Potato storage

[Oak Smoke]

We are about to put together a kitchen makeover. One of the constant problems I have is trying to keep potatoes on hand without them getting soft and sprouting. You first notice a green layer just beneath the skin then all the aforementioned things happen. If there’s a way to design a space in the kitchen to properly store potatoes I need to know that soon. The wife will have most of the say so in the design so if I want something specific I need to get it in before the design is set in stone. If you successfully store potatoes please share how you do it.

[Hulagn1971]

I'm following closely. I have terrible luck storing potatoes.

[RichieB]

+1

[Panhead John]

Buy less potatoes…….🥸

[Oak Smoke]

Being in a low carb diet I don’t eat many potatoes. They are a treat occasionally. My wife and kids love baked potatoes, French fries, and rig potatoes. They think there should be some sort of potato at every meal. With our very rural location I need to be able to store potatoes if possible.

[Duanessmokedmeats]

Somebody?

[Alan Brice]

Anybody?

[RichieB]

An article by Pioneer Woman.

https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/a35121386/how-to-store-potatoes/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=mgu_ga_pw_md_pmx_prog_org_us_17963889983&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17957914252&gbraid=0AAAAABxutSp-hsde8_W7YFaRW_FxIH4Js&gclid=CjwKCAjw687NBhB4EiwAQ645dru5b6ZnQjrop65p1N1YAsTHB6fL4DcRkzKkLz2n7EmVPqxc8lgfhxoCm08QAvD_BwE

[Dan Deter]

I'll note that that article has a link to Ree's recipe for Crash Hot Potatoes, which are some of the best potatoes we've ever had!

[RichieB]

Dan Deter thanks for the pointer. In Paprika. Looks good.

[Panhead John]

Same here, thanks Dan!

[CaptainMike]

There are a lot of potato farms near where I live, and I have recently learned that the issue of spoilage might be more related to how the spuds are harvested and cured than how we store them at home. There are dozens of curing sheds north of me that are long unused and dilapidated. That can mean many things, but it is a sign. We used to be able to store potatoes for months in a kitchen drawer or dark cellar/pantry. Now we're lucky to get 2 weeks. It is the way of the world.

[Oak Smoke]

Dang I hate that.

[Murdy]

I worked on a potato farm for a short time (north central Wisconsin). They'd harvest mostly in September, pile them up in huge bins in a warehouse, and spend all winter grading out the rocks and bagging them. Some would be in there for months and they were fine.

[Oak Smoke]

Panhead John I don’t eat potatoes often. I’m mostly a low carb diet guy. The wife and kids think there should be some sort of potato at most meals. With our very rural location I need to be able to store a few potatoes.

[CaptainMike]

My method is to buy 2 or 3 of those large russets every couple of weeks or so. Even then the last one has often started to soften by the time I get to it.

[Panhead John]

I just buy a few potatoes at a time also and just leave them in the thin produce bag I put them in at the store. I’ll leave them in a bottom “crisper” drawer in the fridge and easily get at least 2-3 weeks out of em. For some reason, red potatoes last longer than the russets. They might get a little bit soft after 3 weeks but still usable.

[jayjordan]

Unfortunately, the best answer is probably to dig down to create a root cellar. All of what I found online says they can be kept for months in a cool, dark pantry around 47-55 degrees. Anyone in Texas have a pantry that stays that cool year round? Ours doesn't.
After considering Panhead John's answer, he's probably right for those of us who live in climates that can't achieve that 47-55 degree pantry temp year round. We usually buy bags of russets because it's cheaper than buying a few at a time (at time of purchase) and I'll end up throwing away a few before we eat them (which increases the cost).
Now, if you grow your own potatoes and other root veggies you obviously can't grow a few at a time, so root cellar comes back to top of options.

[Oak Smoke]

There’s not a chance I’ll have storage space in that temp range most of the year. I have an unused apartment fridge but they won’t get fresh air there.

[Oak Smoke]

Here it is! The perfect place to see capitalism at work. Some young person can invent a low energy potato storage container and live the American dream. I don’t care if I have to plug it in, just not an energy hog. It will sell as good as air fryers and George Forman grills. Both of which I own.

[Panhead John]

Air will move through it when the compressor is running.

[texastweeter]

I modified a fridge and humidifier with a fan in it for dry aging beef. Fridge cycles on and off based on a temperature controller, humidifier on a humidity controller and fan on a timer.

[DavidNorcross]

What MBMorgan describes is spot on. Folks are also using a Coolbot and building DIY walk in coolers and a window AC.

[captainlee]

Buy em when you need em! French fries are in the freezer. Problem solved.

[DavidNorcross]

Got to be cool and dark. Around 50 degrees is ideal. They will last a while in that environment.

[Mosca]

Keep them away from other fruits and vegetables, for one thing. Onions, apples, bananas, avocados, anything that gives off ethylene gas as it ripens will hasten the ripening of potatoes. Other than that, keep them dark and cold. When we were growing up, we had a potato drawer that was away from everything else. I keep them in a cabinet under the counter, where it’s… cool and dark. They usually last a month or so.

Also, for those watching glycemic index, don’t forget that you can average out your meal. Potatoes+lean red meat is better than potatoes alone.

[Huskee]

Buy less potatoes…….🥸

Lol, truth. I've always wondered why they don't come in bags of 5 or 6. I want potatoes tonight, not every night for 3 weeks.

On a similar note, wine. Why does wine not come in half sized bottles? (I know it does, somewhere on some occasions, but not commonly). I want a glass, maybe two, of wine with dinner. I don't want an entire bottle. And I don't want wine tomorrow. And then by day 3 and beyond it's sour and ruined. It goes along with 'planned obsolescence', it's intentional to make us buy more next time.

[Mosca]

I buy those 4 packs of 6oz: Sutter Homes, Barefoot, etc. They’re good for one meal, and also for recipes where you need some wine but not a whole bottle.

[Uncle Bob]

Get a setup like this; https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D9V9VVJL...i7CbTcCa5&th=1 and then refrigerate (preferably around 55 degrees, but lower will work if you let it warm a bit at serving).

[Huskee]

Mosca Yeah, I mean higher-end wines. The nicer ones don't seem to offer smallies.

[Huskee]

Oak Smoke I asked ChatGPT and it gave great advice, and explained some things I never knew. I won't paste the whole answer here because it's very long (but informative), unless you want me to? If not, using an AI search like that will give you some great tips, and you can then ask follow-up questions based on your specific circumstances, like the area you intend to use for potatoes, if you have a basement, your climate where you live, etc, and get more tailored answers. Helpful stuff, in my opinion.

[Oak Smoke]

Thank you.

[Uncle Bob]

Use a small wine refrigerator, you can set the temp in the desired range, they have an internal fan (most of them), have UV resistant glass on the door (usually), fit under counter, some that cost a bit more than the bottom end ones have humidity control. Hang the spuds in a mesh bag for them to enjoy full benefits.

[Oak Smoke]

Intelligent people are so darned handy! Thanks Bob.

[cruiseplanner1]

Good tip. I may look into that one myself. Having the same problem with the potatoes and also my onions.

[Oak Smoke]

@cruiseplanner one of the first things I read was to not store onions and potatoes together. I have been guilty of that up until now.