Do you put your potatos into already boiling water, or do you put them in cold water and let it all heat up together?

[AliceTheCamelHasGotTheHump]

I need to know.

I always put them in cold, and bring to the boil.

Steam them. Just perfect for mashing.

I think the rule is if a vegetable grows in the ground i.e. potato, you start in cold water, and of not you add to boiling water.

cold water

I do both and couldn't honestly say I've ever noticed the difference.

what babbit said

Boiled and salted

i put in potatoes. then i add boiling water from the kettle.
i am very impatient

Interesting Babbit. Not heard that before.

why from cold? what is the benefit? genuinely curious ...

I think it's so they cook evenly, so the outside isn't done when the inside of the potato is still undercooked?

hello mrsjamin, that's quite funny as sometimes this happens to ours and i blame it on cheap potatoes!

yep babbit thats what I was told.

heat water in kettle, heat pan a bit. Water into pan, salt, boil, put in spuds.

With baby potatoes, I start from cold. With the big boys, I boil.

If you start from cold how long do you boil them for?

Depends how lazy I am feeling and I I can be botehred to wait for the kettle to boil. Usually not, so cooked from cold.

normally cold, then 18-20 mins once boiling.
if in a rush, I will start the water heating before the spuds are ready to go in, so they go into warm water.

Doesn't seem to make any difference, although I was always taught that root veg go into cold and bring to boil, whereas leaf veg always go into boiling water.

So you put the potatoes in, go back when the water's boiling and time from then? Sounds like more than I could be bothered with, tbh!

nah, I usually add 3 mins on to the timer if I am going to be leaving the room. But tbh I am usually still in the kitchen doing other stuff so i see when it starts to boil.

I'm i odd.

I put potatoes in water at whatever temp it comes out of the tap.

Boil until soft when poked with a knife.

cold

haven't tried steaming them - but if nice and fluffy may do that next time.

This is for all us lazy arses. Put peeled spuds in pyrex dish. Add about an inch of cold water. Cover loosely and microwave for 10 mins or until soft. Mash. Serve in same dish.

Kettle! So boiling water.

I sooooo can't wait for water to boil on the hob, for anything.

doesn't make any differnce but kills the planet quicker if you boil the water from cold in a pan (IMVHO)

and if you're going to mash them then chop them up really really small so they cook quickly - whats the deal with huge chinks of potato that take ages to cook then get pulverised for mash?

Better still buy frozen