Week 40 -- Potato Types

Different potatoes have different characteristics, so it pays to use the right type of potatoes for the desired outcome.

Types of Potatoes

  • Waxy or New Potatoes
    • Red Potatoes
    • High moisture, high sugar, low starch content
    • Flesh may be white, yellow, blue, or purple
    • Skin may be red, white, yellow, or blue
    • Holds shape well when cooked
    • Used for boiling whole, salads, soups, hash browns, or any preparation where potato must hold its shape
    • Not so good for deep frying, the high sugar content causes dark streaks and poor texture
  • Mealy or Starchy Potatoes
    • Russets or Idahos
    • High starch, low moisture, low sugar content
    • Light, dry, and mealy when cooked
    • Ideal for baking and french fries
    • High starch produces even gold color when fried
    • Less trim loss due to regular shape
  • All Purpose (Chef Potatoes)
    • Yukon Gold
    • Not as dry or starchy as russets
    • Suitable for most purposes, even frying
    • Excellent for mashing or pureeing
    • Okay for baking, but thinner skin than russets

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Potato Cooking Methods

  • Boiling or Steaming
    • Use waxy or new potatoes because they hold their shape
    • Start in cold water to assure even heating
    • After boiling, do not rinse them in cold water because that can make them mushy, just drain them
  • Baking
    • Use mealy or starchy potatoes
    • Scrub well, pierce end for steam escape
    • Rub with oil for crispy skin
    • You can wrap in foil, but that changes the cooking process to steaming
    • Place on sheet pan in 400F oven for 45-55 minutes, or internal temperature 205F
    • Done potatoes yield to gentle pressure, or pierce easily with fork
  • Baking "en casserole", eg, scalloped, au gratin potatoes
  • Sauteeing and pan frying, eg. home fries, hashed browns
  • Combination Cooking Methods
    • Risole, parisienne, noisette, chateau, croquette, fondant
    • Potato pancakes, macaire (potato cakes)
  • Deep Frying
    • Fried raw
    • French fries, blanched at lower temperature, then deep fried
  • Preparations made from cooked potatoes, mashed, smashed, pureed: dauphine, lorette, duchess

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