Potatoes

How to Select Potatoes

• Choose clean, smooth potatoes with a firm texture. Avoid potatoes with sprouts, soft spots, and pest or shovel damage.
• Potatoes that are in good condition when you buy them will store longer. If you’re looking for potatoes with a long shelf life, look for ones with thicker skin, like russets or other brown potatoes. Varieties with more delicate skins, like red-skinned potatoes or fingerlings, don’t have as much resilience in storage.

How to Store Potatoes

• Store potatoes in a cool, dry, and dark location, such as a pantry or cellar. Don’t store potatoes in the refrigerator.
• Keep potatoes away from other produce like onions. The ethylene gas released by onions causes potatoes to sprout.
• Avoid washing your potatoes until you’re ready to use them.
• Potatoes tend to store well if they’re as fresh from the ground as possible. A little dirt is fine during storage; wash it off before cooking.
• Avoid eating any green or sprouting part of the potato, as it’s toxic to humans. Cut these parts off first. Potatoes can cause each other to sprout, so remove any sprouting potatoes from storage before they ruin the rest.

How to Serve Potatoes