My uncle has been making these for Sunday dinners since I can remember. The secret is worth knowing.

My uncle has been making these oven baked 3-ingredient crispy duck fat potatoes for our Sunday dinners since I was a kid, and they’re still the first thing to disappear from the table. The secret he swears by is simple: start with very hot duck fat and very dry potatoes, then give them enough space in the pan to really roast, not steam. You end up with golden, shatteringly crisp edges and fluffy centers, all from a short ingredient list that’s easy to pull off on a busy weekend. This is the kind of recipe you make once and then keep in your back pocket for every roast chicken, holiday meal, or anytime you want that “wow” side without a lot of fuss.

These potatoes are perfect alongside roast chicken, beef, pork tenderloin, or a simple pan-seared steak. I like to add something green and fresh on the side, like a big salad with a tangy vinaigrette or roasted green beans, to balance the richness of the duck fat. They’re also great for brunch with fried or poached eggs and some sautéed spinach. If you’re serving a crowd, pair them with a simple sheet-pan roasted vegetable medley so everything can cook in the oven at once. A squeeze of lemon over your main protein right before serving brightens the whole plate and makes the potatoes taste even more savory.

Servings: 4

2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Place a large, heavy white oval casserole dish or metal roasting pan in the oven while it heats so the duck fat and pan get very hot. This is my uncle’s key step for super crisp edges.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into roughly 1-inch chunks, trying to keep them about the same size so they cook evenly. Rinse the cut potatoes under cold running water to wash off excess starch, then drain well.

Pat the potatoes very dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. The drier they are, the better they’ll crisp instead of steaming in the oven.

Carefully remove the hot casserole dish from the oven. Add the duck fat to the dish and let it melt completely if it’s not already liquid, tilting the pan so the bottom is evenly coated.

Quickly add the dried potato chunks to the hot duck fat in a single layer, giving them as much space as possible. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the potatoes. Use a spatula or spoon to gently turn the potatoes so they’re all coated in duck fat and salt.

Return the dish to the oven and roast for 25 minutes without stirring. This undisturbed time helps build that deeply caramelized, golden crust on the bottoms.

After 25 minutes, take the dish out and gently turn the potatoes so new sides are in contact with the hot dish. Roast for another 20 to 25 minutes, turning once more if needed, until the potatoes are deeply golden and crispy on most sides with tender, fluffy centers.

Taste and sprinkle with a little extra salt if needed. Serve the potatoes hot, straight from the white casserole dish, while the edges are still ultra crisp and caramelized.

If you like a little extra flavor without adding more ingredients, you can swap in a different type of potato: russets give you the crispiest, almost chip-like edges, while Yukon Golds stay a bit creamier inside. For more texture, skip peeling and leave the skins on; just scrub the potatoes well before cutting. If you want to stretch the recipe for a bigger crowd, you can increase the potatoes and duck fat, but make sure to use two pans so the pieces still have space to roast. For a slightly different flavor twist (if you’re okay adding more ingredients), toss in a few unpeeled garlic cloves or a sprig of rosemary during the last 15 minutes of roasting, then remove before serving so the garlic doesn’t burn. Leftovers reheat well in a hot oven or air fryer until re-crisped. Food safety tips: Let the hot duck fat cool slightly before handling the pan, and always use thick oven mitts—both the dish and the fat get extremely hot. Don’t pour leftover duck fat down the drain; once cooled, strain and store it in a covered container in the fridge for up to a few weeks, or discard it in the trash. As with any cooked potato dish, refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat to a steaming hot temperature before eating.