Ques on Pre Chopping and Soaking Potatoes!

[patissac]

Okay so I've seen on the thread that some of you peel and chop up your potatoes and let them soak in water the night before to make your mashed potatoes. I'm going to give that a try even though I have a weird feeling about soaking them in water since I've never done that before, but hey, any chance I can get to save time I'm all for it!!! So do I just peel them and chop them up in cubes or can I just peel them and leave them whole in the water? Sorry Odd question yes I know but I can not risk messing up my potatoes at the last minute! TIA ;)

[Angelina]

I was just reading something about that in Cook's Illustrated this morning. Not sure what issue it was. Anyway, I believe that up to 12 hours ahead of time, there were no noticeable differences between soaked and just cut, but 24 hours ahead of time DID make a difference.

If I got it wrong and anybody remembers that piece, please post! :)

Angela

[Tizzylish]

Angela is right, I read the same thing, but I cannot find the article online anywhere. :confused:

[patissac]

Thanks ladies! I love CI and personally think thier experts in everything they do so I will go with the 12 hour idea, this is wonderful. All I have to do tomorrow is cook the turkey, biscuits and green bean casserole! Woo-hoo!

[sharhamm]

I've chopped and soaked them a day ahead without any problem. Now I cook them, mash them but not using as much cream as I usually do. Store over night in the fridge. Then on Thanksgiving Day, a few hours before dinner, place them in the crockpot, adding a little more cream, stir, and place on low. This sure has made those last minutes preparation less hectic.

[Chocolate Rose]

We always peel our potatoes and stick them in a BIG pot of water the day before. It's varied on the time we've actually done it. Sometimes early evening and sometimes late afternoon. We don't cook them til the following day (usually around 3 or 4 pm). We don't cut them into smaller pieces until right before cooking. We haven't ever noticed a difference in taste or texture between these and potatoes that are peeled at the last minute.

[dorothyntototoo]

FYI - restaurants peel tons of potatoes ahead for french fries & store them in water in the refrigerator. Your mashes will be fine.

[patissac]

Hey gals, I'm just dropping in to say this worked out perfect, it saved me so much time!!! This was the only thing I had to do for the rest of the day(I prepped everything on tuesday) I also put the mashed potatoes in the crockpot on low and managed to make pigs in a blanket and cranberry relish that I hadn't planned on doing.

[peachesncream]

When you all store the peeled potatoes in water ahead of time (let's say, up to 12 hours) - do you keep them in the refrigerator or on the counter?

The reason I ask is because I never store potatoes (before cooking) in the refrigerator, always in the a dark place (the pantry), because I've read that the refrigerator isn't good for potatoes.

[Chocolate Rose]

We just leave them on the counter.
There's no room in the fridge anyway. :D

I do change the water before cooking. And, this year I went ahead and cut the potatoes up Thanksgiving morning (peeled them the day before) and put them back in the water. Turned out perfect.

[mikesmom]

I peeled and quartered my potatoes (Yukon Golds) the day before Thanksgiving. I put them in a large pot of cold water and kept them in the refrigerator. I changed the water before I boiled them and my mashed potatoes were perfect. It was the first time I've done this and it saved me a lot of time. I would definitely do it again.