How to Soak Potatoes

The world without Potatoes would be dull, bleak, and utterly distasteful. Many people would beg to differ, but imagine a world without BBQ Potato Chips, normal Potato Chips, and other Crispy snacks. Yeah, we cringe at the thought of that monstrously twisted world, and you probably do too.

A lot of people think that potatoes are nothing more than bland, doughy-tasting vegetables. To all those people, if you cook potatoes and then taste them, you’ll understand the difference. Not only can potatoes be used as a constituent in different delicious dishes that you can find in a cookbook for potatoes, but potatoes are also a good source of Carbohydrates. 

Why Should You Soak Potatoes?

You probably understand how amazing potatoes are, but one thing about potatoes always bothers everyone. It’s their cooking process and their sharp taste, especially when they are a bit young. The excessive starch in potatoes makes them harder to cook and makes the flavor strong for an average Joe’s taste.

The best way to get rid of all these problems is to Soak them. Soaking them allows the excess starch to drain away and the skin to be peeled off more easily. Once you soak them, you can expect the crispiest fries and the tastiest potato mash.

How to Soak Potatoes

We have already discussed the merits of soaking potatoes. Now we should move on to the technical part of the soaking process; how do you do it? First of all, soaking potatoes is so easy that even novices can do it without any effort.

The second thing that you should note is that you can use different mediums to soak your potatoes. The medium you use depends on the dish you are trying to make and the texture you want to achieve.

For all of the soaking processes, you have to wash your potatoes thoroughly to remove excess dirt. You might even want to know how to defrost potatoes properly if they have been in the refrigerator. After that, you put them directly in the idea; some people peel them before soaking them.

Peeling potatoes is hard but not as hard as onions. You can use some amazing potato peelers to peel them efficiently. Once you peel the potatoes, put them in the medium, and voila! You are done. There are slight differences based on the recipes you follow, but generally, the overall process remains the same.  

Soaking Potatoes in Water

As we’ve stated above, most people soak peeled and chopped potatoes in water to reduce the starch (Amylase) levels in the Potatoes. The result of which is crispier fries and tastier food. Normally, people put salt in the water too, to break down the starch composition.

Soaking Potatoes in Milk

Some people prefer soaking their potatoes in milk, which gives the potatoes a rich, creamy texture. The soaking period and method are pretty much the same as soaking potatoes in normal water. However, the milk (Lactic Acid) makes the potatoes gooier and more perfect for a mashed potato recipe.

How Long To Soak Potatoes

The length of the soaking period depends on the medium’s temperature and the dish you are trying to make. Normally people soak potatoes for thirty minutes to 240 minutes for dishes like fries and mashed potatoes. Do not soak them for more than 240 minutes because they will start to lose their structure.

Can You Soak Potatoes Overnight?

You can soak them overnight if placed in a refrigerator. Soaking them overnight without keeping them in a cool condition will destroy their structure, as explained above. You will also have to put in a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to keep their oxidation in check.

Also, even if you place the potatoes in a cooled environment, you should under no circumstances allow them to remain soaked for 24 or more hours. Also, for longer periods of soaking, do not add salt to your water.  

How to Soak Potatoes Fast

The fast soaking method is the normal method that a lot of people use. You dice or chop some potatoes and put them into a bowl of water, with salt included. Leave the container and the potatoes in it for 30 to 45 minutes and then drain the water.

This is the most basic and fastest method that a majority of people use. Some people replace the water with vinegar, which excludes salt and gives the potatoes a richer flavor when cooked.

One other small tip for you is to cut your potatoes finely or thinly when soaking them. The more thinly they are cut, the more surface area they have, which allows for faster soaking.

Sources

• Potato-Goodness
• Gimme-Some-Oven
• Food-and-Wine
• Find-Any-Answer