How to Store Potatoes
Your Guide to the Best Way to Store Potatoes
Potatoes are crowd-pleasers and a staple amongst many households due to their extended shelf life and versatility. However, despite their resilient nature, potatoes can spoil and lose flavor without proper storage. Fortunately, the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee is here to guide you toward the best way to store potatoes.
Get Familiar With Your Spuds
Potatoes are root vegetables with a distinct characteristic that sets them apart from their peers: they breathe. Potatoes pull oxygen from the environment and mix it with its sugars. Once combined, the oxygen is respired through the roots as water and carbon dioxide. This phenomenon is an important factor in how to preserve potatoes correctly.
Potato Storage Basics
To successfully store potatoes, it’s essential to develop an understanding of the basics. A few key factors that play a role in how to store potatoes include:
- Potatoes are light sensitive.
- Potatoes require specific temperatures.
- Potatoes are moisture sensitive.
Prepare Your Potatoes for Storage
With extra attention, potatoes can last much longer than other vegetables. Before storing potatoes, sort and remove any potatoes with broken skins, bruises, or visible damage. These potatoes rot faster and negatively impact the untarnished potatoes. You may still use the damaged potatoes within 1-2 days as long as you cut out the blemishes.
Where Do You Store Potatoes?
Keep it cool and dark with your potato storage. The best way to store potatoes is in a pantry or cellar. While potatoes thrive in colder conditions, avoid the fridge. Instead, choose a location with a consistent temperature that remains somewhere around 45-50F with 90-95% humidity.
Say No to Direct Sunlight
When it comes to potato storage, direct sunlight is the gateway to photosynthesis, leading to discoloration and inevitable rot. While keeping potatoes somewhere you can check on them is recommended, the countertop is likely too bright to promote long-term potato preservation. Instead, opt for keeping spuds in a drawer, basket, or paper bag.
Prioritize Ventilation
Ventilation is a priority when it comes to potato storage. To allow your potatoes to breathe and rid their environment of the carbon dioxide and water vapor they release, store them in a well-ventilated, breathable container or storage bag. This provides ample air circulation and combats mold and bacteria growth.
Avoid Moisture-Prone Areas
Potatoes and moisture do not mix. Before storing potatoes, it’s crucial that they are thoroughly dried and placed in an area free of moisture. When potatoes are subjected to moisture, they will quickly begin to rot and spoil.
Separate the Onions
A number of delicious recipes call for a harmonious blend of potatoes and onions. Despite this commonly seen partnership, potatoes must be stored separately from onions. This is due to the unique gases released by onions, as these gases accelerate potato sprouting.
Routine Sprout Checks
Potatoes can remain fresh for months when stored in a dimly lit, moisture-free, cool environment. However, the longer a potato is stored, the higher the chance of sprouting. Conduct routine sprout checks and remove any sprouts as they develop. By removing the sprouts, you protect the potato’s nutrient content and flavor.
Recognize the Signs of a Spoiled Spud
When a potato has gone bad, it may offer visible evidence. However, other times, symptoms of a spoiled potato can be harder to identify. Here are common signs of a bad potato to be aware of:
- Mold or black spots
- Soft spots
- Wrinkled or shriveled potatoes
- Green discoloration
How to Store Potatoes Long Term
If you’re wondering how to preserve potatoes long-term, the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee is here to help. Our top tips on long-term potato storage include:
- Do not wash potatoes before storing them.
- If one potato rots, remove it to preserve the surrounding potatoes as quickly as possible.
- Keep your potatoes in a cool, dark, well-ventilated area.
Learn More With Our Trusted Potato Enthusiasts
As experts in the realm of potato knowledge, the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee is your source to learn more about these wonderful vegetables. Look to us for the best practices to preserve the freshness and flavor of your favorite vegetable. For more tips, recipes, and resources, reach out to our team today.
