Maris Piper Potatoes

If you want perfect roast potatoes, you need to start with the right spud. For many gardeners and cooks, that means choosing Maris Piper potatoes – perfect for roasting.

This variety is a true kitchen garden champion. It’s reliable, produces a great yield, and, most importantly, delivers that iconic crispy outside and fluffy inside we all love. Growing your own means you get the freshest tubers possible, and the process is very rewarding. Let’s look at how to grow and use this fantastic potato.

Maris Piper is a second early maincrop potato, widely considered the gold standard for roasting in the UK. It’s a versatile all-rounder too, good for mashing, chips, and baking. It was first introduced in the 1960s and has remained incredibly popular due to its consistent performance both in the field and on the plate.

Why They’re the Roasting King

The secret lies in their balance of starch and moisture. Maris Pipers have a high starch content and low water content compared to waxy potatoes. This is key for roasting success.

Fluffy Interior: The high starch means the inside becomes light and fluffy when cooked.
Crispy Exterior: The low moisture allows the outside to dry out a bit during parboiling, leading to maximum crispiness.
Flavor Absorption: Their texture soaks up fats and seasonings beautifully, making every bite flavorful.

Growing Your Own Maris Piper Potatoes

Growing potatoes is straightforward and a great project for beginners. You start with ‘seed potatoes’—small, disease-free tubers meant for planting.

Chitting and Planting

About 6 weeks before you plan to plant, place your seed potatoes in a cool, bright, frost-free place. This encourages them to sprout sturdy shoots, a process called chitting. It gives them a head start.

When to Plant: Plant your chitted potatoes in early to mid-spring, after the risk of hard frost has passed. The soil should be workable and not waterlogged.
How to Plant: Dig a trench about 10cm deep. Place the seed potatoes, sprouts facing upward, about 30cm apart. Rows should be about 60-75cm apart. Cover gently with soil.

Earthing Up and Care

As the green shoots grow to about 20cm tall, draw soil from around them to cover the stems, leaving just the top leaves exposed. This is called earthing up.

It protects new tubers from sunlight (which turns them green and toxic).
It supports the growing plant.
It can help suppress weeds around the base.

Repeat this process a couple of times as the plant grows. Keep them well-watered during dry spells, especially once the tubers start to form.

Harvesting and Storing

For perfect roasting potatoes, you want mature tubers. Maris Pipers are ready for harvest in late summer or early autumn. The foliage will start to yellow and die back—this is your signal.

Use a fork to gently lift the plant, starting well back from the stem to avoid spearing your potatoes.
Leave the dug potatoes on the soil surface for a few hours to dry and cure their skins.
Brush off excess soil and store in a cool, dark, frost-free place in paper or hessian sacks. Properly stored, they can last for months.

The Perfect Roast Potato Method

Now for the best part: turning your homegrown spuds into the ultimate side dish. Follow these steps closely for reliable results everytime.

Step 1: Choosing and Prepping

Select potatoes of even size so they cook at the same rate. Peel them if you prefer, but leaving the skin on can add extra texture and flavor. Cut them into even chunks, roughly the size of a golf ball.

Step 2: The Crucial Parboil

This step is non-negotiable for fluffy insides. Place your potato chunks in a large pan of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and let them cook for about 8-10 minutes. You want them just soft on the outside but still firm in the center. A fork should meet a little resistance.

Step 3: Fluffing Up

Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them steam dry for a minute. Now, give the colander a gentle shake to roughen up the edges of the potatoes. This creates more surface area, which is where the crispiness forms. Some people like to give them a gentle shake in the pan with the lid on to achieve this.

Step 4: Choosing Your Fat and Roasting

The fat you choose makes a big difference to flavor.

Goose or Duck Fat: The classic choice for incredible flavor and color.
Sunflower or Vegetable Oil: A great neutral option that gets very hot.
Beef Dripping: Adds a rich, savory, meaty taste.

Preheat your oven to 200°C (Fan 180°C)/400°F/Gas 6. Place your chosen fat in a sturdy roasting tray and heat it in the oven for 5 minutes until very hot. Carefully add the potatoes, turning them to coat in the hot fat. Season well with salt.

Step 5: The Roast

Roast for 20 minutes, then turn the potatoes over.
Roast for another 20 minutes and turn again.
Continue roasting for a final 10-20 minutes until they are deeply golden and super crispy all over.

Total time is usually about an hour. Don’t crowd the pan, as this will make them steam instead of roast. Use two trays if you need too.

Common Growing Problems & Solutions

Even the best gardeners face issues. Here’s how to handle common potato problems.

Blight: This fungal disease causes brown patches and rot. It’s common in warm, wet summers. Choose blight-resistant varieties for planting alongside Maris Piper, and if blight hits, cut off and destroy foliage immediately to protect the tubers underground.
Scab: Causes rough patches on the skin. It’s cosmetic and doesn’t affect taste or roasting quality. To minimize it, avoid adding lime to your potato patch and keep soil consistently moist after tubers form.
Green Potatoes: Caused by exposure to light. Always earth up well and store in complete darkness. Cut away any green parts before cooking, as they can be harmful.

FAQ Section

Are Maris Piper potatoes good for anything besides roasting?
Absolutely! They are a brilliant all-rounder. They make excellent mashed potatoes, chips, and jacket potatoes. Their fluffy texture is ideal for any dish where you want a soft, absorbent interior.

When should I plant Maris Piper seed potatoes?
You should plant them in spring, typically from March to April, once the soil has begun to warm up. They can tolerate a light frost after planting but its best to avoid the hardest frosts.

What’s the best way to get my roast potatoes extra crispy?
The parboil-and-rough-up method is essential. Also, ensure your fat is smoking hot before adding the potatoes, don’t overcrowd the tray, and turn them regularly during cooking. A high smoke point oil helps.

Can I grow Maris Pipers in a container or bag?
Yes, you can! Use a large pot or a special potato bag. Ensure it has good drainage and fill with compost. Plant 1-3 seed potatoes per bag, and earth up by adding more compost as the plants grow. Watering is crucial as containers dry out faster.

How long do Maris Piper potatoes take to grow?
As a second early maincrop, they take about 15-20 weeks from planting to harvest. You can start harvesting some smaller ‘new’ potatoes earlier by carefully digging around the plant, but for full-sized roasting potatoes, wait for the foliage to die back.

Growing and cooking Maris Piper potatoes is a simple pleasure with delicious rewards. With a little care in the garden and attention in the kitchen, you can enjoy the finest roast potatoes right from your own backyard. There’s nothing quite like the taste of a homegrown spud, especially when it’s known for being perfect for roasting.