Tired of toasting those rotten potatoes? Learn the art of storing potatoes and keep them fresh for weeks or months. Let us go easy; storing potatoes is, in fact, easier than storing other vegetables. With proper storage methods, potatoes can last for months. To derive the optimal value for potatoes, it is necessary that you are aware of the ins and outs of each storage method. Whether you grow it in your garden or purchase it from the supermarket, the same rule applies. But, do you know How To Store Potatoes?
Potatoes are the kitchen staple, and people tend to stock them up. A regular supply of potatoes is not going to do any harm. If proper preservation methods are not adopted, potatoes may get spoilt. This is wastage of both time and money.
How To Store Potatoes?
1. Sorting Of The Potatoes
After purchasing potatoes from the market, or collecting it from your garden, a few minutes should be spent on sifting through them. Locate any potatoes with visible damage, broken skin or bruises. Such potatoes should not be stored as these will rot and spread the rot throughout the stored potatoes. You can pick any of the below-mentioned options.
- The damaged potatoes could be put to use within a couple of days, and before use remove the damaged parts.
- Throw out the badly damaged potatoes.
- Opt for curing the potatoes that are damaged which are going to extend their shelf life.
2. Healthy Potatoes Needs To Be Stored In A Cool And Dry Place
By this method, you learn on How to store potatoes in a healthy way. Once the damaged potatoes are segregated from the good ones, keep it in a place that is moisture free and is not exposed to sunlight. These places could be cellars, cabinets or some form of kitchen cabinets.
- You would want the potatoes to be well ventilated. Potatoes are normally stored in mesh bags whereby air passes through it. It is ok, but do not put them in an airtight container.
- If you have gone on to pick potatoes then keep them in ventilated boxes or wicker baskets. Over each layer, you can add a piece of newspaper and the top layer needs to be covered as well.
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3. Optimum Temperature
Potatoes are kept best at temperatures of around 10 degree Celsius. As an answer to your question of how to store potatoes for a long time, it can be said that the ideal temperature would be between 2 to 4 degree Celsius. A root cellar or a cool dark place works best to store potatoes.
- A point to note is that refrigerators are too cold for potatoes and can tinker with the taste.
4. The Potatoes Should Be Checked Periodically For Any Form Of Damage
If you adopt this strategy about how to store potatoes, the potatoes will survive for a long period of time. They are likely to stay intact for some months at least. It would be prudent on your part to check the state of the potatoes every few weeks to identify any potential problems. It is a chain reaction as one bad potato could spoil the better ones in the pack. So it is better to get rid of rotten ones before the rot spreads to surrounding potatoes. Some of the symptoms to look for are
- Rot- the signs of visible decaying may appear. A covering of mold appears, it is going to smell bad and have a soft texture. Get rid of the rotten potatoes and any paper that was covering them
- Sprouting- Small buds resembling a sprout start growing inside the potato. It is often accompanied by softening or greenery. If the potato is not too green or soft you can cut away the sprouts before cooking them.
- Greening- the potato replicates a green colour. After a certain point of time, the interiors become soft and it is known to wither. This is caused by exposure to sunlight. If there is only a small portion of green, you can cut it off before cooking.
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5. For Long Term Storage, You Can Cure The Potatoes
If you really want to understand how to store potatoes then resort to this method. On how to store cut potatoes this works wonders. The reason for it is that they would be prone to red type potatoes with minor bruises or cuts that heal up. To take stock of your potatoes
- In a cool dark place, lay your potatoes on a piece of paper
- The temperature can be raised in the bracket of 10 to 15 degree Celsius which is slightly better than the normal temperature for storage
- The potato should lie undisturbed in this manner. At around 2 weeks, the skins of the potato will thicken and become dry. The large chunks of dirt need to be removed, whereby you can store it in a cool and dry place. In hindsight it will require to lower down the temperature levels.
6. The Potatoes Should Not Be Washed Before Storage
How to store potatoes in an efficient manner, suggests that washing them is a strict no. it may implicate a situation where cleaning of the potato is going to get rid of the rot, but the opposite holds truth. When you expose potatoes to moisture, it shortens their storage life and they are more likely to rot. During the storage process keeps the potatoes as dry as possible
- If the potatoes have dirt in them, let them dry in a natural manner. Any noticeable clumps could be removed with the aid of a dry brush. Before you plan to cook them you can wash them
7. Potatoes Should Not Be Stored In A Refrigerator
As stated how to store potatoes advocates that it is better to avoid cold storage mechanisms. Because of the cold temperature, scratches on the potato will convert to sugar resembling a sweetish taste. It can also impact the colour of the potato
- If you put the potatoes in a refrigerator, then let them warm in a room temperature before cooking them. The discoloration will be reduced but not eradicated to the full extent.
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8. Potatoes Should Not Be Kept Out In The Open
Once the potatoes are cut, try to cook them as soon as you can. When you plan how to store peeled potatoes in a refrigerator, the flesh is not the same to a fresh one. If you cannot cook the potatoes, then it is better to store them in some cold water. The colour or texture is not going to be tampered if it is kept in it for a couple of days.
9. Potatoes Should Be Kept Away From Fruits
Most of the fruits like bananas, applies release a chemical known as ethylene. This encourages ripening and you may have come across a situation where fruits kept against each other ripen fast. When you think on the lines of how to store potatoes do not think of keeping it near fruits.
10. Popular Methods Of Storing Potatoes
Ensuring that the above conditions are adhered, there are a host of methods pertaining on how to store potatoes. In hindsight the potatoes are fresh for close to a year.
11. Storage In Boxes Or Ventilated Bags
To enhance the life of your spurts, store them in a dark unheated basement in containers or airy bags. Cardboard boxes or mesh bags that is incorporated with brown bags are ideal for this purpose. Ideally working on the mechanism on how to store potatoes it can stay intact for 4 to 6 methods.
12. Blanch And Then Freeze The Potatoes
Freezing and blanching are the effective methods to deal with veggies. On your course on how to store potatoes if the method of blanching is adopted the nutritional value of potatoes is kept intact. It is the same process like mushrooms where you can blanch and freeze the potatoes for a long time. If you store potatoes in this manner it can be stored for close to a year.
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13. Wrapping The Potatoes In A Newspaper
On how to store red potatoes you can wrap them with a piece of newspaper. This is an ideal method for someone who resides in hot and humid climates. When you adopt this method of storage it allows the potatoes to breathe freely and keeps them insulated. So dry and cool conditions are kept intact for the potato to survive for a long period of time. On how to store potatoes by this method it can last for 6 to 8 months.
14. Get Rid Of The Sprouts And Reasons For Potatoes Spurting?
The fact is that sprouts on potatoes do not need the help of soil as suitable environmental conditions are enough. Even if you adopt a proper method on how to store potatoes in a cool dry place but there is access to moisture then better watch out. Sprouts are likely to emerge from the shadows. The more it is in terms of number the nutritional value of potato reduces.
Why Green Is Not The Best Colour For Your Potatoes?
Once the time changes you will notice that the shape of the potatoes change. This is not sprouting but change of colour. So you have effectively implemented the strategy on how to store potatoes, but still it has changed colour? You might be wondering on how on earth did this happen? The reason is that you would have exposed the potatoes to bright light. When too much of florescent light is there potatoes are obvious to turn to a tinge greenish.
It could also emerge because of the chlorophyll content inside the potato which is not that bad to be honest. In hindsight it can pave way for toxins in the form of gycoalkaloids to be produced. If such a situation arises it is better to move over to the nearest composite bin and ensure that they have a proper life in the soil.
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Tips To Ensure That The Potatoes Last For A Long Time
- The question is what an ideal shelf life of a potato is. This to a large extent is dependent on how to store potatoes method in operation. After purchase it keep them in a cool and dark area
- If properly stored raw potatoes are likely to last for 1 to 2 weeks at room temperatures
- To further extend the shelf life of a potato does not keep them near fruits or onions. The chemical reaction in them may cause potato to rot. Instead keep them in a bag( loose covering) or basket paving way for proper air circulation
- On how to store potatoes do you need to keep them in a refrigerator?Raw, whole potatoes should not be kept in a refrigerator at any point of time. if you do this it becomes dark when cooked and a sweet taste emerges out
- How long the potatoes last after being cut? The raw potatoes need to be cut and kept in cold water and then refrigerated. Ideally the potato needs to be used within 24 hours
- How to store potatoes that have been cooked in the fridge? The cooked ones are likely to stay intact for 3 to 5 days and for 10 to 12 days when it is kept in the freezer.
- Is it possible to freeze raw potatoes? The answer to this question is a definite no. In fact to enhance the shelf life of potatoes you would need to cook them first before freezing
- Before you plan how to store potatoes how to understand it is spoiled? The colour may resemble a bit greenish, flesh becomes soft and sprouts appear.
To conclude, how to store potatoes, if undertaken in a proper manner will ensure that the potatoes stay healthy for a long period of time. The right form of conditions is necessary for the potato to thrive. When it comes to how to store peeled potatoes you can keep them in a dish of cold water. It is going to stay intact for a couple of days.
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