They also have beautifully whimsical names — the Charlotte, the Cara, the Anya. Comparing cooked mealy and waxy potatoes under the microscope, researchers have found that there are striking differences.
In mealy potatoes, clumps of starch molecules suck water from the rest of the flesh dramatically, while waxy potatoes' starch granules leave it where it is. This may be why mealy ones feel dry and the waxy ones feel moist. Also, at the microscopic level, the cells that make up the flesh of mealy potatoes have a tendency to crumble into clumps when cooked, sticking together to create a gritty effect even while the whole potato loses its structural integrity.
Waxy potatoes are not prey to this. One reason seems to be that the particular make-up of starches in mealy potatoes will start to degrade at much lower temperatures then the starches in their waxy brethren — nearly 12C lower. This destroys some of the connections holding the cells together, and it puts pressure on them early in the cooking process, so they will start to split and break off much sooner than the cells of waxy potatoes.
For more detail, see this Guy Crosby article. Mealy, floury potatoes are better for creating dishes like mash Credit: iStock. These are interesting things to consider when you're eyeing potatoes for a particular dish.
They are generally new potatoes , which are pickled at a less mature stage and are smaller and rounder than other potatoes. Reach for waxy potatoes for boiling, roasting and baking preparations where the potato stays intact, such as casseroles, gratins , potato salad, soups, and stews. Think of all-purpose potatoes as the ultimate workhouse, they have medium starch and medium moisture content.
As the middle of the road potato, all-purpose potatoes usually suffice as a substitute for any starchy or waxy potato recipe. We prefer Yukon Gold, an all-purpose variety, for mashed potatoes. Yukon Gold, white potatoes, and purple potatoes are among the most popular varieties of all-purpose potatoes.
Laura Rege, Freelance Writer. By Laura Rege May 08, This will help remove some of the starch for a lighter fluffy texture. Get rid of as much water as you can.
After boiling, drain well. Then place potatoes back into the pan and onto the heat to zap out some of that residual moisture.
Ditch the mixer. Use a ricer or food mill for perfectly smooth mashed potatoes and a masher for mashed potatoes with a little texture. The motion of the mixer overworks the starches, making that wallpaper paste that we are trying to avoid. Warm your ingredients. This is the last step to your perfect mash! So next time you're thinking about whipping up some potatoes, put a little science behind your recipe! Here are four of our favorite potato recipes:.
This site was designed with the. Our Recent Posts. Kindly login to access the content at no cost. This E-mail is already registered with us. Other Subjects. Not my Question Bookmark. Flag Content. Labensky, Steven R. Labensky, Priscilla A. Chapter 22, Problem 9. Chapter 23, Problem 2. Chapter 23, Problem 1 : 1. Explain the differences between mealy and waxy Step-By-Step Solution.
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