Spuds which won't cook

[Jux]

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?

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.

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

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

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

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

Probably fewer carbs in stones ...

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

Oh god, I LOVE my potato ricer

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.

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 . Sounds like magic! (I want a magic mash maker ).

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

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.

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 ) perfect

also good for roasting

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

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.

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.

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

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??

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

Ah ok, thanks!

Might dig it out next time?