This Simple Trick Makes Peeling Boiled Potatoes A Snap
If you love mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, or any type of potato dish that requires you to remove the peels, then you will love this hack we've discovered. What we especially like about this trick is that it doesn't require any fancy or expensive kitchen tools to accomplish removing those pesky peels, and it's easy enough for us novice cooks to pull off with little to no skill. Not to mention, when done properly, it won't strip away any of the actual potato, just the skin. We do want to point out that you will find this trick for peeling boiled potatoes all over the internet, but Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen (BHG) shares that it works best with potatoes that are small enough that they can be completely cooked in boiling water. So, if you have oversized large potatoes, this hack may not work as well.
The first step to boiling potatoes with the skin on is washing them under cold water to remove any bits of dirt. Easy-peasy, right? Next, you are going to need a knife. BHG explains that with the knife, you are going to make a cut around the circumference of the potato. You want this cut to penetrate the skin, but you don't want it go deep into the flesh of the potato.
Don't throw out the potato skins
Per BHG, once you've made your circular cut into each potato, you want to put them in a pot, add a little salt, and cover them with water. Bring the pot of water and potatoes to a boil. Once the water is boiling, you want to put a lid on the pot and let it boil for about 20 minutes or until you can easily puncture the potatoes with fork. At this point, drain the potatoes in a colander and run cold water over them. This will help ensure you don't burn your fingers with the proverbial hot potato. Lastly, you want to find where you made your cut and "slip-off" the skin from either half of the potatoes. Voila, you are ready to cook with your peeled potatoes.
But this simple hack has another benefit. Don't throw those peels away, because you can roast and eat them for a snack or enjoy with a meal the next day. The Pioneer Woman shares in a video on her blog that you can store potato skins in cold water in the frig so they don't turn colors and roast them the next day. Just dry them off, coat with some salt, seasoning, and butter, and roast until they are crispy.