Techniquebeginnerdraft
Dusting with starch
Also searched as: cornflour trick, cornstarch coating, dusting
In short: A wafer-thin layer of cornflour on dry potatoes or poultry skin turns into a fine, crisp shell in the oven.
Picture it
Like powder on damp skin: it takes up the last moisture and forms its own dry layer.
What happens
The starch takes up the remaining surface moisture and swells a little there. In the hot oven this thin layer dries out and hardens into a brittle shell.
Why it matters
A simple route to more crispness when soaking or parboiling is too much effort.
How it’s done
Sequence · Step 1 of 4
Dry the pieces thoroughly.
All steps as a list
- Dry the pieces thoroughly.
- Dust lightly with cornflour in a bowl and toss.
- Tap off the excess: it should be just a hint.
- Toss with a little oil and bake hot.
Rules of thumb
- A dusting, not a layer: too much starch turns floury and powdery.
Related entries
Sources
- Harold McGee: On Food and Cooking (2004), Kapitel Kartoffeln, Stärke, Frittieren