Stopping boiled potatoes going grey

[craigjm]

I will be boiling some potatoes later that I want to then serve cold. Whenever I’ve done this in the past they go an unappealing shade of grey because of the oxidisation. Is this best way to avoid this to simply plunge them into cold water as soon as they are cooked and keep them in cold water or is there some other trick?

[HTP99]

I sometimes par boil for roasting, many hours prior to actually needing them, I drain the potatoes, put them in a bowl let them cool, cover in cling film and bung them in the fridge, they've never gone grey.

[21TonyK]

The grey is down to the conditions the potatoes are grown and stored in prior to cooking, adding ascorbic acid (vitamin C) while cooking will help but too much will flavour the potatoes and a lot will also change the starch structures giving it a crispy outer shell (think stay-crisp chips). Storing them in cold water after cooking isn't the greatest idea as they will absorb water and soften.

Freshest potatoes you can get, definitely not stored chilled is the best answer.

Edited by 21TonyK on Tuesday 2nd March 10:21

[craigjm]

21TonyK said:

The grey is down to the conditions the potatoes are grown and stored in prior to cooking, adding ascorbic acid (vitamin C) while cooking will help but too much will flavour the potatoes and a lot will also change the starch structures giving it a crispy outer shell (think stay-crisp chips). Storing them in cold water after cooking isn't the greatest idea as they will absorb water and soften.

Freshest potatoes you can get, definitely not stored chilled is the best answer.

Edited by 21TonyK on Tuesday 2nd March 10:21

Hmm i thought that might be part of the issue. Problem is that if you buy from supermarkets they likely to have been chilled at some point. Im making a potato salad and I want it not to go grey

[21TonyK]

craigjm said:

21TonyK said:

The grey is down to the conditions the potatoes are grown and stored in prior to cooking, adding ascorbic acid (vitamin C) while cooking will help but too much will flavour the potatoes and a lot will also change the starch structures giving it a crispy outer shell (think stay-crisp chips). Storing them in cold water after cooking isn't the greatest idea as they will absorb water and soften.

Freshest potatoes you can get, definitely not stored chilled is the best answer.

Edited by 21TonyK on Tuesday 2nd March 10:21

Hmm i thought that might be part of the issue. Problem is that if you buy from supermarkets they likely to have been chilled at some point. Im making a potato salad and I want it not to go grey

You want a waxy (salad) potato, I've been buying these recently and they seem ok.

https://shop.coop.co.uk/product/e83aafa8-2321-4e5b...

[21TonyK]

The other tip is not to overcook the potato. They only need to get to about 85 degrees to soften. Manic boiling doesn't do them any good. Gentle simmer.

[craigjm]

21TonyK said:

The other tip is not to overcook the potato. They only need to get to about 85 degrees to soften. Manic boiling doesn't do them any good. Gentle simmer.

Yeah they still need to be firm so slow simmer for probably 20 mins as whole new potatoes. Well let’s see!

[sean ie3]

I've been steaming my spuds lately, just as quick as boiling and I haven't had any turn grey. Also it's great for floury varieties like queen's or kerrs pinks.