No vegetable is as endlessly useful, comforting, and universally beloved as the potato, and August 19 is National Potato Day. Boiled, roasted, mashed, or fried, it is the ultimate blank canvas, and getting it right is far more about technique than any fancy ingredient.
Get roast potatoes genuinely crispy
The secret to roast potatoes with shatteringly crisp edges and fluffy insides is a simple two-step process. Cut them into chunks, boil or parboil until just tender, then drain them and shake them around in the pot to rough up the surfaces. Those fluffy, ragged edges are what actually crisp up in the oven. Roast them in plenty of hot fat on a preheated pan, turning once, until they are deep golden and crunchy all over.
Match the potato to the job
Not all potatoes are the same, and choosing the right one saves a lot of grief. Starchy potatoes like russets go light and fluffy, making them ideal for baking, mashing, and fries. Waxy potatoes hold their shape when cooked, so they are better for salads, boiling, and gratins where you want distinct slices. All-purpose potatoes like Yukon Golds sit right in the middle and are a safe, reliable bet when you are not entirely sure.
Master the mash
Great mashed potatoes come down to a few small choices. Use a starchy potato, cook the pieces until fully tender, and drain them well so they are not waterlogged. Warm your milk and butter before adding them so the mash stays hot, and avoid overworking it, since too much stirring turns potatoes gluey and dense. A ricer or a simple masher gives a fluffier result than a food processor ever will.
The potato asks for very little and gives back a lot. Salt it well, cook it fully, and it will carry a whole meal on its shoulders.
Store them in the dark
Potatoes last for weeks if you keep them somewhere cool, dark, and dry, like a paper bag tucked in a pantry. Do not refrigerate them, since cold turns their starch to sugar and makes them oddly sweet and prone to browning. Keep them well away from onions, which speed up sprouting, and cut away any green spots or sprouts before cooking. Stored right, a sack of potatoes is one of the best-value staples in the entire kitchen.
How to celebrate
- 1Get them genuinely crispy
Parboil potato chunks until just tender, drain them, then shake them hard in the pot to rough up the edges. Roast them in plenty of hot fat on a preheated pan, turning once. Those ragged, fluffy edges are exactly what crisp into deep gold.
- 2Match the potato to the job
Starchy russets go fluffy and are best for baking, mashing, and fries, while waxy potatoes hold their shape for salads and gratins. All-purpose Yukon Golds sit in the middle and are a safe bet when you are not sure. Choosing right saves a lot of grief.
- 3Master the mash
Cook the pieces until fully tender, drain them well, and warm your milk and butter before adding so the mash stays hot. Do not overwork it, or the starch turns it gluey. A ricer or masher gives a far fluffier result than a food processor.
- 4Make oven fries
Cut potatoes into even batons, soak them briefly to rinse off surface starch, then dry them well and toss with oil before roasting hot and flipping once. Even sizing means even cooking. Salt them the moment they come out of the oven.
- 5Store them in the dark
Keep potatoes cool, dark, and dry in a paper bag, and never in the fridge, where cold turns their starch to sugar. Keep them away from onions, which speed up sprouting. Cut away any green spots or sprouts before you cook them.