My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

For related content, visit our food content hub.

Food/Recipes

Spuds which won't cook

30 replies

Jux · 18/11/2012 14:38

Over the last few weeks we are increasingly experiencing spuds which won't cook, by which I mean they don't soften when boiled, but remain stubbornly as hard as they were when raw - same consistency.

3 different varieties. Harmony, Albert Rooster and Fianna. That has exhausted our town's choice. It is too late (and we are too hungry) to get in car to search for different spuds further afield, now, so we'll make the best that we can of it for now.

Incidentally, we have friends who have complained of this phenomenon recently, too.

Anyone any idea what is going on? Is it to do with the awful summer? The lack of bees? The Dark Lord has uttered a spell and ruined the potato crops, or lowered the boiling point of water? Wink

OP posts:
Report
1sassylassy · 18/11/2012 17:02

Apparently this summers crop was hit by potato blight due to the wet conditions,thats why the spuds atm are small in size and pricey.

Report
Jux · 18/11/2012 17:32

Mmm, thanks for that, 1sassylassy. The spuds we've been getting aren't particularly small though. They just don't cook. It's weird.

OP posts:
Report
BIWI · 18/11/2012 17:34

Are you sure you haven't been buying stones covered in earth instead?

Report
Catsmamma · 18/11/2012 17:35

I've had this with dauphinoise, sliced and just will not cook through....not recently though

Report
Jux · 18/11/2012 17:55

Oh BIWI!! I am such a fool. It's lucky there are people around like you from whom people like me can learn Grin

OP posts:
Report
BIWI · 18/11/2012 17:57
Grin
Report
BIWI · 18/11/2012 17:57

Probably fewer carbs in stones ...

Report
AMumInScotland · 18/11/2012 18:05

We usually buy Maris Pipers. At the moment they cook for ages while staying totally solid, then suddenly turn to soggy mush,but not all at the same time, so I have a pan half-full of mush and half-full of not-cooked-yet potatoes. I think it has been the terrible summer.

Report
Jux · 18/11/2012 18:14

It probably depends how you cook the stones, BIWI, so be careful.

Ah, you too, Amum!

I'm quite interested in the science of it. Why does one potato cook and another not? DH and I are in our 50s, so we have some small experience of cooking spuds. Two whole bags wasted.

Perhaps it is a dastardly plot by dentists. The entire population breaks their teeth on hard spuds, or thinks their teeth need strengthening? Result, lots of work for those nasty drillers.

OP posts:
Report
greenhill · 18/11/2012 18:24

Yes, I too have bought these super dense potatoes that go fluffy on the outside and refuse to be mashed or cut with a knife after 30 minutes hard boiling.

Even my DF has refused to eat them

Report
AMumInScotland · 18/11/2012 18:45

We're eating a lot more mash this year... my potato ricer will cope with the bizarre mix we end up with, even the solid middles go through and cook through that little bit extra when I warm it through with a bit of milk & butter.

Report
Jux · 19/11/2012 10:04

A potato ricer? Tbh I don't know what one of them is! Do you use it onmraw spuds and then cook them? Does it make them the size of rice grains? (In which case, how on earth do you cook them?)

Off to perv over kitchen equipment! Grin

OP posts:
Report
HappyGirlNow · 19/11/2012 12:40

Oh god, I LOVE my potato ricer Grin

Report
Catsmamma · 19/11/2012 18:07

potato ricers are amazing for mash!!


they are like a giant garlic press, I have one I rarely use as it is just too much hard work....it is a cylinder shape, and the one I had before was way better that was a wedge shape.

Report
Jux · 19/11/2012 18:17

I'm not entirely sure from the pix I've seen on google what they are. Large cheese grater type things?

Amum, you put your hard as nails spud in the ricer and it somehow turns into one which is cooked enough for mash Shock. Sounds like magic! (I want a magic mash maker Grin).

OP posts:
Report
Jux · 19/11/2012 18:31

Ignore me, I've seen this. Is that like your wedge one, catsmamma?

OP posts:
Report
AMumInScotland · 19/11/2012 21:19

I have one of these from Lakeland - I only use it when they are mostly-cooked but still have that solid bit in the centre, I don't think they are quite as magic as to deal with really hard potatoes.

Report
Ponders · 19/11/2012 21:25

maris pipers from Aldi - great quality (so-far-touch-wood), also cheap, & make great mash

cut into approx 2" chunks, simmer for 12-14 mins, drain v well, lob in masses of butterly spread & a bit of milk, & mash with ordinary masher - usually (fingers-crossed-touch-wood Grin) perfect

also good for roasting

Report
BIWI · 19/11/2012 22:04

I thought of you all today, as I boiled potatoes for DH/DS2! Thankfully they cooked perfectly. Grin

Report
Newforestpony · 19/11/2012 22:12

My husband reliably tells me that the poor potatoes are due to the wet summer we've had. He should know as he's the Sales Manager for a food supply company and was a professional chef for 20 years. They aren't expecting any improvement until the next crop, I'm afraid.

We're struggling with the same problem at home too, but have all the professional moulinex potato ricers, steamers, etc to try to deal with it - still discarding hard lumps.

He says there is a Dutch potato that should be better, so not so great to Buy British on this occasion.

Report
Catsmamma · 19/11/2012 22:14

yes to the wedge ricer....mine was slightly neater I think but was way way easier to use than the cylindrical one i have now.

Report
Ponders · 19/11/2012 22:18

I don't know where Aldi are getting theirs from then, but they have a British label & they are absolutely sound

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

MinnieBar · 19/11/2012 22:19

Ooh we had this last week.

I've got a ricer in the cupboard that I'm not sure I've ever used - don't you need to add milk/butter?? Confused

Report
BIWI · 19/11/2012 22:20

Yep - rice potatoes, then add large knob of butter, season and a splosh of milk/cream.

Report
MinnieBar · 19/11/2012 22:32

Ah ok, thanks!

Might dig it out next time?

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.