The Boiling Mistake You Might Be Making With Potatoes

Not all spuds are created equal, and you shouldn't assume that any potato is going to get the job done when it comes to boiling, says Andrew "Kappy" Kaplan, host of the Beyond the Plate podcast and ambassador to the Foundation for Fresh Produce's Have A Plant movement. "The best potatoes for boiling depend on the intended dish," he notes, adding that "in general, potatoes with higher moisture and lower starch content hold up better when boiled." This typically includes Yukon Golds, white or red potatoes, and fingerlings.

Yet don't turn up your nose at starchier potato varieties like the classic russet, Kaplan insists. The qualities of these taters make them "break down more easily when boiled, making them better suited for mashed potatoes, baking, or frying." Maybe you already knew that picking the wrong potato was a major mashed potato cooking mistake, but you couldn't quite put your finger on why. Now you know ... it's all about the starch! 

After learning that you should store your potatoes in a cardboard box to make them last longer without sprouting or rotting, we're on a roll with our potato knowledge. But simply choosing the right potato won't help you boil them perfectly, Kaplan warns. You also need to know a thing or two about how you should prepare those potatoes prior to cooking.

"There are two approaches to boiling potatoes," Kaplan explains. One school of thought posits that you should cut potatoes into small, consistently-sized pieces before boiling to make sure they cook quickly and evenly. On the other hand, however, you might be tempted to "boil small potatoes whole (depending on the final dish) to help them stay intact." There isn't a right or wrong answer here, because the method of choice depends on your ultimate dish and how you want the potatoes to stand up to the hot water. Either way, be sure to check that they're ready for the plate. "The best way to test for doneness is to gently pierce a potato with the tip of a small knife—if it slides in easily without resistance, it's ready," says Kaplan. 

That turn of the conversation led Kaplan to shout out an ingenious method he once saw superstar chef Bobby Flay use for potato salad. Apparently, Flay "boiled small red potatoes whole, then cut them into uniform pieces after cooking." While the potatoes were still nice and hot, he dressed them, which allowed the flavoring to steam right into the warm flesh of the potato. "An amazing technique!" Kaplan declares. No matter what ingredients you add to your potato salad, it can surely be agreed that mixing the salad up hot is an unexpected (but genius) twist on the normal preparation, and a great example of knowing exactly how to boil potatoes for the plate you want.