Potatoes defy cooking

[Phil]

This has happened for the third time in about six months. For mashed potatoes, I dice a russet potato and boil for about 20 minutes, or until tender. NOT. 30 minutes, 40 minutes, 50? Are you kidding me? The potato will not get tender. I try to whip it, as usual, but it is grainy and tastes a little raw, "green". Imported potatoes? Anyone else in America have this problem?

 

[medtran49]

Not me, but I think I remember someone else posting a thread about this in the not too distant past if you want to search for it.

 

[CraigC]

Did you cover the pot?

 

[Phil]

I covered them
the last ten minutes to keep the moisture in.

 

[medtran49]

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f17/potatoes-wont-cook-95882-2.html

 

[CraigC]

That is strange, I've never had russets or golds not get fork tender when cooked for less than 20 minutes, for mashed potatoes or potato salad. Come to think of it, never had any new or fingerling potatoes not get fork tender in that same time frame.

 

[msmofet]

I can boil any potato to tender in about 10 minutes. My problem is in the oven. Not baked they turn out fine. It's when I cut them, toss in oil and spices. I spread them on a cookie sheet. And they take forever to cook. Last time I did potatoes, mushrooms, onions and green peppers. The potatoes were hard as a rock and everything else was over cooked.

 

[CakePoet]

I used to be married to a potatofarmer, they had been growing them for 5 generations , my exhusband was the odd one, he didnt grow potatoes.

They always told me, if a potato doesnt get soft when cooking is because it was picked before it was ready to be harvest. It isnt done growing.

 

[CraigC]

I can boil any potato to tender in about 10 minutes. My problem is in the oven. Not baked they turn out fine. It's when I cut them, toss in oil and spices. I spread them on a cookie sheet. And they take forever to cook. Last time I did potatoes, mushrooms, onions and green peppers. The potatoes were hard as a rock and everything else was over cooked.

Steam them first, either in the microwave or on the stove using a pot equipped with a steamer basket.

 

[Phil]

I used to be married to a potatofarmer, they had been growing them for 5 generations , my exhusband was the odd one, he didnt grow potatoes.

They always told me, if a potato doesnt get soft when cooking is because it was picked before it was ready to be harvest. It isnt done growing.

I'm thinking this is the problem, hence the green taste.

 

[LizStreithorst]

I used to be married to a potatofarmer, they had been growing them for 5 generations , my exhusband was the odd one, he didnt grow potatoes.

They always told me, if a potato doesnt get soft when cooking is because it was picked before it was ready to be harvest. It isnt done growing.

Good call.

 

[CakePoet]

When baking potatoes, it does longer, so you start with potatoes first and let them go for 20 miin then add the rest to the pan.

If potatoes cook tender quickly, it can be over watered and if they are sometimes they just becomes slush in the pan.

 

[chessplayer]

This has happened for the third time in about six months. For mashed potatoes, I dice a russet potato and boil for about 20 minutes, or until tender. NOT. 30 minutes, 40 minutes, 50? Are you kidding me? The potato will not get tender. I try to whip it, as usual, but it is grainy and tastes a little raw, "green". Imported potatoes? Anyone else in America have this problem?

This has happened to me a few times. Always with "WHITE" labeled potatoes. I quit buying "WHITE" potatoes altogether. They always seemed to be more green than white. Never have this problem with another variety. My default potato is the thin skinned yellow one labeled as "GOLDEN Potatoes". It does very well for most of the dishes I cook.

 

[CakePoet]

In Sweden the potatoes are divvied up in floury or waxy, the color of the skinn doesnt matter.

 

[chessplayer]

In Sweden the potatoes are divvied up in floury or waxy, the color of the skinn doesnt matter.

In the USA potatoes are also "divvied up" into waxy or floury. The quotation marks in my post refers to commonly marketed potato types at my local BILO and Publix supermarkets. Being waxy or floury type of potatoes has nothing to do with being ripe/ready to harvest or not.

 

[CakePoet]

Nope.
Also dont eat green potatoes.

 

[GotGarlic]

Sometimes people in the U.S. want a particular color of potato for certain purposes. Red-skinned potatoes add color and contrast to some dishes, and some people like to use red, white and blue baby potatoes on national holidays.