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Harvesting and Storing Potatoes (& recipes) By Arlene W. Correll |
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Every spring on the farm, the mantra was, “Fresh peas and Johnny cake give a Frenchman a belly ache”. Why? I do not know. Maybe because the long awaited peas caused over eating. Now Spring has come and gone and summer is tempting us with the lure of fresh potatoes. The potatoes we chose this year were a package deal called patriotic potatoes. Red, White and Blue ones. I was intrigued by Byron Tumlinson’s article in Nita’s Phancypages website. Byron’s father-in-law plants his seed potatoes in straw. Thus giving him clean potatoes when they are ready to pick. Never having done that before, I decided to hedge my bet and plant half my patriotic seed potatoes the old |
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fashion way, in dirt, and the other half in straw. Now into the 1st week of August, I am digging around in the straw to find some new potatoes. At our home, we are partial to small, new potatoes and in my zeal I “un-strawed” about 3/4’s of a 5 gallon bucket. Nice and clean, a pleasure not to have any dirt on them. However, a new challenged arose with the “un-strawing” of the potatoes. Where do I put them? How many potatoes can 2 old people eat all at once? I know, I know, I should have picked fewer of them. However, the deed is done. Racking the attic of my brain for potato storage info and checking different places on the internet, I discovered we really did not have a place to put these early potatoes. Potatoes are still alive when they are picked, so they should be kept in a cool area, away from the light. A cellar is ideal, but any place where they won't be exposed to excessive heat or light will help prevent spoiling. Our home is on a slab, so no basement. I cannot put them in the pantry as the washer and dryer are in there also, thus not making a cool, dry place for them. With Glynis “bunking” in the camper while building her new home, our refrigerator has extra food in it. Besides, potatoes should be stored in a cool, dry place, but never in the refrigerator. Why? Because the temperatures can turn the starch in potatoes to sugar and may darken the flesh when the potatoes are cooked. But potatoes stored out of refrigeration often sit around for long periods--especially if you buy large quantities--in temperatures that are often too warm. They get "eyes" and turn soft with wilted skins. So if you refrigerate your potatoes, take them out a few hours or more before you use them. This helps to return the starch content to normal. Don't wash spuds until just before you use them. Too late, again for remembering that old chestnut. I, in my zeal, washed them all. So, I cooked up half of them and have the other half sitting around on my kitchen counter while I figure out where to store them. So while I am trying to find a place for the remaining new potatoes here is some good “skinny” on harvesting and storing potatoes. The keeping quality of white ("Irish")
potatoes (Solanum tuberosum
L.) increases greatly if tubers are harvested after vines are killed by
the first fall frost. So
much for us new potato dudes! Potatoes
intended for long-term storage should not be harvested until the vines
have been dead for at least ten to fourteen days. This permits the
proper thickening of potato skins, which increases the length of time
potatoes can be stored. Potatoes harvested too early easily `skin'
during the harvesting and handling period and do not store well. Potatoes are best dug when the soil temperature is above 45 degrees Fahrenheit and the soil is not wet. Digging when the soil is cold and wet often results in splits and cracks. Potatoes harvested from cold wet soils are also more susceptible to bruising, more difficult to cure and more prone to breakdown during storage. Potatoes should never be allowed to freeze in the ground. Gardeners check your areas to determine when you have sufficient time between the first frost and the ground freezing to allow for the harvest of these tubers. If the soil is frosty or the air temperature is near or below freezing, it would be best to begin harvesting later in the morning or afternoon when temperatures have risen. Soil temperatures would be warmer from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Commercial growers often harvest into the evening hours to take advantage of this warmer soil temperature. Bruising can occur when the tubers are being dug or during any of the operations involving moving the tubers. ( The straw planting deal eliminated all this for me.) Internal black spots often develop within six to eight hours after bruising or may not appear until a day later. Consequently, care should be taken to avoid dropping the tubers during any of the steps from harvest through storage. Despite precautions taken to prevent injury to the skin of a potato, some damage is likely and a curing process is necessary for any wounds to heal. This process is facilitated by a curing process. There is a healing process for potato cuts, believe it or not. A cut in a potato tuber undergoes two steps when it heals. Suberization is the first of these steps and involves the development of a waxy, fatty compound called suberin which is produced by cells just below the cut surface. This seals the wound preventing water loss and invasion by pathogens. This process occurs one to three days after wounding and is typically complete within four to seven days. The formation of a specialized tissue called wound priderm is the second step in this healing process and results in the development of a permanent, protective layer of cells that replaces the `skin' that was destroyed by the wound. This corky layer is a final protective coating which prevents infection and water loss. The development of this wound periderm begins shortly after suberization and is complete within one to two weeks. Ideally, potatoes should be cured for this entire period, but many home gardeners will move their tubers into permanent storage after the four to seven day suberization period. When potatoes are first dug they should be placed in piles and allowed to go through a sweating (curing) period. During this period a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit hastens the healing of bruises and cuts helping to prevent rot. If the crop is relatively free of wounds, a curing temperature of 57 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit can be safely maintained. Potatoes can be left in the field during this curing process and covered with burlap or some other material to prevent sun scald. Potatoes can also be cured in a warm room. Tubers to be stored should be clean, firm and free from disease. Rains during the curing process will inhibit this healing process and piles left outside should be protected from fall rains by piling the tubers under a makeshift shed roof. The piles should not be covered with a tarp, however, as air movement through the pile is necessary to promote healing and a tarp will cut off this necessary air supply. Storage is important for those of you who buy in quantity or who have a big potato harvest. Before storing spuds, look them over and use any bruised ones first. Since dampness can cause decay, it is best not to wash spuds before storing. Store Idaho potatoes in a cool, dark and well ventilated place. They will keep about a week at room temperature and for several weeks at 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Remember, refrigerator temperatures are too low, which converts the potato's starch into sugar, resulting in a sweet taste. Potato tubers should be stored in sacks, bins or crates or in piles in areas that are free of disease organisms. Large brown paper bags or cardboard cartons are very good for storage. If you use other containers remember to wash storage containers and areas down with a disinfectant several weeks prior to storage will help reduce storage rot problems. Immediately following the sweating period, tubers should be stored in a humid area (90 to 95 % relative humidity) at a temperature near 40 degrees Fahrenheit if the tubers are for eating or to be used for seed potatoes. Processing tubers used for French fries are typically stored at 45 degrees Fahrenheit; tubers for potato chips are stored at temperatures of 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. If stored at temperatures below 36 degrees Fahrenheit, potatoes may become sweet. If potatoes become sweet, exposing them to ordinary room temperature for a few days tends to restore natural flavor. The extra sugar also causes potatoes to darken prematurely while frying. (As I said, this process can sometimes be reversed by storing the potatoes at room temperature for a week to 10 days.) Potatoes held in storage for too long or at the improper temperature or humidity may break dormancy. The tubers will start to shrivel and sprout. Tubers in this condition should be used as quickly as possible to prevent breakdown and decay. When cooking potatoes, look for a clean, smooth, firm-textured skin that has no cuts, bruises or discoloration. Another hint is never “wrap” potatoes in foil while baking -- this steams the potato. That is unless you happen to like steamed potatoes! If potatoes have green patches, cut them off, as they have been exposed too long to direct lighting and will have a faintly bitter taste. The rest of the potato will taste fine. Well, I still haven’t solved the storage problem for the potatoes I have now and for the one’s I will have later. Hum… am I too old to start making vodka? Short of giving them away, I don’t mind sharing and I can give some to Jeff and Pam when they come in next weekend. Well, that solves the storage problem. In the meantime, here are some really good recipes. (for us vegetarians, just omit the bacon and I use olive oil where it calls for bacon grease) Bacon &
Potato Pie 1 lb Bacon Preheat oven 350 F. Grease 9x13" glass baking
dish. Baked Potato
Casserole 5 large potatoes,
cooked and diced Mix all ingredients. Pour into casserole and bake
30 minutes at 325. Blueberry
Potato Salad 1/4 cup White Wine Vinegar Prepare the dressing by combining the vinegar, oil, sugar, salt, basil, and pepper, blending well. In a large bowl, combine the dressing with the potatoes, mixing well. Stir in the blueberries, carrot and cucumber. Sprinkle with the chopped scallions and parsley. Fat Free
Potato Latkes 6 Potatoes 1 onion 4 egg whites 1/4 cup matzoh meal ( or flour) salt & pepper - Peel potatoes and shred in food processor or grate by hand with a course grater. - Remove potatoes & squeeze water out of shredded potatoes. - Shred onion in food processor or grate by hand with a course grater. - Add all ingredients into processor and process until well mixed using steel knife. - Fry in nonstick pan until golden brown using a small amount of cooking spray. - Serve with applesauce and fat free sour cream.
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