Exploding potatoes, comments/feedback?

[blissful]

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?

[CharlieD]

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.

[blissful]

Originally Posted by CharlieD

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.

[Zhizara]

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.

[CWS4322]

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?

[justplainbill]

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.

[CWS4322]

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.

[Bolas De Fraile]

Originally Posted by CWS4322

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.

[blissful]

Originally Posted by Bolas De Fraile

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.

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by CWS4322

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.