Why using low temperature cooking for potatoes?
I saw somewhere a recipe for using souse vide at 90C for potatoes. I understand low temperature/long time cooking technics are for tenderizing meat. What is the rationale of using low temperature cooking with potatoes?
Best Answer
Cooking times are related to the type of tissue. A potato is a part of a plant, but an unusual one, an asexual bud.
A potato is not a stem or leafy part of a plant, so it's not a vegetable. It contains no seeds, so it is not a fruit. It lacks the protection of an external fruit sheath, and it isn't a fertilized ovum, so it isn't an underground seed like a peanut (legume) even though it can grow into a plant separated from it's parent. It isn't a thickened root like a carrot. It's a thin-skinned tuber with a very high and available starch content and low cellulose content compared to vegetables, fruits, stems, root and seeds.
The low cellulose content means that less heat is needed to break down the cell walls. The high starch content means that there is a short time between the cell walls breaking down, the starch quickly becoming available in large quantity and the starch binding with water to link into longer molecules, the reverse of what happens to meat protein that is gradually broken down during cooked.
Lowering the cooking temperature increases the cooking time and the brief window of opportunity for removing the product from heat at the desired texture.
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Why should you use low cooking temperatures when possible?
Using low temperatures in cooking not only prevents you from making good foods toxic but also helps preserve vitamins and minerals, and even makes them easier to digest.Do you cook potatoes on low or high heat?
Steam the potatoes on high heat until they are tender enough that a fork slides in and out. This will prevent your potatoes from sucking up too much water from over-boiling.Can you cook potatoes at low temperature?
Yes, you can roast potatoes at a lower temp, but it will take longer. I can't tell you how much longer without specifics, such as size of potato or baking dish. The thicker the dish is, the longer you will need to cook the potatoes. You might start at adding 10 to 15 more minutes.What temperature should potatoes be cooked?
If you are still feeling unsure, use an instant-read thermometer: their internal temperature should be between 208\xb0F and 211\xb0F. (In this magic temperature zone, starch granules in the potato have absorbed water, ruptured, and rendered the interior flesh fluffy and light.)Our Guide on how to cook 'Low Temperature' | Donald Russell
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Answer 2
It's all because of the starches and sugars. This site has two different ways to cook them with helpful explainations on why http://modernistcuisine.com/2013/04/mastering-creamy-pureed-potatoes-no-fat-required/
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