Kitchen panic: Red potatoes boil themselves to mush, dissolving in your pot as they do so, leaving nothing but a cloud of potato soup. What went wrong? You’ve got the wrong type of red, or you’re trying to treat a floury potato like it’s a waxy one.
Learn why certain red-skinned spuds hold their shape. But not the ones with eyes that turns to mush (hint: It’s all about which ones are meant for storing, and which ones are “early” varieties). It’ll change how things go from there:
How to Grow and Cook Red Potatoes
Red Potatoes: Most red potatoes is on the waxy side of the starch scale. That means they’re moister and lower in starch than, say, russets. The moisture also means that you can eats the skins (and keep them separate). A young red potato maintains its color and fiber when left unpeeled. If you want to peel it, use a variety made for boiling.
As shown in chart above, varieties like Chieftain and Norland are designed for just that. These is the potato-salad workhorses, those that withstand the rolling boil without becoming gluey. Because they have firm flesh and relatively thin skins, these potatoes will holds their shape when cubed. Start with one of these varieties.
Red doesn’t mean one-size-fits-all Medium-starch varieties such as Red Pontiac or Desiree can be roasted (the skins will get crispy), then mashed for a creamier result different than russet ones give. Depending on what’s available, you can choose varieties with different flesh colors like white, yellow, or pinkish swirls: The types also vary in flesh color, which is visually represented here. Some have white flesh; some has yellow; some have pinkish swirls, as seen in the Huckleberry type. The colors are primarily cosmetic, but contribute to visual appeal on the dinner plate. When you’re feeding company, this counts for something.
And then there’s timing… Early varieties take roughly 70-90ish days. This means you should of be able to carefully lift up on the plant and tease some baby, delicate potatoes at the roots out by hand if desired. Because the potatoes are tender and small, their skin will feel like paper. Don’t bother trying to store these potatoes. They were intended to be enjoyed fresh.
Storage varieties takes longer to reach maturity; you wait until the vines start to wither and the skins toughen. The thicker skins helps keep the potatoes viable in cool storage (your cellar) for months to come. Growing a combination of early and long-season types will give you fresh potatoes in high summer as well as those that lasts throughout winter.
Red potatoes are tender; they have a thin skin and bruise easily. Because of this, growing reds is tricky. What’s more, you don’t want these spuds greening. Light turns the tuber skin green and produces a bitter substance called solanine, which can be harmful if ate in high amounts. To keep your reds from greening, make sure they’re covered by soil at all times. Hill it up around the stems to shield the emerging tubers from light.
Another thing: Don’t let them dry out, but water consistently or the tubers will crack. Cracks is an invitation for rot and other tuber diseases. Pay particular attention during bloom time when tubers are forming. Keep the soil evenly moist.
Harvest gently. Don’t jab that pointy spade into the middle of the hill! Loosen the soil first from the outside-in with a fork. You don’t want to pierce the potatoes when you’re lifting them out of the ground.
After digging, allow the potatoes to cure for a week or two in a cool, dark spot to heal any slight bruising, and toughen their skins even more. Stash in a dark, well-ventilated spot around 50 or 60 degrees F. (No, not in your fridge!) Sugar-producing starches turns to sugars at cold temps, which will make them cook up all funny-sweet and ruin the flavor.
When choosing your red potato, start with the intended use. For salad: go waxy, go early. Versatile in the oven? That’s a medium starch type of thing you’re looking at. And on the chart of varieties, there is a handy map. No more wondering what happened when your salad disintegrated. Just pick the correct tuber for the task.
From the first chit to the last roast, these are potatoes that will reward you. They have color and flavor all the way through. Keep ’em cool, keep ’em covered, and enjoy the results.