I have a curious question regarding the preparation of potatoes...any kind.

[Katie H]

I have a new sweet potato recipe I plan to prepare for Thanksgiving. All the ingredients include the usual suspects but the part that puzzles me is that the creator asks to scrub the potatoes before peeling them. I've never thought about doing that with any potatoes that I peel.

Is there a particular advantage to doing this or is this something related to making sure the potatoes are free from ugly-fugly things?

Thoughts?

 

[pepperhead212]

My first thought would be why bother? However, if the potatoes are very dirty, I can see it getting on the peeled potato, as it's being peeled, so that would have to be rinsed off. So maybe starting with it very clean, that wouldn't be necessary? Most root crops that I buy are fairly clean, so not really necessary.

 

[Katie H]

My first thought would be why bother? However, if the potatoes are very dirty, I can see it getting on the peeled potato, as it's being peeled, so that would have to be rinsed off. So maybe starting with it very clean, that wouldn't be necessary? Most root crops that I buy are fairly clean, so not really necessary.

Yep, why bother? We don't grow our own root vegetables and those I buy at the grocery store or local mom-and-pop markets are always clean.

I just found the suggestion unusual.

 

[dragnlaw]

I agree, if really dirty, then sure, why not? But I rinse my potatoes after peeling anyhow. I peel while they are held in the sink, if I can... prevents white starch splatter all over everything! The rinsing sloughs off any tiny thin pieces of peel left clinging. Plus any dirt that was hiding in an eye somewhere.

So, do I wash before peeling? No.

 

[jennyema]

I would never bother with that ….

 

[dcSaute]

sweet potato - aka yams - aka . . .
peel? never, (the ",'"=comma) nope . . .

we're fond of "them year round. basically a 'side' to bunches o' stuff.

how to cook....
scrubbed - just to remove gross dirt from the skin.
boiled
baked
roasted . .
always "in the skin"

when done, slip off the skins and plate.

 

[larry_stewart]

I agree, if really dirty, then sure, why not? But I rinse my potatoes after peeling anyhow. I peel while they are held in the sink, if I can... prevents white starch splatter all over everything! The rinsing sloughs off any tiny thin pieces of peel left clinging. Plus any dirt that was hiding in an eye somewhere.

So, do I wash before peeling? No.

I do the same with my sweet potatoes and regular potatoes, and mine are real dirty .
After picking I let them dry a bit in the sun, the brush off the dirt and store them.

When I use them, I rinse off any caked on dirt, then peel, then rinse again to make sure no dirt on the potatoes.

 

[Andy M.]

I never wash if I'm peeling. I've never had really dirty potatoes as I don't have vegetable garden.

 

[cookiecrafter]

I would be looking for a new recipe.

 

[taxlady]

I sometimes get really dirty potatoes when I buy them. Sometimes the dirt has a lot of clay and the potatoes actually do need scrubbing. Or, I might just go ahead and peel them while the skins are still dirty and then rinse the dirt off the peeled potatoes. Yes, the peeled potatoes can get dirty from dirty skins.