Anyone else struggle to cook potatoes?

blue note

It should be simple. Every mother can do it, whether they can cook or not. I'd be better than most when it comes to cooking - ill happily take out a cookbook and try the recipes inside. Generally the results are okay.but when it comes to potatoes, I can both overdo them and under do them at the same time. They disintegrate into the water on the outside, but remain undercooked on the inside. Or some days I'll put on 4 potatoes and end up with three.

And yes, I match the size, time them, keep an eye on them. None of it seems to work. Salad / baby potatoes work out fine, but let's be honest, they're not as good.

I'm more moaning that I can't consistently do something that must Irish people are born able to do than asking for advice so stuck the thread here instead of the cooking forum.

So anyone else suffer the same problem? Or am I the only one?

Salary Negotiator

Lower the temperature and cook for longer.

Tikki Wang Wang

blue note wrote: »

It should be simple. Every mother can do it, whether they can cook or not. I'd be better than most when it comes to cooking - ill happily take out a cookbook and try the recipes inside. Generally the results are okay.but when it comes to potatoes, I can both overdo them and under do them at the same time. They disintegrate into the water on the outside, but remain undercooked on the inside. Or some days I'll put on 4 potatoes and end up with three.

And yes, I match the size, time them, keep an eye on them. None of it seems to work. Salad / baby potatoes work out fine, but let's be honest, they're not as good.

I'm more moaning that I can't consistently do something that must Irish people are born able to do than asking for advice so stuck the thread here instead of the cooking forum.

So anyone else suffer the same problem? Or am I the only one?

The beast at Tanagra

JohnnyFlash

Just steam them.

bee06

Steam them. Much easier.

Sharp MZ700

A good test to see if your potatoes are cooked OP is to take one out and throw it up against the ceiling-if it sticks your spuds are done, if not keep cooking the rest.

Baby potatoes for the win.

Yes, seems like the temp is too hot. And cooking the outside too quickly.

Say my name

Steamer pot. Done in 20 to 30 minutes.


No problem.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

Boiling them to perfection can be tricky! Other ways are easier and tastier. Wedges and roasters only involve parboiling then you just shove them in the oven and walk away.

Cee-Jay-Cee

20 minutes in a steamer and they’ll be perfect.

knockers84

Are you a Protestant?

kneemos

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Baby potatoes for the win.

Yes, seems like the temp is too hit. And cooking the outside too quickly.

It's boiling water. How can it be too hot?

Most varieties turn to crap when you boil them, no wonder nobody is buying them.
Baby spuds usually hold together.

biko

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I94iA34fs0

SnazzyPig

Use what are referred to as 'waxy' potatoes for everything other than chips and roast potatoes (use floury potatoes for them) -

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

SnazzyPig wrote: »

Use what are referred to as 'waxy' potatoes for everything other than chips and roast potatoes (use floury potatoes for them) -

Good tip. I thought I hated boiled potatoes as a kid but that was because, due to my parents’ obsession with floury spuds, I didn’t know the simple beauty of a boiled waxy spud. Hubs was the same. Insisted he didn’t like boiled spuds until I cooked waxy ones that way for him. Mind = blown.

TuringBot47

For larger potatoes cut them in half/pieces.
Also, do you put a lid on the pot? It seems to help.

Plugguy

kneemos wrote: »

It's boiling water. How can it be too hot?

Most varieties turn to crap when you boil them, no wonder nobody is buying them.
Baby spuds usually hold together.

Bring them to the boil then turn down the heat and simmer until cooked.

blue note

Lid ajar, big potatoes cut, potatoes kept on a gentle simmer. Some of them turn out fine. But far too many mushy.

Sharp MZ700

Also always keep the spuds roughly the same size. Bring to the boil, turn down to just above simmering for 10to 15 minutes depending on size with the lid ajar. Test with a fork til they feel consistently all the way through.
Off heat strain immediately and leave in pot with tea towel on top to take the steam if you want floury.

A lot depends on the variety, I do like Roosters.

ceadaoin.

I cut them up into uniform pieces, halves or quarters depending on the size of the potatoes then turn the temp down a bit from full on boiling. Or I just throw them in the instant pot for 10 mins. Never have any problems

cj maxx

blue note wrote: »

It should be simple. Every mother can do it, whether they can cook or not. I'd be better than most when it comes to cooking - ill happily take out a cookbook and try the recipes inside. Generally the results are okay.but when it comes to potatoes, I can both overdo them and under do them at the same time. They disintegrate into the water on the outside, but remain undercooked on the inside. Or some days I'll put on 4 potatoes and end up with three.

And yes, I match the size, time them, keep an eye on them. None of it seems to work. Salad / baby potatoes work out fine, but let's be honest, they're not as good.

I'm more moaning that I can't consistently do something that must Irish people are born able to do than asking for advice so stuck the thread here instead of the cooking forum.

So anyone else suffer the same problem? Or am I the only one?

Boil on a medium heat and this is most important.
Never never completely cover them in water. Use a right size pot for your spuds and fill water about 4/5 of the way. Put a knob of butter in and a bit of salt. Don't keep poking at them.
You'll know if they're done by sticking a knife in.
As posted above you drain and cover with a towel if your not quite ready to serve

ILoveYourVibes

Put them in cold water first. Bring them to the boil rather than put them in boiling.

Cut them evenly and of equal size.

Starchy potatoes are more likely to become mushy. Waxy potatoes are less starchy and so hold their shape more for cooking to firm. If you want them to hold shape in a stew use these.

Potatoes are waxy, starchy or those in between. Some are a bit more floury than others etc.

Medium starchy potatoes would be yukon gold etc.

Ireland has a lot of floury potatoes they then tend to be the ones that fall apart in boiling.

Waxy potatoes boil well but don't mash well. Floury /starchy potatoes fall apart but mash well. Some are in between.

Baby patatoes, dash of oil and a few herbs and into the oven or air fryer. Easy and delicious pretty much the only way I normally cook potatoes.

Edgware

Have you tried employing good domestic staff? My cook mastered the art of cooking potatoes at a very early age. Even Bridie the skivvy does a good mash if required

Boil them, mash them, stick them in a stew.

ILoveYourVibes

Edgware wrote: »

Have you tried employing good domestic staff? My cook mastered the art of cooking potatoes at a very early age. Even Bridie the skivvy does a good mash if required

If you can cook potatoes ....you can rule the world.

ZX7R

Simple answer to the op question is ,
Potatos are pure ****e now a days, mass produced balls of chemicals doesn't matter how you cook them they end up crap.(exception been deep fried)

If you want a good potato go to one of those organic markets and buy some not the organic crap in super markets

Paddy Cow

Peel and take out all eyes.

Cut potatoes into even sized chunks.

Bring to the boil and simmer for about 15/20 minutes. Check with a fork to see if they are done.

Once potatoes are cooked, strain the water out and put back on the hob. Lower the heat. This will remove excess water but keep the potatoes hot.

Add salt and mash the sh!t out of those bad boys.

Add butter and milk to taste.

The result is creamy mashed potatoes.

The worst thing you can ever do (and there should be a law against this) is serve up lumpy mashed potatoes. This usually happens because people don't cook the potatoes long enough or add the milk and butter before they mash them. I don't understand the science but it definitely makes a difference.

Capt'n Midnight

TuringBot47 wrote: »

For larger potatoes cut them in half/pieces.
Also, do you put a lid on the pot? It seems to help.

get an apple corer and put a hole through the spuds to make them cook faster.

you can stick the butter in the hole later

Capt'n Midnight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SAbJjktk7E

Here ya go OP, it couldn't be easier.

petros1980

ZX7R wrote: »

Simple answer to the op question is ,
Potatos are pure ****e now a days, mass produced balls of chemicals doesn't matter how you cook them they end up crap.(exception been deep fried)

If you want a good potato go to one of those organic markets and buy some not the organic crap in super markets

Sorry but you're talking out your hole.

A bag of normal roosters from any supermarket in Ireland are generally grand lovely potatoes.

Sure some spuds are better than others, but yo suggest everything on offer now except fancy organic ones are rubbish us complete nonsense

kneemos

kneemos wrote: »

It's boiling water. How can it be too hot?

That would appear to be be the problem.

Nekarsulm

If you have very floury variety, boil until the skin starts to crack open.
Drain off the water, put them on a plate and microwave for about four minutes on full power.

Anyone care to admit they like them a little hard, where there's a little resistance when you put a knife through them. New, slightly hard, with a bit of butter. Simple, but divine.

BuboBubo

petros1980 wrote: »

Sorry but you're talking out your hole.

A bag of normal roosters from any supermarket in Ireland are generally grand lovely potatoes.

Sure some spuds are better than others, but yo suggest everything on offer now except fancy organic ones are rubbish us complete nonsense

^^^ this ^^^

No problem with supermarket potatoes here, if you want mash, roosters are the best. Peel, cut into chunks, steam then run through a potato ricer - no lumps.

Queens, bring to the boil in their jackets. Simmer for 20 mins, job done.

Maris piper are best for chips. Always rinse your chips in clean water before trying to remove excess starch or they'll stick together.

Gregor Samsa

ZX7R wrote: »

Simple answer to the op question is ,
Potatos are pure ****e now a days, mass produced balls of chemicals doesn't matter how you cook them they end up crap.(exception been deep fried)

If you want a good potato go to one of those organic markets and buy some not the organic crap in super markets

This is why a million people died and a million more emigrated in 1847. They refused to eat those mass produced pure ****e spuds from the dirty fields, and the balconies and window boxes of Phibsboro couldn’t produce enough organic artisan potatoes to feed everyone their triple cooked chunky chips served in shoe or the back of a toy dumper truck.

Like, have we learned nothing from the Great Hipster Famine?

dreamers75

When I make a home made curry I send one of the kids to buy boiled rice in the chinese (heh buy 3 boiled rice and nothing else) because I simply cannot cook it.

Have tried every damn recipe method youtube video, simply cant cook it.

Some things are not made to be made by me, I am fine with that.

Steam it. I steam all veg and rice, you can't go wrong. It's foolproof. I don't often cook potatoes but the steamer makes those perfectly too.

trashcan

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

you can stick the butter in the hole later

Ooh Matron !

MonkieSocks

trashcan wrote: »

Ooh Matron !

"Nurse, I said remove his Spectacles".

JupiterKid

Cooking spuds is really very easy. There are so many ways the simple spud can be cooked ...but I prefer mine either steamed, roasted, fried or sautéed.

Best thing is that a little allotment beside where I live and tended to by a few of us produces its own potatoes which are quite tasty.

Paddy Cow

Deleted User wrote: »

Anyone care to admit they like them a little hard, where there's a little resistance when you put a knife through them. New, slightly hard, with a bit of butter. Simple, but divine.

No. Under cooked potatoes are disgusting. New potatoes with butter are divine but they must be cooked properly.

Graces7

Being on my own I usually bake them in the microwave. Works grand. But never ever have had the issues the OP has. Always an easy thing to cook.

Graces7

Graces7 wrote: »

Being on my own I usually bake them in the microwave.

Sacrilege. Please surrender your Irish passport to your local garda station within 10 days.

ebbsy

JupiterKid wrote: »

Cooking spuds is really very easy. There are so many ways the simple spud can be cooked ...but I prefer mine either steamed, roasted, fried or sautéed.

Best thing is that a little allotment beside where I live and tended to by a few of us produces its own potatoes which are quite tasty.

Have you declared this to Revenue ???

Bob Harris

Just buy potato waffles OP.

Paddy Cow

Deleted User wrote: »

Sacrilege. Please surrender your Irish passport to your local garda station within 10 days.

She's not Irish, she's British.

I've never cooked potatoes in the microwave but I bought potatoes the other day and they were advertised on the package as being microwaveable! Obviously I'm not a savage and boiled them like a normal person :pac:

Feisar

Boil them in their jackets.

looksee

I also like potatoes with a tiny bit of 'bite'. I also like mash to be the kind that I have seen posh restaurants refer to as 'crushed potatoes'. This is just another way of describing spuds that have been squashed by a potato masher rather than riced. I don't like floury potatoes, but then I am a Brit so its to be expected.

Paddy Cow

looksee wrote: »

I also like potatoes with a tiny bit of 'bite'. I also like mash to be the kind that I have seen posh restaurants refer to as 'crushed potatoes'. This is just another way of describing spuds that have been squashed by a potato masher rather than riced. I don't like floury potatoes, but then I am a Brit so its to be expected.

I'm Irish but would agree with you on that. Never got the hype with floury potatoes. When potatoes are boiled I like to be able to cut them into chunks and put loads of butter and salt on them. The floury ones are like trying to eat potato flavoured chalk.

looksee

looksee wrote: »

I don't like floury potatoes, but then I am a Brit so its to be expected.

You can stay after Brexit. Jury's out on Graces7. Her island WILL be watched.