Grandma Potatoes Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Why do you put baking soda on potatoes? ›

I love it when cooking involves a bit of a science experiment. In this case, research suggested adding baking soda to the pot when parboiling potatoes; having water of higher alkalinity than usual helps the outside edges of the potatoes break down more, opening up the possibility of a crisper outside texture.

Starchy potatoes like Russets work best for hash browns. Waxy potatoes like red new potatoes have a higher moisture content and tend to hold their shape better than starchy potatoes, and as such do not develop the crispiest of edges when fried.

Red potatoes are great for roasting, cooking in soups, or boiling or steaming for potato salad. The waxy nature of the flesh means they'll maintain their shape, but it also means they will get gluey when overworked, so you'll want to choose a different potato for mashing.

Drain and set aside to cool. When you're ready to get your HB on, grate the cooked potatoes on the large side of a box grater into a bowl. The skins will peel off as you grate, but if you get some pieces in the final mixture, that's okay.

Meanwhile, the alkaline water helps the exteriors of the potatoes break down more, creating much more of the starchy slurry that leads to an extra-crisp exterior. About a half teaspoon of baking soda for two quarts of water was the right amount.

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

In the restaurant, they're made with potato flakes. The powdered mixture also contains a good bit of sodium, between the salt and MSG, as well as milk and other seasonings. If you prefer using mashed potato flakes, you can use them instead of boiling peeled potatoes.

Red and purple potatoes are considered some of the healthiest potatoes because they are highest in nutrient density in terms of vitamin, mineral, and phytonutrient content.

When to avoid: Because of their high starch content, starchy potatoes don't hold together very well when cooked so avoid using them in dishes that require boiling, roasting or slicing like casseroles, potato bakes, gratins or potato salads.

Why do you soak red potatoes in water before cooking? ›

2. Give them a cold water bath: Once your potatoes are chopped, toss them into a large bowl. Then cover the potatoes completely with cold water and let them soak for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight). This will help to rinse off the excess starch and help the potatoes crisp up beautifully in the oven.

They're also chock full of starch, which is a carbohydrate. But even though a potato is considered a complex “healthy” carb, your body digests these carbs faster than other kinds of complex carbs. These broken-down carbs flood your blood with sugar. This makes your blood sugar spike quickly.

After all, the skin has just as many nutrients as the flesh of the potato—roughly the same amount of protein, vitamin C, and iron. That means when you peel a potato and just compost or throw out the peelings, you're dumping half of the potato's nutrients. That's a bad deal for you and for the potato!

Soggy hash browns are often a result of not removing enough water from your shredded potatoes. But did you know frying in oil can make your hash browns soggy, too? When you bake in the oven, you don't have to worry about this problem!

Peeling potatoes with a peeler

A peeler is a specialized tool with a split sharp blade. I have two styles; a traditional one and a “Y peeler”. I prefer the Y-shaped peeler for ease of use. These tools quickly and efficiently remove the skin from the potato.

The US Food and Drug Administration, the US Department of Agriculture and other scientists agree: use a cold water soak with baking soda to effectively help remove dirt, chemical residue, and other unwanted materials from your fresh vegetables and fruits.

When it is combined with one of these acidic ingredients and liquid, it generates carbon dioxide bubbles (remember the baking soda and vinegar volcano experiment from science class?). These bubbles lift the batter, making baked goods rise. Baking soda also helps with browning and flavor.

America's Test Kitchen often recommends adding baking soda to the water in which you will boil potatoes, which further coaxes out the starch molecules. Aim for ½ teaspoon baking soda for every 8 to 10 cups or water, or 2 to 3 pounds of potatoes.

Just a pinch of baking soda is all you need to create mashed potatoes as soft as clouds. When you add baking soda, it reacts with the heat of the dish and the acid in the milk or cream to create small air pockets throughout the mash. These air bubbles translate to light and airy bites. Yum!