Soaking Potatoes

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ChrisGreaves
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Soaking Potatoes

Post by ChrisGreaves »

Cooking.
I have a friend who peels her potatoes and then drops the potatoes (peeled) into a bowl of cold water to “freshen them up”.
I maintain that the peeled potatoes can’t absorb water because the peel contains the serious pumping mechanism.
It’s obvious to me that water must still travel inside the potato, otherwise the interior would be dry.
But I still maintain that the serious pumping and pressure gradient has to come from the peel.
That is, my friend should immerse the potatoes in cold water before peeling, and peel them immediately before cooking.

Please tell me that I’m right and she is wrong
Don’t bother replying otherwise.

Thanks
Chris
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HansV
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Re: Soaking Potatoes

Post by HansV »

Hmmpf
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Hans

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BobH
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Re: Soaking Potatoes

Post by BobH »

Putting potatoes and apples into water after peeling and cutting them up prevents them discoloring. I've never heard the reason for doing so to 'freshen them up.'

I scrub potatoes with a soft brush before preparing any further. It they are to be baked, I might salt the peel before baking. If they are to be boiled, I peel with a really good Swiss peeler - forget the brand - then slice/dice/whatever. As I finish a spud, the prepared pieces go into cold water. In TX in the Summer that bowl will have a few pieces of ice in it as our tap water is about 80°F at the moment.

Just checked. The peeler is a TitanII
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ChrisGreaves
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Re: Soaking Potatoes

Post by ChrisGreaves »

BobH wrote:Putting potatoes and apples into water after peeling and cutting them up prevents them discoloring. I've never heard the reason for doing so to 'freshen them up.'
Thanks for the feedback, Bob.
Yes, I know about sealing the flesh from air by immersion in water.

I have made unpeeled limp carrots more rigid by soaking them in water for an hour or so. Difficult to tell with potaties, though.

I generally eat the peel on vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, parsnips (but not onions), and fruits such as apples and pears (but not oranges), partly through nutrition reasoning, but mainly through frugality ("I PAID for this peel!") and laziness.

Cheers
Chris
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Roderunner
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Re: Soaking Potatoes

Post by Roderunner »

Any chef or head cook will tell you, putting peeled spuds into water unless to be boiled immediately causes the vitamins strength etc. to be reduced. I peel mine dry, add cold water and some salt then cook till tender. Read This
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BobH
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Re: Soaking Potatoes

Post by BobH »

Thanks, George! I've been following bum advice received years ago from me mum.
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PJ_in_FL
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Re: Soaking Potatoes

Post by PJ_in_FL »

Bob,

Mum was a bum?
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steveh
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Re: Soaking Potatoes

Post by steveh »

ChrisGreaves wrote:Cooking.
I have a friend who peels her potatoes and then drops the potatoes (peeled) into a bowl of cold water to “freshen them up”.
I maintain that the peeled potatoes can’t absorb water because the peel contains the serious pumping mechanism.
It’s obvious to me that water must still travel inside the potato, otherwise the interior would be dry.
But I still maintain that the serious pumping and pressure gradient has to come from the peel.
That is, my friend should immerse the potatoes in cold water before peeling, and peel them immediately before cooking.

Please tell me that I’m right and she is wrong
Don’t bother replying otherwise.

Thanks
Chris
HI Chris

maybe it is an old wife's tale passed down through families but both my wife and I always let them soak and rinse them after to get rid of the starch

Cheers
Steve
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ChrisGreaves
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Re: Soaking Potatoes

Post by ChrisGreaves »

steveh wrote:maybe it is an old wife's tale passed down through families but both my wife and I always let them soak and rinse them after to get rid of the starch
Hi Steve.
But, but :sputter: ...
I though that the whole purpose of eating potatoes was to GET the starch?
Isn't this why The English are so stiff and starchy? :laugh: :rofl:
Cheers
Chris
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DaveA
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Re: Soaking Potatoes

Post by DaveA »

From Google
Frying fresh-cut potatoes. Soaking peeled, washed and cut fries in cold water overnight removes excess potato starch, which prevents fries from sticking together and helps achieve maximum crispness. 3. Cooking them only once. Apr 4, 2012
It may sound obvious, but sometimes people just peel their potatoes without washing them first. POTATOES ARE DIRTY. Avoid getting specks of dirt in your spuds by thoroughly rinsing in cold water and scrubbing them first. Nov 6, 2012
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jstevens
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Re: Soaking Potatoes

Post by jstevens »

And the "eyes" have it. :grin:
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