They’re not all the time stylish, however they’re reliable. They’re comforting, versatile, and all the time crowd-pleasing. No, we’re not speaking a few pair of sneakers. We’re speaking about potatoes. This root vegetable has a reasonably lengthy shelf life, and even longer when saved correctly. The secret’s to retailer potatoes in a cool dry place, like within the cupboard of a pantry, in a paper bag or cardboard field. It’s essential to maintain potatoes on the cool, excellent temperature (however not, surprisingly, the fridge) to stop them from turning inexperienced, getting delicate spots, or pre-maturely sprouting. As soon as this occurs, it’s an indication that they’re previous their peak. However we’ll get into all of that forward a bit of later. For now, be taught concerning the situations that trigger potatoes to ripen and tips on how to prep them for long run storage.
The Science Behind the Spuds
Although potatoes are actually, effectively, minimize off upon harvest, they proceed to breathe (spooky, proper?) and, in a approach, reside on the cabinets of grocery shops and in your house. As oxygen from the surroundings combines with the sugars in patats, it will get respired from the roots as carbon dioxide and water. Storing potatoes in a cool, darkish (however not forgotten) place massively decelerates this inevitable decomposition, protects towards sprouting, and, to a point, sweetens the tubers.
It’s additionally essential to not retailer potatoes and onions collectively. Although they appear like two peas in a pod as they’re usually each known as for in the very same recipes. Nevertheless, storing them each collectively truly does extra hurt than good. Each of those root veggies include plenty of moisture, which might result in sooner spoilage. Mixed, they produce an ethylene fuel that may velocity up the ripening course of. As an alternative, maintain them aside in an space that has good air circulation to take care of their lengthy shelf life.
The way to Retailer Potatoes
Though you shouldn’t put potatoes within the fridge, potatoes will nonetheless maintain the longest when saved in a cool, darkish place—particularly someplace that has a chilly temperature of about 50°F and 90 to 95 p.c humidity, like, you already know, a temperature- and humidity-controlled root cellar. You already know the one which’s proper subsequent to your huge wine cellar? So simply toss them down there, alongside together with your turnips, onions, and carrots, and name it a day. They’ll be good for weeks, if not all winter lengthy.
Oh wait, I don’t have a root cellar (do you?). Don’t have any worry: Listed below are 4 of our greatest storage ideas—root cellar not required—for completely happy, candy, and dry taters.
1. Maintain Them out of the Daylight (however Not out of Sight).
Don’t retailer potatoes out within the open on the countertop. Maintain them in a drawer, in a basket, in a closet, in a paper bag, or in a bamboo vegetable steamer—anyplace that is darkish—and they need to final for one to 2 weeks. A transparent plastic bag, like that sort that potatoes are packaged in, are literally not excellent for storing spuds. Potatoes are vegetation, in spite of everything. In the event that they see daylight, they may do their photosynthesis factor and switch inexperienced, and ultimately wrinkle and decay.
And keep in mind, out of sight, out of thoughts—maintain them in a trafficked-enough a part of the pantry so that you don’t neglect about them.
2. Make Certain They Nonetheless Have Airflow
Both switch your potatoes to a paper or mesh bag, just like the 5 Two Natural Cotton Reusable Produce Baggage or a well-ventilated container. (They are going to be releasing carbon dioxide and water within the type of vapor, so issues can get a bit of too damp.) When you’d wish to maintain them within the plastic bag they got here in, be certain it’s well-perforated and that the highest is not tightly sealed.
3. Don’t Retailer Them Subsequent to Your Onions
We touched on this earlier, however let’s get into the nitty gritty. It’s tempting to toss each your potatoes and onions collectively in a basket in your pantry and be carried out with it—in spite of everything, they each wish to be saved mainly the identical approach. However resist temptation, as a result of retaining them collectively (together with potatoes and avocados, potatoes and bananas, and potatoes and apples) may encourage your potatoes to sprout.
4. Keep away from Heat Spots
Even when you do not have a cooler storage location than your kitchen, take care to keep away from the warmest spots within the room: Don’t retailer your potatoes subsequent to the oven, underneath the sink, or on prime of the fridge.
When hotter than their excellent storage temperature, potatoes will begin to sprout, however colder isn’t essentially higher both. In On Meals and Cooking, Harold McGee explains that when stored at colder temperatures (i.e. your fridge), “their metabolism shifts in an advanced approach that leads to the breakdown of some starch to sugars.” This implies potatoes saved within the fridge will style sweeter over time, and when cooked they’re extra more likely to come out an unappetizing shade of brown.
Indicators That Potatoes Have Gone Unhealthy
There are a couple of straightforward issues to search for if you happen to’re questioning, “have my potatoes gone dangerous?” Mould, black spots, and delicate spots are simply tells. Dr. Benjamin Chapman, an affiliate professor and meals security specialist at North Carolina State College, additionally recommends avoiding consuming potatoes which can be wrinkled, delicate, or shriveled. It’s not essentially dangerous to eat, however consider it like consuming some other rotten fruit, akin to bananas or apples. The flavour and texture won’t be at their finest and it’s simply all-around unappetizing.
As for inexperienced potatoes, Dr. Chapman says that’s an indication that the spuds have been uncovered to an excessive amount of gentle and can give off a bitter taste and might even be irritating to the digestive system.
Now that you are a professional at storing potatoes, try a couple of of our favourite recipes under.
Our Finest Potato Recipes
Home made Potato Chips
The following time you want that satisfying, salty crunch of a potato chip, whip up a home made batch utilizing this tried-and-true recipe.
The Finest Pan-Roasted Potatoes
If over 70 glowing critiques are any indication, that is one of the best darn pan-roasted potatoes recipe on the market—and it is additional straightforward, besides.
Diane Morgan’s Traditional Mashed Potatoes
Whether or not you are internet hosting Thanksgiving, a vacation get together, an enormous dinner with pals, or simply need one thing creamy and comforting all for your self, these basic mashed potatoes are what you must make.
Hasselback Potato Skillet Bake
Put your knife expertise to work on this hasselback potato skillet bake, which has all of the crispy edges and crackly potato pores and skin you possibly can ever dream of.
Garlicky Roasted Potato Salad
A summer time staple, this contest-winning roasted potato salad is full of punchy garlicky taste, in addition to lemon juice and Dijon mustard.
Potato Salad With Celery & Exhausting-Boiled Eggs
There are such a lot of alternative ways to make potato salads, however this specific recipe is about as basic because it will get. Crimson potatoes and hard-cooked eggs are tossed with mayonnaise and a contact of complete grain mustard, chopped dill pickles, chives, celery, a bit of squeeze of lemon juice…and that’s just about it! Picnic, perfected.
What are your finest ideas for storing potatoes? Inform us within the feedback under!
This recipe has been up to date by the Food52 editors in 2020 to incorporate tasty new potato recipes and extra spudly info.