Potato Problem

Does anyone have any thoughts on why most of my home grown potatoes have just been going to mush on boiling them ..

This happened with Charlotte..Arran Pilot and now my first few Desiree., have I choosen the wrong varieties?

Dave

 

Hi Dave
I always though it was to do with the variety as you already know some are good for roasting and boiling and not visa a versa but after growing spuds (wilja) for years I all so put it down to the growing conditions ie watering and feeding as I have grown the same variety that was meant to be good at boiling and have turnded to slush in the pan or gone very soft and tasted very floury and dry .
And I have put it down to :

When I have heavly manured the beds I have never had a problem but last year, I coudnt get any muck and just used the compost out of the bin.

This year I used cow muck well composted and I havnt had a problem nice and firm same variety Wilja and ? I think same supplier ?

I think Arran Pilot is a baking spud not a boiler

Spruce

 

Hi Dave.

I've found that some years are different, sometimes they stay firm, others not. I DO find though that it helps to steam rather than boil :thumb:

Cheers...Freddy.

 

Hi, I think that Freddy is correct about steaming, but remember that home grown spuds are usually brought to the kitchen minutes from harvesting so they are still quite 'soft' - shop bought potaotes have always been stored for some time and have 'firmed-up' so are harder. We have found our Charlottes this year are especially soft and even the huge ones (250-300gr) each take no time at all to steam and are somewhat mushy, however with a little butter and salt and parsley are the 'stars of the table' - Whatever, Home Grown, for taste beat anything from the shop!!

 

Same happened to me today (well obviously I didn't go mushy when I was cooked). I'd planned for a big potato salad and we ended up with cheesey mash. Nice all the same though but a bit gutted when I lifted the lid of the pan.

 

Hi, it is correct that it's growing conditions and not variety, but not many people realise that the best way to cook potatoes that boil away is to cut them very small, if you think about it, when you cook larger sections the outside cooks and flakes off before the middle can cook, so if small pieces cook through much quicker and you keep an eye on them you loose less to the water.
I also tried micro waving in a covered dish with lots of butter and they taste fabulous.