Exploding potatoes, comments/feedback?

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blissful

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I don't like to peel potatoes, who does?

Usually I boil them, 10 or so, around 3 lbs. After they are cooked I peel them--but it is so much easier after boiling. I just scrape them down with the knife. I make mashed potatoes.Sometimes potato salad.

Lately, since the potatoes are 'JUST HARVESTED' they are breaking up when I boil them. At first I thought they broke up because I stuck them with a fork. When I say 'broke up' I mean the skin has split and sometimes they split into part of the potato. This last batch broke up and I didn't stick them with a fork.

So are JUST HARVESTED potatoes more prone to breaking open when boiling? If so, I never knew that. Anyone with experience on this?
 
I think it depends on the type of potato and also I think last couple of years potatoes really have not been good at all. I mean taste.
 
I think it depends on the type of potato and also I think last couple of years potatoes really have not been good at all. I mean taste.
Charlie, thank you for the response.
These are russets (according to the bag), and they look like russets too.

No one here is complaining of the taste, we made 3 lbs yesterday and they are almost gone (3 people!), this batch is another 3 lbs and I'm sure they'll disappear in no time.
I know we should grow our own, we just haven't this past few years. Still, I don't know that it will solve the exploding potato problem.
 
This is the reason I almost always buy red skin potatoes. They hold their shape and have much more flavor. They can be mashed or cut up for potato salad as well as baking or nuking.
 
I have no idea. Mine don't do that, but I harden them in the sun for at least a day before I but them in the root cellar. I have Norland, Kennebec, and Russian Blue potatoes. Reds are known for having very thin skin, so that might be why--a very thin-skinned variety and maybe they were dug and not hardened?
 
We like to wash, peel and quarter many of our potatoes before cooking. For quite some time (several years) many potatoes, particularly Dole brand, seem to have a fair amount of dark spots in their interiors.
 
Russets have higher fat content which makes them a better potato for baking; red-skinned potatoes have a waxier texture which make them a better potato (of the two) for boiling. Gotta love Google U.
 
I have no idea. Mine don't do that, but I harden them in the sun for at least a day before I but them in the root cellar. I have Norland, Kennebec, and Russian Blue potatoes. Reds are known for having very thin skin, so that might be why--a very thin-skinned variety and maybe they were dug and not hardened?
CWS we have different varieties over here, I have about 180 lbs of 3 types in store. I tried a baking pot this year called Cara, Cara produces uniform large spuds and are the best bakers I have grown. My reds are Desiree and Roosters.Over here for our winter pots we leave them in the ground for two wks after the haulm dies then dig and dry in the shed and bag.
The exploding spud, I noticed with my fresh dug spuds that they will break up if I dig them within two days of heavy rain.:)
 
The exploding spud, I noticed with my fresh dug spuds that they will break up if I dig them within two days of heavy rain.:)
I am pretty sure these were just harvested and not last year's crop.
I'm betting they are just 'too fresh' and that's why they are breaking up.
I never have this problem in the winter or spring when I buy 50#'s at a time.
 
Russets have higher fat content which makes them a better potato for baking; red-skinned potatoes have a waxier texture which make them a better potato (of the two) for boiling. Gotta love Google U.


All potatoes really don't have much fat at all. Russets are a high starch potato while reds are not.
 
I dug some of my Norlands yesterday. They went right into the pot, no hardening off (once we dig all the spuds out of the ground, we will harden them off for storage). The Norlands were EXCELLENT (and the leftovers were great fried for breakfast with FRESH eggs). We didn't harden these because we only dug enough for eating. I do remember the yellow potatoes we'd boil in Germany...they were quite waxy--and very good. I think that potatoes that are "mealy" don't make as good of boiled potatoes. The Russian blues are not as good boiled as they are baked or fried. And, yes, I meant starch, not fat (but starch to me = fat <g>).
 
I can see I need to explain a few things.
First, Russets are the least expensive potato, it fits into my budget, other kinds do not.
All you rich people, more power to you. If any of you want my 20 year old son for a few years--just to feed him, PM me.
Second, I don't like peeling potatoes, but, Bill and Charlie are invited to come over any day of the week to peel and quarter potatoes with me, it's always more fun to do with someone else helping!

I wonder if these boiling - exploding potatoes are the same as the baking - exploding potatoes. Too much moisture, healthy skin, recent harvest.
I'm afraid to bake them now (and I've got another 10 lbs after these are gone!). Testing testing.
 
Bliss, I've had the same thing happen. Like you, I HATE peeling potatoes almost as much as I hate peeling apples for pie. I can't say I notice if I buy the freshly harvested ones, I tend to buy the Wisconsin grown ones. I wonder if they have more moisture so they get over saturated? Regardless, it makes it much harder to make potato salad because they get a little more soggy it seems. Are you just mashing them?
 
I can see I need to explain a few things.
First, Russets are the least expensive potato, it fits into my budget, other kinds do not.
All you rich people, more power to you. If any of you want my 20 year old son for a few years--just to feed him, PM me.
Second, I don't like peeling potatoes, but, Bill and Charlie are invited to come over any day of the week to peel and quarter potatoes with me, it's always more fun to do with someone else helping!

I wonder if these boiling - exploding potatoes are the same as the baking - exploding potatoes. Too much moisture, healthy skin, recent harvest.
I'm afraid to bake them now (and I've got another 10 lbs after these are gone!). Testing testing.
Thanks for the invite but I gotta stay home and sharpen my wife's potato peeler.
Tonight she cooked some whole new potatoes with the skins on for making a potato salad. They looked so good cooling unskinned in the colander that I'd just as well have eaten them that way but after skinning and slicing they did make a dandy salad with an onion, vinegar, oil and bouillon broth marinade.
 
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Red potatoes are the way to go for potato salad. They hold their shape and have more flavor. I rarely peel them. It adds to the color of the dish and just seems more rustic.
 
Hmmm--I hate peeling potatoes as well--I blame it on being left-handed. However, I have an apple peeler. I've used it for pears and apples, but have not tried it for potatoes--anyone? Does the starch in the potato jam the apple peeler? I was taught to prick baked potatoes. I've never had any explode when baked (as long as they were pricked first).
 
Red potatoes are the way to go for potato salad. They hold their shape and have more flavor. I rarely peel them. It adds to the color of the dish and just seems more rustic.
I agree but, to keep the peace, I have to eat what my better half puts on the table. My job is to pay the bills and sharpen her knives..
 
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@Blissful
The labor to grow potatoes is the same. What differs is the yield/plant. I've noticed that my Russian Blues don't produce as many tubers as my Kennebecs. The Norland production / plant is between the two. And, I am really surprised at how much the cost of a 10 lb of spuds has gone up since 2008.
 
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I agree but, to keep the peace, I have to eat what my better half puts on the table. My job is to pay the bills.
One of my favorite potato salads is to use early potatoes from the Norland (red), Russian Blues, and Kennebecs dressed with an oil and vinegar dressing and fresh herbs. A very pretty salad. When we've subbed Yukon Gold for Kennebecs, the Yukon Golds are more "mealy" and not as good as the Kennebecs in potato salad.
 
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