Problems when cooking spuds

Im having a problem with my spuds when i boil them. I dug some up the other day, gave them a wash and them boiled them, after 10mins or so the skins all started to lift off. Underneath they were fine and tasted ok too but why would the skin separate? Ive tried some just dug and some that have been dug a few days before cooking but it happens to them all, they are organic orla if it makes a difference, second earlies.

 

They are new potatoes, the skin is thinner, that is why you only scrubbed them and didn't peel. The skin tends to fall off during cooking.
The more you cook them the more the skin falls off.

 

We steam our New Pots. Some varieties the skin comes off ... some are fine when we first start havesting them (i.e. early) and then as they get to normal term, or later, the skins start coming off and/or the tubers break up completely.

I don't know if it helps to water the crop shortly before now (so that the skins have been able to expand more, with the tubers, rather than "stretching" over the growing tubers such that they are too tight when cooked?

And I'm with JWK's advice that the more muck you give them when planting the better the flavour, and condition, of the tubers.

 

Old wife's tale with cooking veggies goes like this: Anything grown below ground start in cold water, anything grown above grown start in boiling water.

 

Interesting Redstar! To be honest, I didn't think anything of it the other day when I cooked some new potaotes (n/k varieties as they were left on our allotment by previous occupant) - but you know what.....they tasted so darned good I didn't care! The water swelling the potatoe and bursting out of the skin does make total sense though.

 

That does apply except for New Potatoes where the starch cells are immature, they can therefore be started in boiling water.

Steve...

 

When i was at school many years ago , i remember my Domestic Science teacher using the maxim for potatoes only "old cold" so new must be boiling water

 

Ah, but Delia-the Queen, puts her Desirees straight into boling water and cooks for 15 mins for her mashed spuds, and whatever Delia does-I does lol.

 

Ive kept the last lot stored for about a week now and will try again and see if they separate. Ive kept them in a cardboard box under the stairs and they seem to be lasting ok, even my last few shop bought ones have not sprouted with being in the box instead of the plastic bag.

 

thoughts of achef. New pots. should always be started in boiling water and lots of it. If you put spuds into to smaller ammount of water you may as well be starting them in cold water as they take too long to return to the boil they should come back to the boil asap. this goes for all veg started in boiling water especially green ones hope this helps to clarify the problem.