What's happened to potatoes?

[Simpo Two]

For maybe 30 years, up until recently, I've been able to turn out legendary saute potatoes. Par boil, then fry until they have a lovely crispy outside and fluffy middle.

But now, regardless of variety it seems, they fail. The part that might have been a crispy coating becomes welded to the pan, and the potatoes remain stubbornly white. And instead of frying, vast quantities of steam emanate. That's not frying, it's boiling. The pan isn't non-stick, but it's the same pan I've used for years and I'm careful not to put it in the dishwasher.

Any ideas?

[21TonyK]

Lots of possibilities but all potato issues seem to come back to the variety and subsequent startch and water content. And thats before you factor in old or new crop which has a huge impact plus (forget the wholesale/supermarket storage) you also have to consider how you store them at home.

And, to boot, the potatoes so far this year seem like crap. I have suppliers sending retail washed graded potatos instead of unwashed bulk as the quality from some sources is so bad. Or paying for premium stuff...



There is a grower or someone who is in the industry on here who may pick up on this and explain more.

[Simpo Two]

Thanks. I remember that you need old potatoes not new - but they don't seem to be sold like that any more - they're just in bags with a variety if you're lucky. These were Maris Piper, which I thought were good for chips so should work for saute too.

I might have to try Red Rooster again because I think they did well, though they were top money.

[21TonyK]

I was going to suggest trying rooster as (in supermarkets) they appear to be pretty consistent. Maris Piper can be hit and miss IME although they would be my first choice for chips, saute or roasting. Maris Bard are a common substitute but not as good. Forget marfona or anything like that.

[Scabutz]

I'm seeing the same. Made roasts the same way for 20 years but recently they aren't coming out so good. They also don't last. Do a big shop start of the week and by Sunday they are soft, eyes growing out etc.

A real decline in quality. Got some from Waitrose earlier and they were just as bad.

Don't think there are any other veg or anything that I can see such a decline in

[Simpo Two]

Scabutz said:

Don't think there are any other veg or anything that I can see such a decline in

And if my local CoOp is anything to go by, apples are getting smaller and stupidly expensive. But maybe they have their purchasing in a mess.

[Riley Blue]

nuyorican said:

Whatever happened to those massive baking potatoes. All covered with soil? Can they still be bought? Perhaps in those huge paper bags. I'm just remembering this from growing up. As an adult, baking potatoes from the supermarket are all clean and tiny.

Probably now grown to a uniformly smaller size for a 8-10 min zap in a microwave and washed because soil = dirt = germs.

[andyA700]

Try a farm shop rather than a supermarket for tatties, they are much better. I have given up on pan sauting, use the roasting tray now. Cut tatties into ten mill slices, toss in olive oil, dried oregano and crushed garlic - 20 mins at 200C.

[Simpo Two]

andyA700 said:

Try a farm shop rather than a supermarket for tatties, they are much better. I have given up on pan sauting, use the roasting tray now. Cut tatties into ten mill slices, toss in olive oil, dried oregano and crushed garlic - 20 mins at 200C.

So those are roast potatoes... a pricey way out if you're not using the oven for anything else.

[Sticks.]

I grew potatoes last year, same way I have done for years. A fairly waxy variety. Because of the weather they were rubbish, crumbling during cooking.

I suspect that's a lot to do with it.

[theplayingmantis]

had some earlyish Jersey Royals a few weeks ago - were also crap. again.

just about saved with copious butter and wild chives from the garden and shredded wild garlic from the fields, but on their own unadulterated (bar a bit of salt and mint in the water), tasteless. the provenance was a good a reliably good quality farm shop.

Again, as i said last year they were crap (from various places), and my go to new potato is a cornish one nowadays which is still a thing of delight.

think tony or someone explained then something changed in the harvesting or growing of JR's.

Either way they used to be really worth the money, now they worse than the basic supermarket 'baby' pots imo. Maybe i need to try them on the channel islands.

on this subject one of the supermarkets used to sell pretty tasty mallorcan new potatos but havent seen them for a while.

[Simpo Two]

Seems that spuds have gone the same way as tomatoes - the so-called 'salad tomatoes' sold in supermarkets are no better than cardboard. So you have to buy the posh ones which are about 50p each.

I'm not a veg snob, but even I have limits!

[Soloman Dodd]

Simpo Two said:

So those are roast potatoes... a pricey way out if you're not using the oven for anything else.

Spending 30p to cook your spuds!

We're all on our way to the poor house...

[Simpo Two]

Soloman Dodd said:

Simpo Two said:

So those are roast potatoes... a pricey way out if you're not using the oven for anything else.

Spending 30p to cook your spuds!

Not much I agree; it just seems silly to have a full size oven going full blast for 20 mins just to cook one portion of potatoes (and the steak/lamb is under the grill so the oven's out of action)

Wonder what an 'air fryer' would do? Can you make sautes in an air fryer?

[B235r]

The wife works in the potato business, she seid there terrible this year because reasons. but get yourself to a farm shop & find some sagitta

[normalbloke]

B235r said:

The wife works in the potato business, she seid there terrible this year because reasons. but get yourself to a farm shop & find some sagitta

Your wife said what?

[andyA700]

Simpo Two said:

andyA700 said:

Try a farm shop rather than a supermarket for tatties, they are much better. I have given up on pan sauting, use the roasting tray now. Cut tatties into ten mill slices, toss in olive oil, dried oregano and crushed garlic - 20 mins at 200C.

So those are roast potatoes... a pricey way out if you're not using the oven for anything else.

Always have something else in there as well, ribs go quite well with them.

[HustleRussell]

Scabutz said:

Don't think there are any other veg or anything that I can see such a decline in

Carrots have lacked flavour for the past couple of years

Freshness of all produce seems to have reduced. I'm not claiming I can tell by the taste etc, but veg seems to not keep as well as it used to. I've noticed prematurely floppy Broccoli as well as potatoes sprouting much earlier.

[21TonyK]

HustleRussell said:

Freshness of all produce seems to have reduced.

Savings in the supply chain. In the "old days" brocolli used to be iced in poly boxes for transport. Not seen that for a while.

Be interested to hear from anyone wokring in Aldi/Lidl (or others for that matter) about refrigeration practices and how they have changed.

I know for a fact one of my wholesalers no longer frigerates unless absolutely esssential. Cheaper to bin old stock that keep everyting fresh for longer or just palm off stuff blaming others.

[General Price]

theplayingmantis said:

had some earlyish Jersey Royals a few weeks ago - were also crap. again.

just about saved with copious butter and wild chives from the garden and shredded wild garlic from the fields, but on their own unadulterated (bar a bit of salt and mint in the water), tasteless. the provenance was a good a reliably good quality farm shop.

Again, as i said last year they were crap (from various places), and my go to new potato is a cornish one nowadays which is still a thing of delight.

think tony or someone explained then something changed in the harvesting or growing of JR's.

Either way they used to be really worth the money, now they worse than the basic supermarket 'baby' pots imo. Maybe i need to try them on the channel islands.

on this subject one of the supermarkets used to sell pretty tasty mallorcan new potatos but havent seen them for a while.

Grown to a price,unfortunately.30yrs ago the first Jerseys cost 5 times as much as they do now.They used seaweed as fertiliser and the taste was fantastic.Now they are force grown with nitrogen and the taste has all but disappeared.