Posts Tagged ‘preparation’


Keeping a Large Number of Idaho® Potatoes Hot for 8 Hours

Tuesday, December 11th, 2012

Q. I need to keep at least 500 to 1000 large Idaho baked potatoes hot for about 8 hours and still be able to serve them up. I know from past experience that I was able to keep them relatively fresh by using an ice chest. But that was only for 150 large bakers. All I have for heat are two large BBQ’s. Please let me know if this is possible.

A. I really don’t know how you will be able to do this without compromising the appearance of the potatoes (the skin will wrinkle after 2 hours, never seen them after a full meal period of 3 hours) or the food safety issues (hot food hot, cold food cold and the danger zone is in between). The only thing coming close in advance preparation of the potatoes would be warming or holding cabinets, as used by catering companies, hotels or hospitals for delivery of food from commissaries. These still need to be plugged in. They can keep product warm or even slow cook things. Here is a link with some examples:
http://www.webstaurantstore.com/14087/holding-cabinets.html?gclid=COTmm8Gkn7ICFShxQgodtSgAhg

Unfortunately, I think you may be out of luck…

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Posted in Consumer, Food Safety, Foodservice, Q & A

Baking Potatoes for a Large Group

Tuesday, November 20th, 2012

Q. We are having an event where we will be serving baked potatoes.  I will be cooking 30-40 medium to large Idaho potatoes in our oven.  We have two ovens – one with two racks, the other with one.  I typically wash the potatoes, poke them a few times, and place them right on the rack at about 400°F for 60 minutes.  Considering the number of potatoes and their size I have a few questions below:  (Answers are in red)

  1. What temperature do you suggest I use to cook them?  400°F (potatoes are done when internal temp reaches 210°F).
  2. Will it help cooking times to use both ovens – 3 racks?  Spacing of potatoes? Yes, use both ovens.  Poke the potatoes a few times and then place them directly on the rack.
  3. What should I expect as far as cooking time? 1 hour for the larger sizes, I would plan on 1 hour 15 minutes max.
  4. We will be in the mountains. Will the higher altitude affect the cooking time? The altitude should not affect the baking time of potatoes.

Here are a few additional links that may be helpful in baking a large amount of potatoes at once:

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Posted in Consumer, Cooking Potatoes, Q & A

Availability of Russet Burbanks

Friday, September 28th, 2012

Idaho Russet Burbank Potatoes, washed and ready to cut and fry

Q. I’ve found that when I make fresh-cut fries, Russet Burbanks seem to be the only potatoes that crisp up nicely. I’ve learned my lesson when I’ve used other Russets—the fries are extra soggy and my customers complain about them. Where can I find the famous Idaho® Russet Burbanks? Sometimes my foodservice distributor says they are out usually in July or August.

A. The Russet Burbank takes longer to mature, so this variety is not always available in the late summer or early fall from the major states that grow them. Among these three states—Idaho, Washington, and Wisconsin—the largest volume of Russet Burbanks comes out of Idaho. This variety is also preferred by processors for their French fries, so you are competing with them when supplies are tight. However, we expect an ample amount of Burbanks this coming harvest, and typically they are shipped in quantity beginning in late September. Many operators actually prefer “old crop,” which sometimes has a little drier profile after being stored for almost a year. We also anticipate that old crop will carry through this season, so no potato gap is anticipated. Here is a chart by percentage of Russet Burbanks grown in Idaho, as they make up nearly 58% of our production. Keep in mind that Idaho harvests about 11 to 12 billion pounds of potatoes each year, nearly double that of Washington, our closest competitor.

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Posted in Foodservice, Q & A

What is the Nutritional Information of Different Varieties of Potatoes?

Friday, September 14th, 2012

Q. For people trying to lose weight, there’s a debate about whether or not we should eat potatoes. I know potatoes are high in carbs, but I understand they are also very nutritious. Where can I find nutritional information of the different varieties of potatoes?

A. This is a great question. The USDA requires us to follow the USDA guidelines on potato nutrition, which group brown, red, yellow, and niche varieties of potatoes together, with the exception of sweet potatoes. The composition of the average potato is still about 80% water and 20% starch and nutrients. Whenever I have seen testing results on one variety of potato having more iron than another, the amount is very negligible.

This link is helpful for calculating calorie and nutrition information when preparing different types of potatoes: http://nutritiondata.self.com/

You may also find useful nutrition information on the beneficial aspects of eating potatoes at this link, which includes a potato nutrition handbook: http://www.idahopotato.com/nutrition_education

Finally, this link shows some of the sources of food analysis: http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/foodent/test.htm

You can’t go wrong eating a heart-healthy Idaho potato!

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Posted in Consumer, Foodservice, Q & A

Are Black Potatoes Safe to Eat?

Friday, September 7th, 2012

Q. Last night I started cooking green beans and potatoes in the crock pot, which I covered first with aluminum foil and then the lid, which didn’t fit tightly. I set the crockpot to warm overnight, but when I checked it this morning some of the potatoes were blackened. Are they still safe to eat?

A. With a container that full, I’m sure that some of the cut potatoes in the center were cool for quite some time and likely oxidized. But beyond the black color, I would suggest tossing them out and starting over to be safe. Sealing a lid at low temperatures can be similar to canning vegetables and could cause a food safety issue. See these links about leaving out cooked potatoes overnight:

http://foodserviceblog.idahopotato.com/food-safety/
http://foodserviceblog.idahopotato.com/pre-cooking-baked-idaho%c2%ae-potatoes/
http://foodserviceblog.idahopotato.com/i-froze-my-potatoes-and-they-turned-black-what-did-i-do-wrong/

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Posted in Consumer, Food Safety, Foodservice, Q & A

Potato Starch

Friday, August 17th, 2012

Q. How and why should I remove starch from uncooked fries?

A. Because starch will cause the potatoes to clump together and when starch turns to sugar, which happens when potatoes are stored below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the fries will turn dark before they are fully cooked. You need to strike a careful balance between high and low starch, because low starch can be a culinary disaster. The best way to remove starch is to soak potatoes in water. It’s difficult to remove too much starch—a potato is about 80% water and 20% starch. When you soak cut potato pieces in water, you are only removing the outer surface of the potato.

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Posted in Consumer, Foodservice, Q & A

Cooking peeled potatoes

Tuesday, August 14th, 2012

Q. If I want to peel my potato by boiling the skins off, do I have to continue boiling the potato for more than 15 minutes to cook it fully?

A. Yes, you do have to continue boiling the potato beyond 15 minutes if whole. The potato is done when you can pierce it easily with a fork. However, for the best results, we recommend peeling the potato, then cutting it into 2-3 inch square chunks and boiling the potatoes for a total of 15-20 minutes. You can test the doneness of the potatoes by picking out the largest chunk with a fork and mashing it—if you can do this, the potato is fully cooked. If you boil whole peeled russet potatoes for the entire cooking process, the potato does not cook evenly and often the outer surface of the potato will disintegrate before the center of the potato is fully cooked.

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Posted in Consumer, Foodservice, Q & A

Potato 101

Friday, August 10th, 2012

Q. I have my own kitchen for the first time so I want to learn all about how to cook potatoes. Everyone tells me that they are easy to prepare, economical, and are really good for you. Where do I start?

A. First off, congratulations! Having your own kitchen opens up an exciting world of culinary possibilities. And there’s no better way to start cooking than using the easy, delicious, and versatile potato! You’re on the right track by coming to www.idahopotato.com to look for recipes. Check out www.Potato101.com to learn more about how to prepare potatoes—this is a great teaching tool. The online brochure will walk you through several different examples. Download a PDF by clicking here: http://foodservice.idahopotato.com/downloads/Foodservice-Toolkit.pdf

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Posted in Consumer, Q & A

Keeping partially grilled potatoes in foil and fridge

Thursday, June 21st, 2012

Q. How many days can you safely keep partially grilled potatoes in the same foil and in the fridge?

A. From a food safety perspective, it depends on how the potatoes were cooled after being heated. If the potatoes were put right into the fridge, they will be fine. However, if the potatoes were left out at room temperature, but sealed tightly in the aluminum foil, you should discard the potatoes. When potatoes are sealed up tightly in foil at neither a hot nor cold temperature, this is similar to the canning process. Botulism can result if the potatoes were left lukewarm for a lengthy period of time.

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Posted in Consumer, Food Safety, Foodservice, Q & A

Do mashed potatoes have less sugar than baked potatoes?

Tuesday, June 19th, 2012

Q. Do mashed potatoes have less sugar than baked potatoes?

A. That’s a good question! The potato is about 80% water and about 20% solids or starch. The starch in the potato will convert to sugar if stored at too cold of a temperature. If the potato is properly stored (45-48 degrees F is ideal), neither will accumulate sugar. Mashed potatoes are usually combined with a liquid, which dilutes the potato and thus the sugar when comparing equal quantities.

Here is a link to nutritional information for a baked potato: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2770/2. You can do the same for mashed potatoes.

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Posted in Consumer, Foodservice, Q & A

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