Fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly to make sure they are safe to eat (think: free of dirt and chemicals), and that includes a versatile, all-around favorite—the potato. Here, we explain why you should wash potatoes, the right way to do it (including when you should wash them), and the best way to store them.
Catt Fields White, director of San Diego Markets and founder and CEO of Farmers Market Pros
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at a minimum, potatoes should be rinsed under running water before cutting. This is crucial, even if you plan on peeling them, because germs on the outer skin can infiltrate the inside of your spuds when you cut them. It's essential to cut away damaged or bruised parts, too, for the same reason. Another important rule to follow: Do not use soap, bleach, disinfectants, or chemicals to clean produce.
The ground that potatoes grow in also factors into the equation. "Potatoes are firmly in the buried-in-soil category, so they'll need a thorough wash before cooking," says Catt Fields White, chef and the founder of San Diego Markets and The Farmers Market Pros. "In addition to good and bad bacteria, pesticides can linger in the soil and those need to go."
How to Wash Potatoes
Fields White recommends soaking the potatoes in cold water first before cleaning them to break up the dirt. "This is like soaking a dish that has dried food on it—it just loosens things up so you don't have to scrub," she says. Here's how to tackle your taters, step by step:
Soak the potatoes in cool water until the dirt on the vegetables is loose. Fields White says this makes cleaning easier, especially with a thicker-skinned potato, like a russet, or one grown in clay-based soil.
Once the dirt is loose, take the potatoes out of the water and gently scrub them one by one using a clean brush or a new soft scouring pad used only for cleaning vegetables. Pro Tip: Skin can tear or bruise on waxier potatoes, says Fields White. When washing waxier potatoes, such as baby potatoes or French fingerlings, use your hands rather than a brush to clean them.
Rinse the potatoes individually to rid them of any lingering dirt.
Potatoes That Will Be Peeled
If the potatoes are going to be peeled, Fields White says to wash them as outlined above—before the knife or peeler comes in contact. "After peeling, put them in water with a little lemon juice if you're not going to cook right away, or they'll discolor," she says.
How to Store Washed Potatoes
Potatoes should be cooked soon after they are washed since bacteria can gather on wet potatoes when stored for extended periods of time. "It's best to wash just before you cook, but they're probably fine to wash up to 24 hours before cooking," says Fields White. (For something like Thanksgiving mashed potatoes for a crowd, where you need to start prep early, Fields White says it's OK to wash in advance and then refrigerate.)
Storing Unwashed Potatoes
Unwashed potatoes (and sweet potatoes) should not be placed in the refrigerator for long-term storage, however. They should be stored in a cool, dark, airy space—not on the countertop—loosely stacked in a bowl or bins to keep moisture accumulation at bay and avoid mold and deterioration.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at a minimum, potatoes should be rinsed under running water before cutting. This is crucial, even if you plan on peeling them, because germs on the outer skin can infiltrate the inside of your spuds when you cut them.
The Food and Drug Administration advises you wash potatoes before you eat them. Potatoes grow in the ground, and carry not only dirt but also bacteria to the grocery store and later, your table. Pesticides also remain on potato skin; even organic potatoes carry some degree of contaminants.
How to Wash Potatoes the Right Way. The best practice, according to Harvey, is to scrub your potatoes with a vegetable brush under cool running water (read: do not use soap or other cleaning agents).
Rinsing potatoes helps remove excess starch, so it is recommended to rinse the potatoes before cooking. To ensure even more starch is out of the way, it's recommended that they even be quickly rinsed after boiling. We recommend using hot water for rinsing after boiling and cold water prior to boiling.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at a minimum, potatoes should be rinsed under running water before cutting. This is crucial, even if you plan on peeling them, because germs on the outer skin can infiltrate the inside of your spuds when you cut them.
Soaking them right after cutting minimizes oxygen contact and keeps the fries looking fresh and appetizing. After slicing all the potatoes, rinse them with cold water multiple times until the water runs clear. This process helps remove excess starch and sugars from the potato surfaces.
Yes.Eat the skin to capture all the russet potatoes nutrition. The potato skin has more nutrients than the interior of the potato. It has lots of fiber, about half of a medium potato's fiber is from the skin.
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.
Generally, potatoes last one to two months when stored in a cool, dry, dark and well-ventilated space (never under the sink!), such as the pantry, versus one to two weeks in the refrigerator, according to FoodSafety.gov's FoodKeeper app, the federal consumer resource for food safety.
Raw potatoes should be firm to the touch with tight skin that's free of large bruises, black spots, or other blemishes. If a potato has become soft or mushy, you should throw it out. Though it's normal for potatoes to smell earthy or nutty, a musty or moldy odor is a hallmark of spoilage.
Boiling in hot water is just going to push around any dirt particles or sand. As far as scrubbing, just check a couple of the potatoes as a sample and if the eyes are deep they can easily trap excess dirt. If shallow you probably can get away from doing this step.
The potatoes travel through a water flume to wash off the field soil. The potatoes are pressure-washed to remove any remaining field soil. The potatoes are optically scanned for defects such as greening or hollow-heart. A random sampling of potatoes is taken and inspected to ensure quality.
You can store peeled potatoes in water in the refrigerator for about 24 hours. Peeled potatoes left out by themselves at room temperature, on a refrigerator shelf or wrapped in foil or plastic wrap will still get dark overnight, so submerge them in a bowl of water, cover and refrigerate.
A basket, bowl, or paper bag is better than a plastic bag. A paper bag, basket, or large bowl are ideal for storing a pile of potatoes since they allow for plenty of air circulation. If you carried potatoes home from the store in a plastic bag, it's best to remove them for longer-term storage.
If you're pressed for time, the slightly sticky, cut potatoes should be soaked for a minimum of 15 minutes. However, a longer soak time may allow more starch to be removed. So, if you can prep the fries ahead of time, a few hours of soaking can help make them even crispier.
After the potatoes have been dug, brush the soil off. Do not wash potatoes until you're ready to use them. Washing can easily reduce the storage life and encourage mold. Store potatoes in a cool, dark area after harvesting.
Much of the surface starch can be washed away with a quick rinse in cold water. All you need to do is cut your potatoes and rinse them under cold water. For better results, soak the potatoes in a bowl of cold water for a few hours. At the bottom of the bowl, you'll notice cloudiness and starch.
You should certainly rinse the potatoes — we prefer russets — to remove any dirt and debris. You can even give them a quick scrub with a vegetable brush. But you need to dry the spuds well after the bath. Excess moisture on the skin can seep into the potato during baking and cause soggy skins.
While you can certainly use a dedicated potato or vegetable scrubbing brush for this step, a clean dish towel, paper towels, or even an exfoliating bath and shower glove will do the trick to remove the last bits of dirt.
Introduction: My name is Pres. Carey Rath, I am a faithful, funny, vast, joyous, lively, brave, glamorous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/how-to-wash-potatoes-0722-2aa348b57dce4a438d2dc84556febe89.jpg "Why (and How) You Should Wash Potatoes, Even if You're Going to Peel Them (1)")
