Cooking Potatoes
I'm having a problem cooking potatoes using a slow cooker recipe. I'm using russet potatoes. Recipe did not specify what to use. Recipe said "thin sliced". Used mandoline to crinkle cut 4.5mm thick (more surface area). Recipe said done in 4hrs on high. It's now over 6 hrs and potatoes are still raw. Everything else is turning to mush. Question.. Did I use the wrong potato? Is there a different potato I should have used that would cook faster?
They were washed. If I cannot pierce them easily with a fork, when I have to bite down hard, I consider them raw. Raw=uncooked=hard=not soft=raw! I'm 62yrs old. probably been cooking longer than you. Allow me the courtesy of knowing a raw potato when I bite into one.(and I still have all my teeth.)
Best Answer
Sorry for the late answer. I would say that you did NOT use the wrong potato. In my experience russet potatoes end up MUCH softer than waxy or yellow potatoes, after cooking. That's the reason I only use russets when making mashed potatoes.
I ran into a similar situation not too long ago. In this case I was using a mixture of russets and yellow potatoes, but close enough. What else were you cooking in your crock pot? This is a very important question. For example, if you were making something with a lot of liquid (like soup), the heat should have been evenly distributed and you should not have run into this problem. On the other hand, if you were making something with very little liquid or very thick liquid, I can see this happening. In my case, I was making "cheesy potatoes", which starts with a really thick cheese sauce.
Here's the problem...the atoms of the thin liquid move around a lot easier making a sort of current throughout the pot, distributing the heat to all the food. A thick liquid or insufficient liquid won't do that, so the stuff towards the middle don't get as much heat at the stuff at the bottom or sides of the pot. A "fix" would be to stir everything about once an hour. I know that you don't want to take the lid off the crock pot and lose the heat, but the heat needs to be distributed throughout the pot somehow.
Anyway, that's my guess of your problem. Hope this helps.
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How do you cook potatoes properly?
Season with a teaspoon of salt per pound of potatoes. Bring water to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and cook at rapid simmer until potatoes are easily pierced with a paring knife, about 10 minutes for chopped potatoes and 20 minutes for whole potatoes. Drain potatoes in a colander.How long should I boil potatoes?
Boil 10 to 12 minutes for cubed, 15 to 20 for whole medium-sized, or 25 to 30 for whole russets. Check with a fork or knife. Potatoes are done when they are tender enough that a utensil easily slides into the middle.Do you put potatoes in boiling water or before?
Always start potatoes in cold water. Dropping them into boiling water is a bad idea because the hot water will cook the outsides of the potatoes faster than the insides, leaving you with unevenly cooked taters. By the time they've fully cooked to the core, the outsides will be mushy and start to flake apart.Is it better to bake or boil potatoes?
A baked potato is more nutrient-dense, providing 6 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber. It has about 25 percent more magnesium as a boiled potato. It also contains 40 percent more phosphorus and potassium, as well as four times the amount of folate in a boiled potato.Gordon's Guide To Potatoes | Gordon Ramsay
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