Soaking Yukon Gold Potatoes

[Shel_B]

I am making a huge batch of potato salad for our Mothers Day BBQ.  I recently injured my knee, and cannot stand very long, and sitting is quite uncomfortable since I have to bend my leg and, even with pain medication, it's painful and the knee gets stiff. 

 

I may have to peel and dice the potatoes in stages, taking a rest every now and then.  I don't want to leave the spuds exposed to the air for an undetermined amount of time, and thought that covering them with water for a while, before cooking, would be a good idea.  How long can the potatoes be left soaking before they get waterlogged or in some way suffer?  Or would they even get waterlogged or suffer from a long-term soaking?  Is this something I have to be concerned about?

 

Thanks!

[Deryn]

What is a 'long time' for you in this case, Shel? If refrigerated and completely covered with cold water, I have peeled potatoes well before I cooked them. I do always refrigerate if they will stand more than an hour or two however. In many cases they have been kept cold at least 12 hours (i.e. overnight plus a few hours). I usually (for no really good reason probably) also add a bit of salt to the water when I do that. I have never had 'waterlogged' potatoes emerge - and don't expect that would happen with a waxy potato like a Yukon Gold anyway since they don't even get 'starchy/mealy' during cooking. In fact, though I don't recall doing this, I would bet a Yukon Gold potato would be fine (as I said, if refrigerated and completely water covered) for better than 24 hours prior to cooking. Changing the water every 12 hours or so might help too so no slime develops.

 

Sorry about your injury. If I were you and couldn't stand or sit long, I might resort to propping myself up on a bed with my legs outstretched and a firm surface (i.e. perhaps a large cutting board) beside me to hold the container with water, etc. and peel away in that position.

 

On the other hand, if you are making a 'large batch' (how many people will you serve? how many pounds of potatoes do you expect to peel?) of salad, you might also have to cook the potatoes in batches so perhaps you should just peel enough for 1 pot full of potatoes at a time (and maybe even make that pot smaller than you might normally - cook it, refrigerate the cooked ones, start peeling again, etc.).

 

I do hope you have a large refrigerator because either way you will probably have it full of pots of potatoes either cooked or uncooked or both if you can't manage to prepare the salad from start to finish on the day of the bbq.

Edited May 6, 2016 by Deryn (log)

[Shel_B]

53 minutes ago, Deryn said:

What is a 'long time' for you in this case, Shel? If refrigerated and completely covered with cold water, I have peeled potatoes well before I cooked them. I do always refrigerate if they will stand more than an hour or two however. In many cases they have been kept cold at least 12 hours (i.e. overnight plus a few hours). I usually (for no really good reason probably) also add a bit of salt to the water when I do that. I have never had 'waterlogged' potatoes emerge - and don't expect that would happen with a waxy potato like a Yukon Gold anyway since they don't even get 'starchy/mealy' during cooking. In fact, though I don't recall doing this, I would bet a Yukon Gold potato would be fine (as I said, if refrigerated and completely water covered) for better than 24 hours prior to cooking. Changing the water every 12 hours or so might help too so no slime develops.

 

Sorry about your injury. If I were you and couldn't stand or sit long, I might resort to propping myself up on a bed with my legs outstretched and a firm surface (i.e. perhaps a large cutting board) beside me to hold the container with water, etc. and peel away in that position.

 

On the other hand, if you are making a 'large batch' (how many people will you serve? how many pounds of potatoes do you expect to peel?) of salad, you might also have to cook the potatoes in batches so perhaps you should just peel enough for 1 pot full of potatoes at a time (and maybe even make that pot smaller than you might normally - cook it, refrigerate the cooked ones, start peeling again, etc.).

 

I do hope you have a large refrigerator because either way you will probably have it full of pots of potatoes either cooked or uncooked or both if you can't manage to prepare the salad from start to finish on the day of the bbq.

 

I don't know what a "long time" is, but it could be as much as 10 to 12 hours +/-.  It just depends on my pain and comfort level.

 

I am working with about 10-lbs of potatoes, more than I've ever done.  When I make the salad for parties and dinners, I've never made more than 4-lbs, and even when I'm feeling well, I work slowly and have to stand a while.  Sometimes I'll sit at the dining room table and work sitting down.  That's a big help, but, unfortunately, that won't work so well under the circumstances.  The bed idea won't work in this situation.

 

I have enough big pots, space in the fridge, and big mixing/storage bowls to get everything done at once.  I hadn't thought about keeping the potatoes cold.  Since you've done that, and for the time I'll probably need for my project, that's what I'll do, unless someone says that the idea is not workable, and then I'll investigate further.  The event is Sunday, and I plan to start preparation this afternoon and, hopefully, start cooking this evening, but definitely by tomorrow morning.  I want everything done tomorrow so I don't have to fuss on the day of the party.

 

Thanks so much for your input.

Edited May 6, 2016 by Shel_B
Clarification (log)

[Deryn]

10 pounds of potatoes should not be too much to store in one pot in the refrigerator overnight - either uncooked and submerged in water or cooked. I would suggest however that you don't cut the potatoes up into tiny pieces if you are storing them uncooked. If they are large potatoes, just peel them and cut, at most, in half for the refrigerated, water covered, storage part and complete the cutting up just before you cook them (or after they are cooked depending on how you like to do that part).

[Thanks for the Crepes]

@Shel_B,

 

Deryn has given you some excellent ideas, and I just have a couple to add. One is that I used to work with an older lady and an excellent cook who mixed up big batches of potato salad with cooked potatoes, boiled eggs, onion, celery, and anything else she was going to put in it in a couple of big covered bowls to take to her lake house on Saturdays. Once she got there, she added mayo and mixed again. She prepared the salad on Friday nights in one batch and refrigerated overnight, and carried it in the car in a cooler with ice. This method could also be used for smaller batches if need be, and they could be added to the larger bowl(s) at intervals. I have used her method, and did not find any degradation to the potatoes.

 

The other thing I would think about is to do the prep work at your kitchen table with an ottoman under it to support your injured leg in a straight position. I would have to improvise with a milk crate or one of my little patio tables, covered with a large pillow, but that might allow you to sit and not stress the compromised knee. Even a large pile of pillows would work. 

 

I admire your determination to fulfill your commitment in spite of your bum knee. Please get well soon. 

[Shel_B]

Thanks so much Deryn and TFTC.  I appreciate your help, suggestions, and kind words very much.  I'll be doing the cooking and final prep today.  It should be an interesting and fun day. 

[Okanagancook]

When I make my oven baked fries I cut them; rinse well until the water is clear; recover with fresh cold water; store in fridge overnight; then bake.  I have even left them in the fridge for two days.  Nutritionally, you will be loosing some of the potassium as it leaches out into the water.  Dietitians often  recommend soaking potatoes to patients with kidney failure...reduces the burden on the kidney.  No big deal for healthy people.

[cyalexa]

On 5/6/2016 at 0:05 PM, Shel_B said:

I may have to peel and dice the potatoes in stages,

Consider not peeling. 

[heidih]

Have you ever boiled with peel on and then slipped off skins and cut after? Then some salt and vinegar on the warm chunks, followed by dressing when cooler. My female posse did the salad for my 200 guest wedding that way and there was nothing leftover. Lots less time intensive

[Shel_B]

The salad has been made, so it's too late to consider cooking the potatoes in their skins for this batch.  However, I may try the technique when making my next batch.  I've never heard of this technique, or at least I don't recall hearing about it.  My concern is about handling hot potatoes.  What's the procedure for slipping the skins off?  Thanks heidh and cyalexa.  Can either of you provide additional info for using this technique?  Thanks!

[cyalexa]

I frequently microwave the potatoes, covered (in the bowl which will hold the salad). Once they are cool enough to handle but still quite warm, I quarter them lengthwise, grab a bit of the skin at one corner and pull it off. I have a fairly high tolerance for handling hot items but you could probably hold the potato in a towel if you find it uncomfortable. I agree with heidh on seasoning while warm. I generally use dill pickle juice, salt and pepper.  

 

P.S. Hope you are feeling better

Edited May 8, 2016 by cyalexa (log)

[Lisa Shock]

12 minutes ago, cyalexa said:

I frequently microwave the potatoes, covered (in the bowl which will hold the salad). Once they are cool enough to handle but still quite warm, I quarter them lengthwise, grab a bit of the skin at one corner and pull it off. I have a fairly high tolerance for handling hot items but you could probably hold the potato in a towel if you find it uncomfortable. I agree with heidh on seasoning while warm. I generally use dill pickle juice, salt and pepper.  

 

P.S. Hope you are feeling better

 

You can grab the peels with tongs and stablize them on a cutting board with a second pair of tongs, or salad server tongs. Those silicon oven mitts are useful here as well. (easy to keep super-clean, unlike a cloth oven mitt)

[Deryn]

To be honest, particularly with thin-skinned, waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold, I rarely peel them at all these days (either before or after cooking) especially for potato salad, but, have done in the past. I answered Shel's question as he posed it because whatever his recipe or tradition for potato salad might be, I thought he was determined to peel the potatoes. Glad to see though that others piped up about how to peel after cooking (and even mentioned not peeling at all).

 

If I am not going to peel though, I like to look for organic potatoes, hoping to reduce or eliminate some of the pesticides, etc. that can end up in the outer layers of the potato if farmed conventionally. I love potato skins (and the skin is also where many of the nutrients are stored I believe) so it bothers me to have to get rid of that part.

 

Anyway ... glad you got the potatoes done, Shel, and I hope your Mother's Day festivities are all you hoped they would be.

[Shel_B]

First of all, and to my happiness, the potato salad was well-liked - I received a few very positive comments and not a bit was left over.  The weather was great, so we set up some tables outside and enjoyed good conversation as well as Oscar's famous grilled chicken.

 

Deryn, I only use organic potatoes, and they are from one of three farms, so I know what I'm getting.  I don't like the skin on Yukon Gold potatoes in salad, although I don't mind the skin on some other methods of preparation, and have no quibble with the skin on red potatoes.

 

Lisa, Cyalexa, Heidi ... I will definitely try cooking the potatoes with the skin on, and see how that works for me.  One concern that I have is the seasoning ... I cook the peeled potatoes in well salted water, and that seems to add flavor that goes deep into the potatoes.  If cooked with the skin on, will salt permeate the skin and add flavor throughout the potatoes?  From what has been said here, I suspect not.  Can this point be clarified?

 

Oh, one more thing, I also use pickle juice (and pickles) in the salad.  This time I used Bubbies kosher dills and their juice.  I highly recommend the product!

 

Thanks!  Hope you all had a good weekend.

[heidih]

As I noted an initial salt/vinegar bath on the freshly cooked and cubed potato adds a ton of flavor that is readily absorbed. I have been doing this since "god was in short trousers"  Here is link to s Serous Eats article incorporating the concept http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/07/the-food-lab-how-to-make-the-best-potato-salad-done-right.html

[rotuts]

@heidih  

 

nice article.  thanks you.

[Shel_B]

On ‎5‎/‎9‎/‎2016 at 2:51 PM, heidih said:

As I noted an initial salt/vinegar bath on the freshly cooked and cubed potato adds a ton of flavor that is readily absorbed. I have been doing this since "god was in short trousers"  Here is link to s Serous Eats article incorporating the concept http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/07/the-food-lab-how-to-make-the-best-potato-salad-done-right.html

 

Thanks for the link ... I never thought about adding vinegar to the cooking water ... it certainly seems to make sense.  I never knew why the potatoes should be added to cold water, and the article made that clear.

Edited May 11, 2016 by Shel_B (log)

[Dana]

I know I'm a little late to the party, but if I need to make a lot of potato salad, I bake the potatoes, let cool, then peel. Great potato flavor, and little standing. I can peel the cooked potatoes sitting at the kitchen table. Just a late thought.