Surely you have asked yourself many times, so today we will tell you how long does it take to cook a potato and incidentally, we will give you all the tricks to make them perfect, depending on the technique you want to use for this classic culinary preparation and depending on the recipe you want to prepare, since not all of them require the same cooking point.
Obviously the quickest answer would be to say depends, since there are many factors that determine the ideal cooking time. A large potato is not the same as a small one, it is not the same to cook it with skin or peeledit does not take the same time at sea level as in a mountain area and not all potato varieties They require the same cooking time.
Also different is cooking time in water than in broth, and it is not the same to cook the potatoes whole or in pieces, nor if they are cut by tearing so that they release starch than if they are cut into regular pieces. Furthermore, a similar texture is not always sought when cooking the potatoes, since we may want them to have a bit of bite left to later mold and fill them, or find that we have more past to make a creamy purée for a side dish or to prepare a Lima cause, a delicious Peruvian dish based on potatoes.
Even we may want potatoes with an intermediate texture, somewhat more whole than a puree, if we want to make a traditional Russian salad or if we want to prepare a biof salad with chicken. And as if that were not enough, we can also cook the potatoes using the microwave, which reduces the usual cooking times to ten minutes or using pressure cookers or speed cookers.
Previous considerations
Before starting to cook the potatoes, we have to make some precisions that will ensure the success of this simple preparation and that They will mostly answer the topics that we indicated aboveand that can condition the cooking time:
A. Which potatoes are best for boiling?
There are more than 150 varieties of potatoes in our country. The best ones for cooking are yellowish skin and oval shape, of the Monalisa, Kennebec, Spunta or Desirée varieties which are sometimes labeled as boiling potatoes.
Among those varieties, choose if you can new potatoeswhich are somewhat smaller and, because they have been picked recently, have a higher water content, which makes it easier for them not to fall apart, especially if you want to serve them as a garnish and not for pureeing -in that case it does not matter if they fall apart about-.
B. In what liquid are you going to cook the potatoes
The usual thing is that you will cook the potatoes in water with a little saltbut it also fits cooking in brothto make the typical dishes of potato stews, -with lamb, with squid, with ribs, with cuttlefish or cuttlefish, with clams, in tuna marmitako, with stoker, etc-.
In these cooking cooking times may need to be extended a bit longer since even the starch that the potato pieces release into the broth causes it to thicken, taking longer to cook the potato.
C. Is it convenient to peel the potatoes before cooking them? To wash or not to wash the potatoes?
Though there are recipes in which the potatoes have to be peeled and cut-for example in the aforementioned stews-, if what we want is only to cook the potatoes for a garnish, for purée or for other preparations, it is preferable to cook them with the skin and then cut them according to our needs. This way they maintain more nutrients, have more flavor and are not “watered down”.
By recommending cooking them with skin, obviously you have to wash the potatoes well, since they can bring impurities and remains of earth. For this task, it is enough to wash them with cold water and, where appropriate, rub with a brush like the nail brushes.
D. Cook the potatoes whole or split?
All the times that we indicate in our recipes, unless expressly stated otherwise, are given to medium size whole potatoes. If they are going to be cooked in pieces, logically it will be necessary to use the trial and error technique, checking with a fork or skewer if they are ready or need a little more time.
The normal thing is that under normal conditions medium-sized potatoes will take about 25 minutes to be cooked in salted water at sea level. at higher altitude, as the air pressure is lower, the food takes longer to be ready and the cooking temperatures and times can be slightly longer. The reason is that the water boils at a lower temperature the higher the altitude of our city.
E. In potatoes, size does matter
When we are going to cook whole potatoes it is preferable look for potatoes of similar size and shape so that they take the same time to be cooked. Simply select potatoes of a similar size when you buy them or take them out of the bag.
So we get that all remain with a homogeneous cooking point and we don’t have any left whole because they are too big and others that fall apart because they are too small.
put one large saucepan with enough water to fit the potatoes well covered and bring it to a boil over high heat. When the water starts to boil, add a dessert spoonful of salt and the whole potatoes, with their skin.
Don’t add the salt at first because salty water takes longer to boil. When the water returns to a boil after putting the potatoeslower the heat a little while maintaining the bubbles and leave the potatoes inside for between 15 and 30 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes.
If they are small or very small, 15 to 18 minutes will suffice. You can check it with a skewered or pricked with a fork or the tip of a knife, to check if it goes in easily without being crunchy. If they are medium, you will need between 20 and 25 minutes and if they are large, you can try 25, 30 or even leave them for 35 minutes. If you have to do this test multiple times you are going to make wounds in the potatoeswhich will arrive at the dish with a worse appearance, so it is preferable to do the test almost at the end of the indicated times.
The Vinegar Squirt Trick
This trick was done by my grandmother, so in my house it is common. Once the water is boiling and we have introduced the salt and the potatoes, we also add a splash of vinegar. This one makes the flavor of the potato is enhanced, without taking on a vinegary taste and also leaves the potatoes less brittle, making them ideal for garnish. You will see how well they peel and cut after cooking them in this way.
Quickly chill the potatoes
When the potatoes are ready, after cooking them properly depending on the size and variety, it is important to cool them by putting them in cold water to stop the cooking. Also, so we will facilitate the task of peeling themif we are going to do it for the recipe in which we are going to use them.
How to cook potatoes faster
There are some ways to speed up the cooking process of potatoes. The most practical is to cut them into smaller pieces or use baby potatoes or smaller varieties such as Canarian potatoes, which will require somewhat shorter cooking times.
Lacor Saucepan, Aluminum, Silver, 34 cm
Another way to do it is to use the microwave instead of conventional cooking in a saucepan of water, getting quite decent cooked potatoes in about ten minutes. To cook them you can follow our instructions, wrapping them in plastic wrap or using a silicone case.
Lékué – Steam case with tray, 3-4 people, 1400 ml, green color
could also use the pressure cooker or the pressure cooker, but it’s not worth it since as far as the internal pressure reaches after closing it and waiting for it to be able to open it without risk, we would already have the potatoes at their point in a traditional cooking. In any case, the ideal time for cooking potatoes in a pressure cooker is about eight minutessince the two rings are seen outside.
Anyway, since the general rule is to cook the potatoes for 25 to 40 minutesdepending on all the factors that we have told you about, it is only necessary to be a bit farsighted when we are going to need this preparation and start with the task of cooking, before undertaking the rest of the tasks that our recipe requires.
In DAP | Five tricks to transform boring mashed potatoes into a winning side dish
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Images | Pixabay and Pakus