Author Topic: home grown potatoes? (Read 8746 times)

loopy · « **on:** May 29, 2009, 12:28:29 pm »

I'm growing potatoes for the first time this year, various varieties, and the Swift ones are now ready for harvesting

However, we have twice this week plucked them from the soil, washed them and then boiled them, and both times after boiling they have gone very soft rather than holding their shape. Taste lovely but texture is just wrong!

Are we cooking them too long? Do home grown need less cooking time than shop bought ones? or should we attempt to dry them a bit in the sun before we cook them? or should they be stored a bit before eating??

Can anyone suggest what we need to do to end up with firmer textured cooked potatoes? (not a bad cook usually and this has me flumoxed!)

thanks L

Fluffywelshsheep · « **Reply #1 on:** May 29, 2009, 12:30:55 pm »

you need to check the characteristic of the potatoes some are more for boilling and chips while others are better for mashing
Linz

loopy · « **Reply #2 on:** May 29, 2009, 12:33:22 pm »

i was under the impression that Swift are meant to be good for boiling/salad potatoes though?

Fluffywelshsheep · « **Reply #3 on:** May 29, 2009, 12:38:18 pm »

mmmmmm i just looked that up hehe, maybe they where a bit to fresh out of the grow lol
It is too early to get blight at the moment

Linz

loopy · « **Reply #4 on:** May 29, 2009, 12:43:04 pm »

definitely not blight, they look and feel fine when we got them out of the soil, nice and firm, but seem to go soft during cooking - guess unless anyone has any suggestions may try cooking them a lot less than i would for shop ones, but just wasn't expecting them to behave differently! just thought could harvest them and cook straight away as normal for normal cooking times!

Fluffywelshsheep · « **Reply #5 on:** May 29, 2009, 12:57:05 pm »

mmm i do know your surposes to harvest and leave the potatoes on the surface for a bit before you cook them to dry them.

but saying that i had a swede yesterday that wouldn't cook at all rock hard after i boilled it for 30mins lol

Linz

Fluffywelshsheep · « **Reply #6 on:** May 29, 2009, 12:58:23 pm »

is it possible you could have got the wrong variety ?

eg the shop you bought it from got it wrong?

Linz

sellickbhoy · « **Reply #7 on:** May 29, 2009, 01:08:58 pm »

i'd just try cooking them for less time

or even steaming them - yum!!!

rustyme · « **Reply #8 on:** May 29, 2009, 01:13:08 pm »

leaving spuds on the surface after digging up is to harden the skins for storing . I always cook mine the same as shop bought ones, but it is a matter of checking every few minutes till they are ready. Each variety are different and need different cooking times. You could do a test boil , pop in half a dozen spuds and bring to boil, then just let them cook on a very light simmer. The water just needs to show a little movement , not a fast rolling boil or anything near it. You could then just give them say ten mins and try one , if not ready give them another two, three or four Min's and so on till they are just right .A fast rolling boil will tend to turn the spud to mush , ok if you are mashing them ..lol.. but not good for salad spuds. It is all to do with the structure of the potato . One year I had potatoes that were absolutely fine raw, solid , good spuds , however you could not cook them . They would stay firm and uncooked and then in an instant turn to mush that was almost unusable. I never found out what was causing it, but other people had the same problem . They were however, good for chips

Experiment and let us know !!!

cheers

Russ

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #9 on:** May 29, 2009, 02:25:34 pm »

If they are just a floury variety they're great for roasting, parboil them for 5 minutes, then smother still hot in duck fat or olive oil , then in the oven (yum).
I never remember which I planted where, its' trial and error with the cooking method every year...We had very watery ones last year, nice for mash. Must have been all that rain...
Did you peel them? We never peel our own before cooking, keeps all the goodness in and they do stay together better. cooked peel you can feed your birds if you have any, they love them.
Other than that, as Russ said, try boiling them for a shorter time. We stick a clean knife into them after 10 minutes, if it slides out without pushing, they are done. Depends on the size as well.

Fluffywelshsheep · « **Reply #10 on:** May 29, 2009, 02:36:00 pm »

Why do you do it North duck !!!

You always make me hungary !!!!

Now stop it am trying not to put on too much weight will pregnant

Right back to the fleece and me teasing it out

Linz

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #11 on:** May 29, 2009, 02:42:47 pm »

sorry, Linz, can't help myself - it all started with the pregnancies (only joking, I was a foodie before!)

Fluffywelshsheep · « **Reply #12 on:** May 29, 2009, 02:50:05 pm »

lol, am a big foodie but currently a big bellied foodie

hehe

Linz

The Relic · « **Reply #13 on:** May 29, 2009, 04:49:20 pm »

i could never boil spuds correct they always turned to mush so i changed to a steamer (a steel one you put on the stove) and havent looked back.

steamers rule.