Potato Harvest

I grew Aarron pilot in the ground which were and still are lovely, creamy taste but a bit scabby due to growing on chalk, I have half a sack full from my meagre veg bed. They boil ok but you have to keep your eye on them otherwise they fall apart.
I also grew Charlotte in 3 very large plastic containers and I have just started cropping them as the tops are dying down, the potatoes are firm and wonderfully clean but they fall apart when boiled and you end up with a pan full of mash, so disappointing. Any ideas as to why this hould be? At present I have only cleared 1 container which is enough for 2/3 weeks for the wife and I, would the remaining unearthed potatoes benefit for being left in the soil?

 

Folk say if that if newly harvest spuds fall to bits on cooking that you should store them for a day or two before cooking. We steam ours (multi-tiered pan with perforates bases), which I think helps too.

 

Thanks for that Kristen

 

I use the knife test I learnt way back in my catering days, to test if spuds are cooked.

Insert a sharpish pointy knife into the spud if you feel or sense a "grittiness" when doing this they are not cooked. If you don't feel a grittiness lift the knife with spud still attached clean out of the water, if the spud falls off with a couple of seconds they are cooked. Works every time.

If they fall apart in the water they are overcooked, simple as that.

Also remember that new potatoes should be started boiling in boiling water, whereas old potatoes have more mature starch cells so should be started in cold water.

Steve...

 

Thanks for thsat Steve, I didn't know about putting new potatoes in boiling water, I definitely give a try since I 've got half of a big brown paper bag of Charlottes

 

My Charlottes are still falling apart after 10 mins boiling, I read separately somewhere that placing them in boiling water for about 8mins and then leaving to stand with the lid on works. Going to try that tonight, just thought I'd share this in case anyone else has the same problem

 

I have had this too before so I started leaving them a week or so before boiling and the seam a lot better