Watery boiled potatoes !

finix · 28-02-2014 02:05PM #1

My mam always had lovely peeled boiled potatoes but mine are either undercooked or watery and fall apart. I have tried everything, lid on lid off, boiling water before adding spuds, cold water with spuds in etc. I normally use washed Roosters. C'mon Help me here !

the beer revolu · 28-02-2014 02:22PM

Get a steamer and never Boil a spud again.
Either a leaf steamer that sits in the bottom of a pot or one that goes over a pot. The former are very cheap.

28-02-2014 02:25PM

If they are watery you could remove the water, put the mush back onto the heat and boil/fry the excess moisture off that way. I normally add loads of butter once it gets dry again.

fl4pj4ck · 28-02-2014 02:28PM

it's down to the quality of the spuds, but with the market flooded with roosters you just take what's there

finix · 28-02-2014 02:40PM

the beer revolu wrote: »

Get a steamer and never Boil a spud again.
Either a leaf steamer that sits in the bottom of a pot or one that goes over a pot. The former are very cheap.

Your answer prompted something in my head so I went to the attic... Viola !
A forgotten Tefal ''steam cuisine'' 3 tier electric steamer ! I remembered seeing something when getting out the xmas lights in Dec ! As I type the washable bits are in the dishwasher. I will post results of tonights ''new'' spuds later. Thank you so much. PS I assume the bottom tier is the hottest Yes ?
I will try the bottom tier for 30 mins or so and test with a fork.
It's sad I know but excited at having good spuds again !

firestarter51 · 28-02-2014 02:43PM

try wilsons spuds, my fav for boilers, never come out watery, i get them in supervalu

Uncle_moe · 28-02-2014 02:51PM

get a bag of maris pipers in marks, cut them into equal size pieces (about 1.5 - 2 inches in length) boil in salted water for 15 minutes, drain, put back over a low heat for a minute and they'll be nice and fluffy. Roosters I find tend to soggy and watery.

Loire · 28-02-2014 04:39PM

Hi OP,

I know you asked about peeled, boiled potatoes rather than mash, but for mash this is how I make them and they've been quite good for years.

Peel and boil the spuds until you can put a fork through them
Empty into a colander and give them a shake
Leave the colander over the pot for 5 mins....this is the important bit, they should be dried out before you mash
Pop back into the pot and mash
When almost fully mashed, then start adding the butter (in cubes). Again this is important...mashing "wet" spuds will give you lumps
When you've added all the butter, pour in some cream and give it a final mash

If I have time, I will then transfer the spuds into a Pyrex dish, top with grated cheese and bake for 20 mins in the oven. Divine!

Made this last night actually
Loire.

finix · 28-02-2014 09:01PM

Took the advice of Beer and used the steamer, Just like mammy used to make ! Thank you so much !:D

Loire · 28-02-2014 09:10PM

the beer revolu wrote: »

Get a steamer and never Boil a spud again.
Either a leaf steamer that sits in the bottom of a pot or one that goes over a pot. The former are very cheap.

That's me into TKMaxx tomorrow :pac:

Custardpi · 28-02-2014 09:14PM

How long are you cooking them for? Are you keeping them on a high heat all the time? While I'd agree that steamed spuds are nicer if sticking to boiled generally what I'd do is start them off in cold lightly salted water, bring it to the boil then reduce the heat to about 2/5 of full power & cook for between 15 - 25 mins (some potatoes take longer than others).

finix · 28-02-2014 09:27PM

Custardpi wrote: »

How long are you cooking them for? Are you keeping them on a high heat all the time? While I'd agree that steamed spuds are nicer if sticking to boiled generally what I'd do is start them off in cold lightly salted water, bring it to the boil then reduce the heat to about 2/5 of full power & cook for between 15 - 25 mins (some potatoes take longer than others).

I tried everything, I am the Jonah of boiled Spuds, But the Gods don't know I have discovered the electric steamer so shush !

Slicemeister · 28-02-2014 09:30PM

I put a tea cloth into the pot on top of the spuds just after straining. Drys them out in no time.

Dizzyblonde · 28-02-2014 10:49PM

I never boil floury potatoes either - I use a leaf steamer and they're perfect every time. If you slice the potatoes rather than cut them into chunks they cook in about 25 minutes.

Its me its nanny · 08-04-2014 08:59AM

I'm living in England, but just came back from a short break in Ireland. Whilst I was there I cooked boiled potatoes twice, and I have to say I never saw potatoes like them in either country before. The outside of the potato was dissolved in the water while the inside was still rock hard?! I forget what type they were, but know that my family had moved from Red Rooster recently due to the same problem with them. They've used RR for years, and this problem only started recently. I did consider steaming them as a possible way around the problem; but I and my parents have managed to successfully produce boiled potatoes for a lifetime without this strange problem. Is it something in the water? Or something that's changed in the way the potatoes are grown?

Billy86 · 08-04-2014 10:26PM

A ricer is one of the best kitchenware buys anyone will ever make. Put in the cut up, cooked potatoes, apply very gentle pressure, and steadily increase as the water leaves (also turn upside down once or twice as a pool of water will form at the top as well). Once the water stops coming out, put it the full way down and your potatoes are 100 percent perfectly mashed as well.

Thud · 09-04-2014 10:54AM

a splash of vinegar in the water will stop the outsides of them breaking down/turning to mush, insides will still be floury.
Works better if you don't cut up the potatoes.

Strain off water and leave in hot pan for a few minutes and any excess water will evaporate.

beauf · 09-04-2014 10:57AM

+1 on the steamer!

Maglight · 09-04-2014 11:11AM

If you don't have a steamer you can achieve dry, floury boiled potatoes with the following method. Boil them until they are almost cooked - still slightly hard in the middle and needing about five minutes more boiling to be soft. Drain the potatoes and put back on the lowest heat setting with the lid on. They will continue to cook gently in their own steam. Once soft, remove the lid and let the remaining steam evaporate for a minute or so to dry out. This is the only method I find works with Roosters, Queens and Golden Wonders

BailMeOut · 09-04-2014 02:10PM

as others have said, steam your spuds. You just need a metal colander, a pot and a lid. Cut the spuds small so they cook faster.

Sadderday · 09-04-2014 02:14PM

I honestly think potatoes are different now to how they were yrs ago. I buy roosters cos its what my mam always bought and I have to mash them all the time because they boil to mush (with the odd hard one)

So instead I buy baby potatoes and leave them in their skins... and when the summer comes in I'll go for the new potatoes but its a real pain in the a'ss trying to pick a sack in the supermarket

Jellybaby1 · 09-04-2014 02:20PM

I lived with mush for years after I got married wayyyyy back in the 70's, could never figure out how mother managed this trick and I couldn't especially as I followed her instructions. Anyway, steam, steam all the way. I discovered steaming years ago as I got fed up wasting so much potato mush!! The soil is different, the water is different, the potatoes behave different under different circumstances. I survived the mush test to tell the tale - just steam! Yay!

Edit: I don't have one of those electrified steamers, just an ordinary manual one with three tiers and I can cook the carrots in the top tier too!

eisenberg1 · 09-04-2014 03:31PM

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

I lived with mush for years after I got married wayyyyy back in the 70's, could never figure out how mother managed this trick and I couldn't especially as I followed her instructions. Anyway, steam, steam all the way. I discovered steaming years ago as I got fed up wasting so much potato mush!! The soil is different, the water is different, the potatoes behave different under different circumstances. I survived the mush test to tell the tale - just steam! Yay!

Edit: I don't have one of those electrified steamers, just an ordinary manual one with three tiers and I can cook the carrots in the top tier too!

I do as above, and then, works really well on a cold day, open kitchen window/back door and expose the strainer/sieve full of potatoes to the cold air for approx. one minute, seems to really make them dryer, then mash.

Thud · 09-04-2014 03:51PM

Sadderday wrote: »

I honestly think potatoes are different now to how they were yrs ago. I buy roosters cos its what my mam always bought and I have to mash them all the time because they boil to mush (with the odd hard one)

So instead I buy baby potatoes and leave them in their skins... and when the summer comes in I'll go for the new potatoes but its a real pain in the a'ss trying to pick a sack in the supermarket

try the vinegar trick, it works

eisenberg1 · 09-04-2014 03:57PM

Loire wrote: »

That's me into TKMaxx tomorrow :pac:

Home Store n More............20 quid, two tier.

the beer revolu · 09-04-2014 06:14PM

eisenberg1 wrote: »

Home Store n More............20 quid, two tier.

A leaf steamer will set you back less than a fiver and will fit in any pot.

eisenberg1 · 10-04-2014 09:08AM

the beer revolu wrote: »

A leaf steamer will set you back less than a fiver and will fit in any pot.

Ok, but what I am referring to is an actual pot, with two steamer sections....it may even be 15 euro.

the beer revolu · 10-04-2014 09:58AM

eisenberg1 wrote: »

Ok, but what I am referring to is an actual pot, with two steamer sections....it may even be 15 euro.

I know.
Not everyone wants/needs or had room for new pots and steamers. I was just adding that there is a very cheap option that takes up little room if one wants to be able to steam spuds.
But, yes very good value for a pot steamer.

Jezek · 11-04-2014 12:58PM

general thanks to the people in this thread that suggested steaming - steamed some lovely potatoes last night and they were amazing. mashed them, added some salt, and had some amazing mash with no milk, butter , cream, or anything else added. Lovely with some quality sausages.

Calibos · 13-04-2014 03:27PM

I've lived on this planet for 40 years and have never had a boiled potato. I thought everyone steamed...or stopped boiling decades ago?

Is it just my family and friends and everyone I ever knew that steamed or just Dubs and the rest of the country just clung onto boiling for another 40 years?

lovelypoint · 15-04-2014 03:23PM

The type of potato is the issue I think. Some boil beautifully, while others remain hard in the centre, or simply turn to mush. Unfortunately I've yet to discern which boil beautifully and which boil terribly, but for the most part boiled potato disasters are in the slim minority.

Steaming is one way to go alright, but in my experience steaming takes longer (about half as long again, as boiling), so when I'm in a rush, I will chop potatoes relatively small (1.5- 2 inches), and boil. Testing how far away from being done seems to be an art I've long developed, and will test after after about 10/ 12 minutes just to get a feel for how quickly they're doing, and give me an idea as to when I should test again. When cooked through, I will drain the water, and then let sit in the pot for a minute or so with the lid on, and let the steam dry the potatoes as much as possible, before serving/ mashing them. I have been known in the past to lay the cooked potatoes on a plate, and put under the grill for a few minutes also. This has the effect of drying/ crisping them a little, as well as being an emergency rescue measure for potatoes that have started to fall apart in the pot.

Watery boiled potatoes !

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