're cooked through) before putting them in the oven. The potato on the outside of the wedges will soften and cook a little bit which will help the outsides crisp up a little. Make sure you allow them to drain completely before you put them in the oven.

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    Agreed, but I'd do it for more than 3 or 4 minutes - more like 8. The fluffier the edges the crispier the skin. Boil them, then drain well and allow them to steam dry in the pan for ten minutes, then shake gently to break up the edges; these broken edges will then crisp nicely in the oil
    – ElendilTheTall
    Commented Apr 12, 2012 at 12:16
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    I was taught to shake in a collander to fluff up the outsides. This is easier with less cooked potatoes. Over boiled and they tend to fall apart. Certainly, the fluffing works wonders for a crispy outside.
    – Alex
    Commented Apr 16, 2012 at 0:13
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After boiling for a few minutes in water, drain, put the lid on and shake (but gently so the wedges don't break). This will rough up the surface. The resulting bumps can heat through more fully and lose more moisture, leading to crisp.

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I would also agree with other people's suggestions of par-boiling for 7-10 mins, followed by a shake. In addition I would get the oil hot before adding the potato. Either put the tray with the oil in the oven a few minutes before cooking or pre-heat the tray & oil on top of the hob before transferring to the oven (make sure your baking tray can withstand hob temperatures).

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I usually par-microwave the whole potatoes, then cut them into wedges and let them steam out for a good few minutes. You can actually see the potato going whiter and drier near the edges. Microwaving seems to me highly preferrable to boiling at this stage to minimise water. Then I shake them in a bag with some olive oil to coat, then sprinkle with Caribbean seasoning. Then bake. Baking long and lower works better than too high a heat, too. I've had them get so crispy before, they are almost like shards of glass, it's awesome!

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Cook them hotter. I cook mine at 425 or 450 F, which is 220 or 230 C. It makes a difference. I toss them in oil, sometimes with salt and rosemary, and put them on a silpat baking sheet. I keep them a little apart, trying not to have any touching, so the steam can get out. They get browned, even blistered, and crunchy, like roasted potatoes do.

To be clear: I don't parboil, I don't coat them in anything other than oil. The oven temperature and the rubbery sheet on the baking pan do the trick.

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What everyone has said.. par boil them then season when cooled coat in corn flour and a bit of oil and bake at about 200. If ur wedges are extra big reduce the heat but cook for longer to stop the outside burning Also try and bake then spread out well on baking paper. My sweet potato fries come put perfectly like this x

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