Biltong-Crusted Roast Potatoes – A Crispy South African Favourite

Give traditional roast potatoes a proudly South African makeover with biltong, savoury butter and a crisp, golden crust. These Biltong-Crusted Roast Potatoes are the perfect companion to a Sunday roast or braai.

Partially boiled potatoes are scored and basted with a fragrant blend of butter, brown onion soup powder, toasted coriander, garlic and smoked paprika. The cuts soak up the rich flavour as the potatoes roast.

A final scattering of biltong, parsley and lemon zest adds freshness and texture. There is also a smoky mushroom variation for vegetarian guests.

Ingredients

Potatoes

• 10 medium Sifra or Mondial potatoes, peeled
• 2 tbsp coarse salt, for boiling water
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Biltong Butter

• 100 g butter
• 100 ml sunflower or canola oil
• 55 g brown onion soup powder (1 packet)
• 1 tsp ground coriander, toasted
• ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 3 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 100 g finely shredded or ground biltong, divided

To Finish

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• Flaky sea salt

Short Chef-Style Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) with the roasting dish inside. Parboil peeled potatoes in salted water with bicarbonate of soda for 20 minutes; drain and steam-dry for 5 minutes. Mix melted butter and oil with soup powder, toasted coriander, pepper, paprika, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and half the biltong. Score the potatoes 1 cm apart, cutting only two-thirds of the way down. Baste well in the hot dish, working the butter between the slices. Roast for 1 hour, basting after 25 and 45 minutes, until deep golden and crisp. Rest 3 minutes and finish with the remaining biltong, parsley, lemon zest and flaky salt.

Vegetarian Alternative: Smoked Mushroom “Biltong” Potatoes

Shred 250 g king oyster or portobello mushrooms and toss with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 tsp brown sugar and 1 tbsp oil. Dry on a lined tray at 120°C for 45–60 minutes until chewy and dark, then cool and chop into coarse crumbs. Replace the biltong with the mushroom crumb, using half in the butter and half to finish. Choose vegetarian brown onion soup powder and replace the Worcestershire sauce with 2 tsp soy sauce.

Chef’s Notes

• Use only half the biltong during roasting to avoid bitterness.
• Soup powder and biltong are salty; avoid adding more salt to the butter.
• Serve with sour cream, chives and horseradish, or Mrs Ball’s chutney.
• For a braai twist, finish on the grid for 5 minutes.
• Freeze leftover biltong butter as a log to use over steak or corn.
• Faster version: Preheat to 220°C (200°C fan), halve potatoes, boil 10 minutes with bicarbonate of soda, then roast in biltong butter for 45–50 minutes, turning twice.

Golden Biltong-Crusted Roast Potatoes with Savoury Butter

Irene Muller

Golden, crispy South African roast potatoes coated in biltong butter, aromatic coriander, garlic and smoked paprika. Finished with extra biltong, fresh parsley and lemon zest.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Servings 5 servings

Ingredients

  

Potatoes

• 10 medium potatoes Sifra or Mondial, peeled
• 2 tbsp coarse salt for boiling water
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Biltong butter

• 100 g butter
• 100 ml sunflower or canola oil
• 55 g brown onion soup powder 1 packet
• 1 tsp ground coriander toasted
• ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 3 garlic cloves finely grated
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 100 g biltong finely shredded or ground; divided in half

To finish

• 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• flaky sea salt to taste

Instructions

 

Full printable method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Place a baking dish in the oven to heat.
  
• Place the whole peeled potatoes in a large saucepan. Cover with water, add coarse salt and bicarbonate of soda, and boil for about 20 minutes, until half cooked.
• Drain carefully, then leave the potatoes in a colander for 5 minutes to steam-dry.
• Toast the ground coriander in a dry pan for about 30 seconds. Melt the butter, then whisk in the oil, brown onion soup powder, coriander, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. Stir in 50 g of the biltong; reserve the rest for finishing.
• Score each potato at 1 cm intervals, cutting only about two-thirds of the way down. Rest each potato between two wooden spoons to avoid cutting all the way through.
• Add a few spoonfuls of the biltong butter to the hot baking dish. Arrange the potatoes in the dish and baste generously, working the butter between the slices.
• Roast for approximately 1 hour, basting after 25 minutes and again after 45 minutes, until the potatoes are deep golden and crisp.
• Let the potatoes rest for 3 minutes, then scatter over the reserved biltong, parsley and lemon zest. Finish with flaky sea salt and serve warm.

Notes

Quick version: Preheat to 220°C (200°C fan). Halve the potatoes, parboil for 10 minutes with bicarbonate of soda, toss with biltong butter and roast for 45–50 minutes, turning twice.

Chef’s tips: Add only half the biltong before roasting to avoid bitterness. Soup powder and biltong are salty, so avoid extra salt until serving. Serve with sour cream, chives and horseradish, or chutney. For a braai twist, finish on the grid for 5 minutes.

Vegetarian smoked mushroom alternative: Shred 250 g king oyster or portobello mushrooms. Toss with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 tsp brown sugar and 1 tbsp oil. Dry on a lined tray at 120°C for 45–60 minutes until dark and chewy; cool and chop to a coarse crumb. Use vegetarian brown onion soup powder, replace Worcestershire with 2 tsp soy sauce, and substitute the mushroom crumb for the biltong, using half in the butter and half to finish.