Q. With all the wonderful photos and recipes posted now on Pinterest, is Idaho there too?
A. Definitely! Be sure to follow us and check out the various categories at: http://pinterest.com/idahopotato/
Posts Tagged ‘idaho potato’
Idaho Potatoes on Pinterest
Friday, December 21st, 2012What Happened to My Crispy Baking Potatoes?
Friday, March 30th, 2012Q. I recall from my youth in the 1950′s that the baked potatoes then had a thicker skin, and when well baked the skins had a crunchy consistency. Today’s potatoes have a very thin skin with a rather saggy consistency. I am wondering what causes the difference.”
A. Back in the fifties and continuing right up to the nineties, Idaho primarily grew one successful variety of russets, the Russet Burbank, which was named after famed plant scientist Luther Burbank. He is also the one credited for the Shasta Daisy, the Freestone peach and 800 other plant varieties. Scientists at the University of Idaho, and Idaho growers have tried to come up with other russet varieties that would keep the baking qualities you talked about, but also be a little easier to grow, store and be available early in the season. One variety that has caught on with retailers, because of its lighter, even colored skin, nice uniform oval shape and a slightly moister inside, is the Russet Norkotah. This takes less time to grow, matures quicker, and so can be offered to the trade a little earlier than the traditional Russet Burbank. This also enables Idaho to now be able to offer product nearly year round.
While it is always hard to diagnose what you are experiencing, I am guessing that your local stores are probably still stocking the Russet Norkotah and have not switched over to the Russet Burbank yet. If you are buying potatoes by the bag it’s pretty easy to find out. By law, Idaho potatoes have to have the variety noted on the packaging. There will be either a quick release closure that holds the top of the bag shut or wording right on the bag itself that indicates what variety is inside. It sounds like your favorite, which bakes up a little drier and has a crispy outer skin, is probably the Russet Burbank. I have also included some links talking about varieties, the harvest and baking. Hope this helps.
Some interesting links on baking potatoes, russet potato varieties:
Storing Idaho® Potatoes
Tuesday, March 20th, 2012Q. What is the recommended way to store potatoes?
A. Keep out of the refrigerator unless you prefer your potatoes sweet. Here is a link to a short video on proper storage.
And for more tips on handling and storage and preparation of Idaho Potatoes, download this Potato101.com PDF.
Growing Potatoes
Tuesday, March 6th, 2012Q: We want to grow Idaho® russet’s in our garden here in eastern Oklahoma. We are much warmer and more humid than Idaho and we wonder if the potatoes would do well here. Also, I have been unable to find where I can buy starts. Do you know of any garden companies that sell them?
A: Only Idaho potatoes come from Idaho. As far as growing potatoes in your state… nearly all states grow potatoes, I’d check with the land grant college there or with the State Department of Agriculture.
Different Colored Russets
Thursday, March 1st, 2012Q: I bought some russets at Sam’s the first week of this year and they look different from the ones I’ve purchased before. The new ones are more round than cylindrical plus when I peel them they are firmer and white. Even after grating them and leaving them for a few minutes, they don’t change color. Additionally, when putting them through a ricer, the juice comes out clear rather than red as typical for with the previously purchased spuds. Why?
A: There are lots of Idaho russet varieties; some have a whiter interior or different colored skin. Here is a link.
Sometimes the red is due to oxidation, exposure to air. I have found that if I put the shredded potatoes in a mixture of one gallon of water with one teaspoon of concentrated lemon juice, then drain and dry they don’t change as quick.
True Idaho® Potatoes
Tuesday, February 7th, 2012Q. Where do you find true Idaho Potatoes?
A. I know what you mean; sometimes it is confusing, especially if you are in a hurry. First of all, “Idaho potatoes” are not a variety… they are a source of origin. So only potatoes, grown in Idaho can be called Idaho Potatoes. These are the authentic, genuine spuds from Idaho. They usually are russets, and mostly we grow the Russet Burbank variety, which is still favored in foodservice. However in grocery or retail stores the Russet Norkotah has come on strong in recent years because it has a slightly moister taste and a pretty even colored skin and oval shape.
The best way, is to look for the “Grown in Idaho” Seal.
Russet Burbank background info
Russet Norkotah background info
What are New Potatoes?
Tuesday, January 10th, 2012Q. What are new potatoes? I am making stew in a crockpot for and Emeril Lagasse’s recipe calls for new potatoes. My grocery store did not have them. I am substituting red potatoes in the small size. Is there a better choice?
A. New potatoes are not a particular variety; they just refer to the freshly harvested potatoes of a new season. Emeril Lagasse was from the New Bedford MA area and this could refer to small reds or small Maine white potatoes; which he might have favored when growing up. He also loves his Idaho russets, using them frequently in many recipes. Over the years this term “new” has frequently been replaced with red potatoes, so you purchased a good choice.
Idaho used to be known for russets only, but also produce reds, yellow and fingerlings now.
French Fried Potatoes
Monday, September 19th, 2011I am not doing anything different, why are my fries turning out dark and undercooked?
The chances are that you just experienced a phenomenon called “the gap” or in laymen’s terms “old crop/new crop”. Idaho growers have been harvesting russet potatoes for a couple of weeks now and this continues through the middle of October. Idaho only harvests potatoes one time during the year (no multiple crops like Salinas can have with lettuce for example) and relies on state of the art storage at high humidity levels and temperatures around 45 – 48ºF, or sometimes a little cooler to be able to supply year round product. Some early to mid-harvest varieties, such as the Russet Norkotah, Ranger Russet, Classic Russet, etc. have a little shorter growing season and originally were developed to bridge the gap between the last of the Russet Burbanks (most frequently used for fresh cut fries) and the new crop.
The first thing you are experiencing is frying an old crop, which can have the ratio of starch to water climb as the season finishes up and the potatoes are slightly more dehydrated than they were just a few months ago. That means the fries crisp up quickly and can often be the ones that your customers compliment your crew about when they mention the terrific Idaho homemade fries your restaurant serves. Some experienced operators ask their distributor or supplier to order in more “old crop” potatoes to carry them a little further into the new season. Nation’s Restaurant News (www.nrn.com) recently had a terrific quote from New York Chef Daniel Boulud who said that when potatoes are typically harvested (beginning in August in Idaho) at that point their water content is too high to make excellent fries because they get soggy faster than an aged potato, so he works with suppliers to hold onto some old crop until October when the balance of water, starch, and sugar makes the potatoes just right for frying.
Second, when you receive “new crop” potatoes you may find that the potatoes will have a different appearance, with a somewhat flakey skin, which happens when the potatoes are dug and don’t have a chance to go into storage and mature. This maturing stage heals over most cuts and bruises (called suberization) and stabilizes the skin, firming it up. It takes a month or two for this to happen. Of course, in a restaurant you can’t wait that long, so here is what we advise…We recommend that when you cut the potato for frying that you place it in running water until the excess sugars or starch have a chance to be diluted and the water runs clear.
Third, We STRONGLY recommend that you blanch the potato and then store it for frying during the serving period. This makes for a more consistent French fry. Check out the frying temps and times at this link: http://foodservice.idahopotato.com/how_to/id-1
You may experience a new potato fry turning dark before it is fully cooked. The blanching really helps offset this. The Norkotah sometimes benefits from blanching at a lower temp for an extra ten minutes, then finish frying at the same 360ºF as other russet varieties.
What potato varieties do the chains that specialize in fresh cut fries mostly use?
By far, the chains that sell fresh cut fries rely on the Idaho Russet Burbank variety. It has been the gold standard for French fries in the United States going back to longer than I can remember. When McDonald’s still made fresh fries, the JR Simplot Company sold them Idaho Russet Burbanks. McDonald’s switched to frozen fries back in the sixties, and now they are supplied by a combination of processors in multiple states (Lamb Weston, Simplot, and McCain’s all have dedicated lines just for their fries). While they now use different varieties, using a high solids, low moisture potato is still the key to the perfect fry.
Outback Steakhouse built their reputation for great fries on the Idaho Russet Burbank and up until recently made them from scratch. They also now use a more convenient frozen fry. It just makes economic sense when you factor in the need for consistency, controlling labor costs at the units, and pacing the volume requirements of a chain with over 800 locations.
Charley’s Steakery, Steak Escape, and the fast growing (over 430 units since 2001) Five Guys chain prefer using the Idaho Russet Burbank. New York Fries uses Idaho for most of the year, switching over during the gap to other sources till the new crop has “matured”.
Exceptions to the Russet preference include Ted’s Montana Grill, which uses a yellow flesh chipping stock variety potato and the Los Angeles based IN-N-Out Burger that specifies a Kennebec variety, also a yellow flesh chipping potato that has a light outer skin and does not accumulate sugars as much as some other varieties.
Everyone has their own preference, I find that using the best ingredients possible and following the proper steps for frying will consistently yield the best tasting fries. The biggest errors that units make when they fry fresh potatoes are (in no particular order):
- Not blanching
- Filling the baskets too full
- Not giving the cooking fries a shake part way through the cycle to better distribute the potatoes to get rid of any cold spots
- Salting over the fryer
- Not filtering the oil
- Frying at too high a temp (375ºF is TOO HIGH!)
- Holding the fries too long if they are not prepped to order
Your best bet… order a French fry wall chart (bi-lingual English and Spanish) for tips on frying fresh or frozen Idaho potatoes, watch our foodservice videos on French Frying potatoes, and go to www.fitfrying.com for frying and oil tips.
How Popular Are Potatoes Compared to Other Starches?
Thursday, June 2nd, 2011Q. It has always been something I wonder about? Exactly how popular are potatoes versus other starches?
A. Potatoes are extremely popular with consumers. In fact, according to the USDA, the average potato consumption per person in the United States is 117 pounds. That compares to rice at 35 pounds and pasta at 25 pounds. In spite of the potatoes per capita success in the USA, we grow much less than some other countries, China, India and the Russian republic countries all produce more potatoes than the United States.
Casserole Recipes for the Cost-Conscious
Monday, March 1st, 2010
Q. Our family is really on a budget with this economy. Do you have any casserole suggestions?
A. With six kids in my family growing up, I have consumed more than my fair share of casseroles and stews, sometimes for multiple days until it was all finished up. As a result I am no fan of tuna noodle casserole and beef stew with vegetables. That being said, the Idaho Potato Commission has some fun and tasty casseroles to choose from including a re-make of the traditional shepherd’s pie:
Potato Mushroom Pie with Caramelized Onions (pictured above)
Easy Cheesy Potato Pie with Ham
