Potatoes are so popular in this country that everyone is probably used to peeling them. Removing the skin from a lot of tubers can be a tedious and tedious task, however. Does it always have to be the knife or are there a few time-saving tips and tricks?

Potatoes can be peeled before or after cooking

The shell is edible, but it's a matter of taste

There are many healthy ingredients just under the potato skin. When peeling, a large part of it is removed along with the peel. The situation is different if the shell is eaten or only removed after cooking.

If you like the taste, you can eat the potatoes with their skins cooked or baked without any problems. In order to minimize the risk of harmful substances, these tubers should preferably come from organic farming.

tips

Raw potatoes should generally not be eaten, whether with or without the skin.

Peel raw potatoes with a knife

The easiest way to peel raw potatoes, e.g. for chips, is to use a knife in the classic way.

  • a so-called potato peeler is ideal
  • Also known as a potato peeler
  • only very thinly removes the peel
  • hardly wastes any of the tuber

A small, sharp and slightly curved knife is also suitable for peeling the potatoes. Here, however, a sure instinct is required so that the shell is not peeled off too thickly.

  • suitable for uneven potato tubers
  • also for touching up after using the vegetable peeler

The speed with which these two tools remove the shell can be optimized with regular practice. With the amount of potatoes that are eaten in every household in this country, there should be plenty of opportunity.

Washing: before or after?

Anyone who grows potatoes in their own garden knows only too well how much soil can stick to the freshly harvested tubers. The coarse remains of earth are removed before storage. Before peeling, potatoes should be cleaned with a vegetable brush.

Potatoes bought in stores are already cleaned so well that there are usually no visible remains of soil. It is quite practical to first remove the skin from the potatoes and then wash them thoroughly.

Remove damaged shell parts

All tubers are not always perfect. If small areas of the shell are green in color, they should be removed very generously, as the toxic substance solanine has formed in them.

Brown areas and small shoots must be cut out generously. Tubers that have already sprouted strongly should be thrown away.

Tips and tricks for boiled potatoes

We have a few tips and tricks for peeling boiled potatoes that make the knife almost completely superfluous.

  1. First clean all tubers under running water with a vegetable brush.
  2. Score the skin of each potato all over with a sharp knife.
  3. Cook the potatoes until done.
  4. Just before the end of cooking, prepare a sufficiently large bowl of ice water. Choose this large enough that the potatoes will also fit in later.
  5. Drain off the hot cooking water.
  6. Immediately add the hot potatoes to the ice water, where they should sit for about 10-20 seconds.
  7. Then remove one potato at a time, use your hands or a knife to loosen the two pieces of skin and peel them off the potato.

If the potatoes are a bit misshapen, it may be necessary to use a knife to improve them in a few places.

Conclusion for fast readers:

  • Edibility: peel is edible when cooked; not everyone likes it; generally do not eat raw potatoes
  • Raw potatoes: use a vegetable peeler or a small, sharp and slightly curved knife
  • Process: Peel the tuber completely and thinly; On the other hand, generously remove green and brown spots
  • Washing: wash potatoes only after peeling; Exception: heavily contaminated tubers
  • Boiled potatoes: peeling possible with a knife; but a few tricks make the job easier
  • Step 1: Wash tubers thoroughly; cut the peel all around; cook potatoes
  • Step 2: Provide large bowl of ice water; quench hot potatoes for 10-20 seconds
  • Step 3: Take the tuber in your hand; Loosen and pull off the shell halves by hand

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

  • as a free PDF file to print out yourself

Category:

Vegetable garden