Potato Help

For mashed potatoes, I don't waste my time washing. I just
-peel
-put into boiling water for about 10 -20mins (chk to see if ready. Ready
when you can pierce w/fork)
-drain water, mash, add little bit of softened butter & little bit of milk, stir &
serve

For diced, pan fried potatoes:
-peel
-cube
-pan fry in approx 3 tsp of oil
-occasionally stir (add tiny bit more oil if they are sticking to pan)
-you'll be able to tell if they are done. approx 20-30 mins

For those who wonder about soaking potatoes: If you're making mashed potatoes, especially with a white or yukon gold style, soaking them for a couple of minutes in cool to cold water & then draining will release some of the starch. This makes the potatoes less pasty when you mash them.

I never wash the potatoes first if I am going to peel them. What is the point of that? I just peel them then rinse. There should be no soaking involved.
For mashed potatoes I chop the potatoes and boil until soft. Drain. Then add butter and warm milk and mash with a masher until smooth. Sometimes I will add sour cream or cream cheese, or I will boil the potatoes with garlic.

There are many ways to do potatoes.

For mashed potatoes, I wash, peel, wash, chop, and boil. The smaller the pieces, the quicker they will boil. After they're boiled, add whatever you want with them in a large bowl...milk, cream, butter, margarine, salt, pepper, sour cream, cheese, broccoli (my fav), etc...but don't add all those things together!!! You can use a potato masher for chunkier mashed potatoes...I personally prefer a hand mixer as I like mine smooth.

Diced potatoes...peel, dice, and throw them in the pan. Again, the smaller you dice them, the less time they will take. Taste them as you go until they are done to your liking!

And there really isn't a need to soak your potatoes...they aren't like dried beans that need to have moisture readded. ;) Quite all right to not know potatoes...my mom insists I called her when I was 24 asking her how to boil potatoes. I deny it up and down. ;)

When I make the pan fried diced, I don't peel. Also never soaked. What I usually do is wash and then dice up the potatoes and then put in a pot of chicken broth to cook until ALMOST done, just a few minutes of boiling. The potatoe pieces are pretty small so no need to cook a long time. Then drain well, usually let it sit for a few minutes while I saute the onion and garlic--and whatever else I am using. Then add the potatoes. If you cook the potatoes too long, you will get mushed potatoes but still okay. I like to combine different types of potatoes, like yukon gold and red.

With reds, often I leave the skin on. Otherwise, scrub, peel, rinse, cut into chunks (smaller cooks faster) and boil. For mashed, I use cream cheese instead of milk/cream, and add butter, garlic, salt, pepper, chives and horseradish sauce. I usually use my hand mixer. People request I bring these for holidays and get-togethers.

For pan frying, I often leave the skins on. Just scrub and dice. I use a combination of oil and butter for cooking them then add onion and garlic (salt & pepper to taste).

I just made mashed potatoes two nights ago! I put water and milk in a pot (1 2/3 c and 1/3 c) plus a couple tablespoons of butter. Brought that to a boil and added the Betty Crocker package of instant potatoes (after taking the pot of the heat). Stirred it, waited a few minutes, fluffed it with a fork and voila!

Just kidding.. but only sorta. I personally prefer real mashed potatoes but hubs loves instant kind and was re-affirming that the other night when I went all cheap and made them for shepherds pie topping. He said its like Kraft Mac'n'Cheese... in some ways it is way better than the real thing.

Always, always, always use salt when cooking potatoes. You only need a little, but without it they taste like dirt. Add it to the water when you boil them, and always start with cold water. Other than that, follow the instructions below.

I think I'll make pan fried potatoes tonight!! Thanks for posting an inspiring question.
R.

Unless they are organic, always peel since their are pesticides and fungicides on pototoes in a big way. To make the best mashed potatoes use a "ricer", but I don't like lumpy mashed potatoes. I prefer pan fried. Use a non-stick pan (this and eggs is the only time you really need one), peel, wash, and cut up potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. Cover and cook with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and/or butter and seasonging. Its important to move them around every 5 minutes or so. Uncover after about 15 minutes as they are getting soft so they can brown.

I do each of these at least once a week.

Mashed potatoes: peel them, dice them up, boil them until you can stick a fork in them and they sort of break in half. Drain. Put back into the hot pan (this helps the excess water dry up). Mash them up, add salt and butter to taste and pour in a little milk until you get the consistency you like. Instead of milk you can also use broth, a lot of people like chicken broth in them but I go simple with milk.

Oven roasted potatoes (you can do this with pretty much any root vegetable): Peel. Dice evenly. Toss to coat in oil and seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, whatever). Bake in a super hot oven (450 degrees) until they're golden, stir them up frequently to prevent them from sticking to the pan. I usually do my potatoes with chunks of onion, garlic, and carrots/parsnips.

Easy peasy!

For mashed, I wash & peel under a slow stream of cool water and cut into 1-2 inch chunks. Put 'em in a pot, put enough water in to JUST cover them, then boil ~20 min or until soft when stuck with a fork. Drain, then I just sort of eyeball it with milk & butter, then salt & pepper them to taste. :) Oh, and I use a hand mixer. I tried using my stand mixer last night (as I had forgotten my hand mixer bit the dust) and the butter kept trying to jump out. So if you're going to do a stand mixer and you add butter, make sure you cut it into small pieces... :)

My sister says it's easier to peel a potato after you boil it. I always peel first and chop up first when using baking potatoes. If you are doing the pan-frying, I would definitely peel first. Lately, I've been using red-skinned potatoes and just leaving the skin on.

If dairy is an issue, you can use olive oil.

I've never heard of soaking potatoes. New to me!

Our favorite is garlic roasted potatoes. I use small red potatoes or the potato medly package that has red, Yukon, purple potatoes.

I just wash them then cut in half ( small ones, 1/4's if a little larger). Out them in shallow roasting pan which has been sprayed with Pam. Then I add garlic cloves , I use a LOT, cut in 1/2 (at least 1 entire bulb of garlic). Spot with butter, sprinkle with garlic pepper and roast. Turn occasionally until they are browned. The roasted garlic tastes like nuts. Yummy!!

Sometimes I throw in some onions for extra flavor.

And with mashed potatoes... I almost always use instant. I also add a spoon of mayo and it makes them yummy. Sour cream works too!

Enjoy

The only time I have soaked my potatoes prior to frying them is if the oil wasn't ready right away...keeping them in salted water, keeps them from browning.

mashed potatoes:

cut out blemishes and root spikes...then cube and place into boiling water with salt.

Boil for 10 minutes (all depends upon heat and how many potatoes you have) - you should be able to poke a fork through the potato with no problems.

I like to leave the skins on my potatoes instead of peeling them.

"home fries" or skillet potatoes
heat pan with olive oil or canola oil - whichever is your preference. While heating pan - cut out blemishes and root spikes...then cube into bite size pieces.

put cubed pieces in pan and fry until golden brown...I usually add some chopped bell peppers as well as chopped onions...

hashed browns
Heat pan with either olive oil or canola oil - while heating - cut out blemishes and root spikes...then shred potatoes. Place shredded potatoes in frying pan, salt and pepper to taste. Let them cook/fry on one side for 4 to 5 minutes depending upon how "done" you want them. I sprinkle oil on the "up" side and then flip after they are the brown I like them.

Serve with bacon and eggs!!! YUM!!!

Boiled potatoes - We peel the potatoes, cut them a little smaller (so they cook quicker), then place in a pan of water and boil until they are tender. Drain all the water out. Add butter and milk and mash (or use a hand-held blender). Some people like to leave the skins on (we do not).

Friend potatoes - Again, people and cut to your liking (sliced or diced). We put butter in the frying pan, then the potatoes, and then a little more butter. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook until tender, stirring as needed.

I cook potatoes, excuse me for asking, but how come potatoes have to be soaked?
I've never done that.
I just wash them, boil them, then peel them.
Or, stick them in the microwave to cook, then peel them.
And I always scrub them first, then boil them then peel them then cut them up for whatever I am making.