Storing potatoes and onions

[gfweb]

13 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

I store potatoes in the bedroom.

 

 

Bathroom has better humidity.

[Alex]

I store mine in a wine fridge -- 55°F and low humidity is ideal. Plus it's an opportunity to get acquainted with their future dinner companions.

[KennethT]

6 minutes ago, Alex said:

I store mine in a wine fridge -- 55°F and low humidity is ideal. Plus it's an opportunity to get acquainted with their future dinner companions.

+1.  Shallots, garlic, potatoes, ginger - all in a rattan basket. 

[weinoo]

4 hours ago, Alex said:

I store mine in a wine fridge -- 55°F and low humidity is ideal. Plus it's an opportunity to get acquainted with their future dinner companions.

Actually, I think the ideal humidity inside a wine fridge is above 50% and below around 70%. Low humidity isn’t great for corks.

 

But honestly, my wine fridge is kinda full - with wine.

[weinoo]

Quote

Potatoes are about 80% water, so high storage humidity—90 to 95%—is ideal to prevent moisture loss and shriveling.

 

From Serious Eats…https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-store-potatoes-8711610#:~:text=(Potatoes are about 80% water,prevent moisture loss and shriveling.)

Edited 4 hours ago by weinoo (log)

[Dave the Cook]

1 hour ago, weinoo said:

Potatoes are about 80% water, so high storage humidity—90 to 95%—is ideal to prevent moisture loss and shriveling.

 

What is that based on? Potatoes are not especially moist -- 80% is not high relative to fruits and vegetables like greens. Consulting the Michigan State University Extension, we find that "Potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions and dry garlic prefer cool, dry conditions . . . (t)hey actually don’t need to be refrigerated at all.

[weinoo]

My above was based on the serious Eats experiments - it’s a direct quote.  And here’s another:

 

Quote

Potato tubers are about 80 percent water, depending on the variety, so high storage humidity is recommended to prevent shriveling.

 

Which comes directly from Oregon State University…https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/tips-keeping-harvested-potatoes-fresh

 

I guess, as some used to say, we’ll just have to agree to disagree.

[Duvel]

I don’t store my potatoes, I eat them …

[weinoo]

4 hours ago, Duvel said:

I don’t store my potatoes, I eat them …

Exactly.  My general buy is enough for the week (or at most, two weeks) ahead.

 

i do find that potatoes, in chip form, last a hell of a lot longer if the bag remains unopened.

[Katie Meadow]

9 hours ago, Duvel said:

I don’t store my potatoes, I eat them …

Indeed. Unless you live in an isolated environment like a farm in the middle of nowhere, it doesn't seem necessary to store potatoes for the long term. I usually buy Yukon Golds and keep them in the fridge. Potatoes are my go-to when I've eaten through most of my shopping list. They seem fine for at least ten days. I don't know how much longer they would last in the fridge since I've never tested it.  

[weinoo]

1 hour ago, Katie Meadow said:

I don't know how much longer they would last in the fridge since I've never tested it.  

 

Right - that's why we have crazies at places like Serious Eats - to do the testing!

 

I've also stopped buying the "bulk" bags of potatoes, be they 3 lbs. or 5 lbs., since there are always 1 or 2 potatoes in there ready to spoil the whole batch (especially true at TJ's!).  

 

And let me offer this as well, from Cornell University's Cooperative Extension:

 

Quote

Potatoes intended for storage should be harvested one to two weeks after the vines have died down or have been prematurely cut, but before there is any danger of the ground freezing (usually December in most years on Long Island). Store the tubers in the dark in high relative humidity at approximately 60℉ . for a week or two for curing of the skins. Then lower the temperature to 38℉ - 40℉. for long term storage. Low storage temperatures (but not freezing) and high moisture conditions (but no condensation on the tubers) keep the tubers from sprouting and maintains them in firm physical condition. Avoid exposure of the potatoes to light, for this causes them to turn green and to develop undesirable levels of glycoalkaloids, bitter compounds

 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by weinoo (log)

[Duvel]

12 hours ago, Duvel said:

I don’t store my potatoes, I eat them …

Ok … that was a snippy reply. And I would normally leave it at that, especially given the OPs reputation of asking a plethora of questions without ever taking the conclusion of the discussion into any meaningful implementation. But … there have been serious contributions to this topic and I come from a poor area in Germany with an economy solely relying on potatoes and sugar beets, so I feel qualified to give a more or less definitive answer:

 

Yes: the perfect conditions for storing potatoes are >= 90% humidity, very small, yet constant air exchange, the absence of sunlight, and just above 4 oC. They won’t shrivel (humidity), they won’t sprout or turn green (no light) and they won’t convert starches into sugars (min. 4 oC), leading to off taste and bad cooking/frying properties. This is (and has been) common knowledge for industrial storage (e.g. 6 months+ and large scale operations).

 

In a home setup, a well ventilated cellar does provide good conditions to keep potatoes in a palatable state for 3-4 months (e.g. over winter). Yes, my grandparents did that, and my parents are still doing this: Temperature is ~10-12 oC, no light, and humidity is ~60%. No mold, no sprouting, no greening and only very slow dehydration. Best option in a household. You think you know better than a Lower Saxony family with literally dozens of potato varieties at hand … think again ✊