Who doesn't love potatoes? Although it tastes great, it actually takes a long time to clean, peel, and slice potatoes before they are processed. To save time, try preparing all the ingredients a few hours before cooking, then soaking the peeled potatoes in water. Also add a little less strong acid, such as lemon juice or vinegar, to prevent the potatoes from browning. In general, freshly peeled potatoes can be stored for 1-2 hours at room temperature or 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Soaking Potatoes in Water
Step 1. Rinse the fresh, peeled potatoes in cold water
As soon as the potatoes are peeled, immediately rinse them with cold running water from the tap. Once the water is clear, drain the potatoes on a paper towel and lightly pat the surface dry.
- If the potatoes are going to be cooked in large portions, place them in a slotted sieve and rinse all the potato pieces together.
- When peeled, the liquid starch in the potato is exposed to air and can quickly turn the potato brown or dark pink. To fix this, potatoes need to be rinsed first with water to remove excess starch that risks discoloring.
Step 2. Cut the potatoes into small pieces, if desired
At this point, you have the option of cutting or filling the potatoes to any size to shorten the preparation and cooking time. If you don't want to do this, you can also leave the potatoes whole because the method you choose will not reduce the final portion.
- Use a very sharp knife to cut or slice the potatoes. Be careful, a dull knife risks ruining the texture of the potatoes and causing them to secrete more enzymes that cause them to change color.
- Dice the potatoes 4-5 cm thick to turn them into mashed potatoes, or cut the potatoes into 1.3 cm thick slices to turn them into a variety of homemade dishes such as potato chips or au gratin.
- The smaller the potato pieces, the shorter the soaking time. That's why, if your potatoes are going to be made into dishes like hashbrown, french fries, or stir-fried vegetables, try soaking them just before they're cooked.
Step 3. Fill a large bowl with cold water
Choose a bowl that is large enough to fit all of the potato wedges so that your countertop or refrigerator is not too full. Fill half the bowl with water, and make sure there's enough room to soak the whole potato.
- Don't overfill the bowl so the water doesn't overflow when the potatoes are added.
- If the potatoes are going to be mashed, pour the water into the pot that will be used to boil the potatoes instead of the bowl. That way, when you're about to cook, you just have to put the pot on the stove and boil the water in it.
Step 4. Add a little lemon juice or vinegar
Pour a few drops of an acid such as lemon juice or distilled white vinegar into the water, then stir all the ingredients until well combined. While there's no one-size-fits-all, you should generally use about 1 tbsp. acid for every 3 liters of water. For a standard-sized bowl of about 2 to 5 liters, you can add about -1¼ tbsp. acid.
The addition of acid should not affect the taste of the potatoes once they are cooked
Step 5. Put the potatoes in a bowl of water
Make sure that the potatoes are completely submerged so they don't get exposed to oxygen, which can cause them to rot more quickly.
Potatoes will release gas as the process of decay takes place. Therefore, if the potatoes appear to float when soaked, they are most likely not fresh
Part 2 of 2: Keeping Potatoes Fresh
Step 1. Cover the bowl
It's best to use an airtight container with a lid that can be closed to maximize the results. If you don't have one, cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and slide the edges of the aluminum foil or plastic wrap along the mouth of the bowl until the bowl is tightly closed. Supposedly, this method is also effective in preventing potatoes from being exposed to air and rotting quickly because of it.
Remove as much air as possible from the container before closing it
Step 2. Process the potatoes stored at room temperature for 1-2 hours
If the potatoes are going to be cooked soon, there is no need to store them in the refrigerator. Instead, simply place the container of potatoes on the kitchen counter and drain the water before cooking the potatoes. Supposedly, the color of the potatoes will not change too much in such a short period of time.
Storing potatoes at room temperature is beneficial if you prefer to prepare all the ingredients at the same time before processing them
Step 3. Store the potatoes in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours
If the potatoes don't need to be cooked right away, don't forget to put the container on the middle shelf of the refrigerator and let it sit overnight. When you use it, don't forget to drain the soaking water first.
Potatoes soaked in water for more than a day can end up being too moist. As a result, the taste and texture are prone to change when cooked
Step 4. Change the water as necessary
Sometimes, what will change is the color of the soaking water, not the color of the potatoes. If that's the case, simply drain the water through a slotted sieve, then put the potatoes back in the bowl and cover the surface with fresh, clean water.
- If left submerged in dirty water, potatoes will reabsorb the enzymes that make them brown under normal conditions.
- Most of the enzymes in potatoes are released in the first few hours. Therefore, it is likely that the potato bath water will only need to be changed once.
Tips
- Use a vegetable peeler to remove any remaining unpeeled potato skin before soaking the potatoes.
- Peel, slice, and soak the potatoes the day before if they have to be cooked in large portions the next day.
- To produce a crispy textured potato (like potato chips), it is best to slice the potato just before cooking.
- If the potatoes are cleaned properly and the soaking water is changed every day, chances are it will last up to 3 days.
