Russet Potatos- NEED HELP!

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WalkingGirl1985
WalkingGirl1985 Posts: 2,047 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I really don't know how long they usually last..I bought them about a week ago and already had a few bad ones but a few do look good still and i dont wanna waste them. I thought about seperating the good/bad ones and putting them in a ziplock. A friend of mine told me i was better of tossing them all away because the juice that leaks out could be contaminated. That concerns me. I baked a few the other day after washing them and didn't get sick.

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  • xXmimiXx
    xXmimiXx Posts: 564 Member
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    Erm I'm not an expert on taters but I buy a bag of potatoes, keep them in a dark cool cupboard and use them for literally weeks...I know sometimes they start sprouting new mutant heads and they're not perfect but, if you do with them what you normally do with potatoes, they always taste just the same and I literally always have a bag of potatoes for at least 2 weeks (if not more) and I have never, ever gotten sick! I don't like wasting food for no reason...if some of the potatoes are actually mouldy that's different, but I doubt they are? Also, what helps potatoes last longer, put them in the fridge!

    Happy tatering!
  • xXmimiXx
    xXmimiXx Posts: 564 Member
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    http://www.produceoasis.com/Items_folder/Vegetables/Russet.html says:- (ok it says don't put them in the fridge but I do!)

    Russet Potato

    (Scientific Binomial Name: Solanum tuberosum)

    Selection Information

    Usage: Baking, frying, mashing, roasting, boiling. Russets are often used to make french fries

    Selection: Good-quality Russet potatoes will be firm, have a net-like texture to the skin and russet-brown coloring. They should have few eyes, and those few eyes should be shallow.

    Storage: Do not wash raw Russet Potatoes before storing - washing them speeds development of decay.

    Store Russet Potatoes in a cool (40 - 50° F), dry, well ventilated, dark place to protect them from light exposure and to inhibit quick sprouts from growing. If your potatoes do begin to sprout or grow, cut off the sprouts. If you don't have good storage available, buy in smaller quantities and more often.

    Do not refrigerate or freeze uncooked potatoes as this changes the potatoes' starch into sugar. This alters the taste of potatoes and causes the flesh to darken when cooked.

    Avoid: Avoid product that is soft, wrinkled, is sprouting at all, has cuts in the skin or is green-tinted.


    Seasonal Information

    Russet Potatoes are available year-round.

    Washington Russet potatoes are available from August through January.
  • udallmom101
    udallmom101 Posts: 564 Member
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    I didn't believe my Grandmother when she told me this, so I tried it myself. If you place an apple in the bag with your potatoes, place them in a cool, dark place they will last longer.
  • ruthcooper
    ruthcooper Posts: 22 Member
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    We live in South Florida so there is no place cool to store potatoes, even in the winter. If I leave them on the counter they get soft and moldy so I always put them in the refrigerator. Do NOT put them in a zip loc, they need air. If they are 'leaking juice' or turned color they probably smell and I would throw them out. (It's not like you are throwing out an expensive steak, they are pretty cheap in the scheme of things).
  • ruthcooper
    ruthcooper Posts: 22 Member
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    I forgot to mention....Do NOT store potatoes and onions near each other. The gases interact and they will both go bad quicker.
  • WalkingGirl1985
    WalkingGirl1985 Posts: 2,047 Member
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    Ok. There was only bad one but the rest looked good. I did seperate them and washed them with water. I was always told to wash things first.
  • kappyblu
    kappyblu Posts: 654 Member
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    Yes, just wash them. If they are squisy or questionable, toss them. When you peel them you can also cut off any bruises. They should be fine. :-)
  • Nano911
    Nano911 Posts: 18 Member
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    You could cook the ones that are on the verge of going bad and then freeze them. Then you can store them for up to a month in the freezer.
  • WalkingGirl1985
    WalkingGirl1985 Posts: 2,047 Member
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    My fiancee uncle usually washes them and puts them in the crisper in the crisper on the bottom of the fridge. Never had a problem..so I did that. The rest looked fine, So no worries. I'm baking a few for lunch anyway.
  • raindancer
    raindancer Posts: 993 Member
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    I have potato I picked from my garden in early june and they are still good. I just keep them in a basket in a cool dark closet.
    Not with clothes.:laugh:
  • shargon
    shargon Posts: 2
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    I keep mine in the refrigerator, they will last me a month or more
  • roxanea
    roxanea Posts: 59
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    Putting potatoes in a brown paper bag and then into a cool dark place will also help them to last longer. I just put my potaotes in th bottom of my pantry and have had them last up to 2 1/2 months sometimes longer.
  • SJSchwartz
    SJSchwartz Posts: 131
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    You shouldn't store potatoes in the fridge uncooked because it changes the texture, and I believe, turns the starches to sugar. You also shouldn't wash them until you're ready to eat them, because that encourages rot, and they will go bad faster. Just store in a cool dark place. You can peel them and then boil them until not quite mashable, and then dice, french fry, or grate (like hashbrowns) and then put in freezer bags and freeze them. They last for months like that.
  • ruthcooper
    ruthcooper Posts: 22 Member
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    WalkingGirl: Just noticed....it shows you have 182 posts and lost 38 pounds, since Sept 2010. Is that possible, since we are only halfway through October?? 'My fiance uncle'? Is this a joke/hoax?

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