Keep Your Spud From Turning into a Dud

There are 25 Delaware family farms growing potatoes – red, yellow, and white, along with some specialty potatoes. No matter whether you buy your potatoes from the grocery store, on-farm market, or at a farmers’ market, there are a few tips you need to know to keep your spud from turning into a dud.

Selecting potatoes
• Pick potatoes that are clean, smooth, and firm when gently squeezed.
• Do not select potatoes containing cuts, bruises, or discoloration because that will only speed up their demise.

Storing potatoes
• Store unwashed potatoes in a cool, dry area at 50F with no or limited access to light.
• When exposed to light, potatoes produce the chemical solanine which creates a green tinting of the potato. If present, solanine gives off a bitter taste, and in some cases when the solanine levels are high, a person can become ill.
• Refrain from storing the potatoes in the refrigerator because the increased humidity can create a potential mold situation.

Proper handling of potatoes
• Do not wash potatoes prior to storing because that can promote mold growth.
• When ready to cook, use a vegetable scrub brush to clean the potatoes under cool water.
• Cut out any small green spots, bruises, or cuts.
• Remove any sprouts that have grown in the potato before cooking.

All of these tips will help you keep Delaware grown potatoes fresh before you make our Party Potatoes or Garlic Mash Potato recipes.