Baking potatoes sounds simple, doesn't it? ?
However, it is not as obvious as that!
Success in cooking potatoes is not given to everyone.
Why ? Because without knowing it, we all make mistakes we have no idea!
Luckily, a cook buddy shared with me the mistakes not to make to ensure your potatoes are delicious every time.
Now let's take a look at these 10 mistakes everyone makes when cooking potatoes in water. Watch:
Before you even cook your potatoes, you have to choose them carefully.
And this regardless of the cooking method!
One mistake to avoid at all costs is cooking sprouted potatoes.
Because a sprouted potato can represent a health hazard .
Why ? Because potato sprouts have a high solanine content.
And this substance can be dangerous to health if you swallow large doses.
Solution: it is therefore better to avoid cooking sprouted potatoes.
And the easiest way is still to use this trick to prevent potatoes from sprouting.
That being said, rest assured. If you swallow a little solanine, you risk nothing.
You still need a high dose for it to be toxic.
The mistake we've all made is to plunge the potatoes directly into a pot of already boiling water.
This is indeed a big mistake!
Solution: potatoes should always be put in cold water .
And only then we heat the water.
Why cook potatoes in cold water, you ask me?
Because in contact with boiling water, the flesh of the potatoes becomes crumbly.
The top layer of the potato is seared. It will cook very quickly.
But during this time, the heart of the potato remains raw and hard.
If you wait until the core is soft and cooked, then the outside of the potato will be overcooked and crumbly!
Putting the potatoes in cold water instead of boiling water allows more even cooking .
The other mistake I consistently made was to peel the potatoes before they were cooked.
It's really super long...
Besides, it's not for nothing that we talk about potato chores!
Solution: the good news is that there is a simple trick to avoid this chore.
Grandma's easy trick is to cook the potatoes with their skins on.
Why cook potatoes with the skin on?
Good question ! The answer is very simple:because it's easier to peel them once cooked.
Just pull the skin off the baked potato. And it comes off on its own.
You will save a lot of time! You will see, you will peel your potatoes in 5 seconds.
Here's how:
- Make a cut in each potato with a knife.
- Boil the potatoes in water.
- Take the potatoes out of the pan one by one.
- Place each potato in a bowl filled with ice cubes.
- Wait 5 seconds.
- Remove the potato from the bowl.
- Pull the skin off the potato.
You will be surprised ! Potato skin comes off very easily on its own.
The other advantage of cooking potatoes with the skin on is that it better preserves its nutrients during cooking.
The only disadvantage of this method is that you cannot make chips with the peelings of the already cooked potatoes.
One last thing to know: if you're using organic potatoes, you don't even have to peel your potatoes.
It's even faster and easier that way, isn't it?
Not respecting the cooking time of the potatoes is a basic mistake.
But it's true that it's not that obvious!
Because depending on the size of the potato, the cooking time may vary.
Solution: the first instinct to have is to cook potatoes of about the same size.
If this is not the case, you can cut the largest potatoes in 2 or 4 to have pieces of equivalent size.
Then, how long to cook the potatoes?
Cooks recommend cooking them 20 to 25 min from the moment the water boils.
It's the best way to have potatoes that hold up well and are cooked through.
I confess that I made this mistake about a thousand times to know if my potatoes were cooked.
But that was before...
Now I know not to prick the potatoes while they cook.
Why ? Because by pricking the potatoes with the tip of a knife during cooking, you damage the flesh of the vegetable.
Especially if you do it several times in a row!
This will weaken the flesh which may crumble and decompose more easily.
So you're probably wondering how to know if the potatoes are cooked ?
Solution: to control the cooking of the potatoes, it is better to use a timer.
Once it has rung, if in doubt, poke a potato once with the tip of a knife.
If it is too hard, continue cooking for another 5 min.
Rinsing the potatoes before cooking them is not an option.
It is essential.
And this, even if you buy your potatoes at the supermarket and they look very clean...
Or if you prepare organic or garden potatoes.
Solution: simply pass the potatoes under water to rid them of their impurities.
Cleaning the potatoes with water helps to remove dirt that you can't necessarily see with the naked eye.
But that's not all.
This step will also remove most pesticides that are on the potato.
Do you want to be sure to remove as many pesticides as possible from your vegetables?
You can use one of these tips with white vinegar, baking soda, coarse salt or cider vinegar.
And to avoid wasting water, collect it in a basin and use it to water the plants for example.
There is no point in too much water for cooking potatoes.
On the one hand, the more water you put in, the longer it will take to boil the water.
We waste time, we use water for nothing and we waste energy to heat the water.
In addition, when potatoes cook in too much water, they lose more of their nutritional qualities.
Which is a shame, you will agree...
Solution: add just enough water to cover the potatoes. That's more than enough.
Don't throw away the cooking water from the potatoes!
Potato cooking water is very useful.
What to do with the potato cooking water?
Solution: the choice is yours!
It can be used to shine mirrors or silverware or remove mud stains from clothing.
But it can also be used to shine the tiles and of course to weed the garden.
If you ever wonder...
Potato cooking water is not good for plants.
But it is still very useful against weeds !
It is the starch contained in the potatoes dissolved in water that allows all these little miracles.
Want to know the best?
I recycle all the cooking water from my vegetables.
Yes, I never throw them away again.
As a stain remover, to revive the colors of clothes, to clean silverware...
There are many ways to reuse vegetable cooking water to avoid spoilage.
We now know how to boil potatoes.
Now you have to know which variety of potatoes to choose for boiling.
Not all varieties of potatoes are meant to be boiled.
So which variety of potatoes for boiling should be preferred?
Solution: choose potatoes with firm or melting flesh.
For example potatoes of variety:
Amandine, Annabelle, Agata, Nicola, Franceline, Roseval or the famous Charlotte...
I don't know about you...
But it has happened to me many times to have potatoes that explode when cooking.
Do you know what I mean?
In the end, it's not very appetizing...
How to prevent potatoes from bursting during cooking?
Solution: to avoid this problem, it is best to respect the cooking time potatoes.
Without forgetting to start cooking them in cold water.
Another great grandmother's trick that can help is to make a cut in the skin of the potato.
In addition, as we have seen, it makes peeling the potatoes easier afterwards.
Finally, salting the cooking water when it boils helps to limit this risk.
There you go, now you know all the secrets of successful boiling potatoes.
It's easy, isn't it?
Potatoes are an essential ingredient in family recipes.
It must be said that it is easy to make and it is super good.
And the best part is that it's super economical.
So don't deprive yourself of it!
So that's the bonus tip we all need at some point.
The trick is actually very simple and logical.
Simply cut the potatoes into 2, 3 or 4 pieces depending on their size to cook them faster.
The goal is to reduce their size to reduce cooking time.
Instead of waiting 20 to 25 min from boiling the water, we only wait 10 to 15 min.
Easy, but you had to think about it!
Did you make too many boiled potatoes?
It doesn't matter, because you can keep them for a few days in the fridge.
Boiled potatoes can easily be stored for 2 or 3 days in the fridge.
To do this, put a little water in the bottom of an airtight container or in a bowl.
Put the potatoes in. Close the box or cover the bowl with plastic wrap or reusable cling film.
And hop in the fridge!
You can then use your cooked potatoes to make a delicious shepherd's pie or omelet.
Once you have cooked your potatoes, nothing prevents you from freezing your dish...
And eat it later on a weeknight to save time and money.
Know that you can also keep raw and peeled potatoes for 2 to 3 days.
To do this, simply put them in cold water. This prevents them from darkening too quickly.
I know what you're thinking!
You don't have to cook the potatoes in water.
And you are absolutely right.
The great thing about potatoes is that you can prepare them in a thousand and one ways.
They can be cooked on the barbecue, in the steamer, in the oven and also in the microwave .
This last technique is both simple and quick. And suddenly, for us, it is very practical!
Here's how to cook potatoes in the microwave:
- Cut your potatoes into slices or cubes or leave them whole if they are not too big.
- Put them in a dish suitable for the microwave.
- Pour a glass of water in the bottom of the dish to keep them tender.
- Place a cling film on top.
- Microwave at full power for 8 to 12 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes and the quantity.
- Pierce the potato with your knife to see if it's cooked.
