27 Potato Hacks Everyone Needs To Try
It's amazing how something so simple as a potato can offer such a rich complexity of recipe and flavors. There's so much you can do with these ridiculously good root vegetables that the world isn't your oyster at all; it's your spud! Whether it's chipping, roasting, boiling, frying or baking, there are so many ways you can prepare your potatoes as an appetizer, an entrée, or a side.
People in the U.S. have been enjoying them since they were first introduced to the country in the 17th century (via Potatoes USA). They were sent to the Governor of Virginia at the time as a gift from the Bahamas. In the 18th century, the popularity of potatoes rose as former president Thomas Jefferson served up some spuds at the White House. Incidentally, the Peruvians had been enjoying them for at least 8,000 years by then.
While the earthy taste of potatoes goes with so many flavors, it might interest you to know that their popularity is secure for generations to come, even extending to potential space colonies in the future. That's right, even NASA's been busy creating potato hacks, focusing on how to grow potatoes outside Earth's atmosphere. Meanwhile, there are plenty of tips when it comes to storing, cooking and eating potatoes (and even using them in unexpected ways!) that you can try out right here, right now, without going anywhere (aside from your kitchen, that is).
Peel potatoes without a peeler
Whether it's too blunt, too sharp, or only good enough for right-handers when you're a leftie, potato peelers can be a dangerous kitchen nightmare if not handled properly. If you've ever slipped while peeling some wet, washed spuds and cut yourself, then you'll know that all too well. However, according to a Good Housekeeping article, if you're using a peeler at all, then you're actually peeling potatoes the wrong way. So, how is it possible to remove the skin from a potato without a peeler? With just one cut and peeling by hand, apparently.
As with all great hacks, this one is easy, too. Before you boil your potatoes, cut around each one. Do this in the middle while making sure that the score you make actually goes through the skin. After you've finished cooking, when your hot potatoes have cooled down (at least enough to handle them without burning yourself), pull off the skin with your hands. Yes. it's that simple! Because of the cut you made before cooking, the skins should literally just peel off.
Another plus point to this hack is that by cooking the potatoes in their skins, you're actually improving their flavor, too. It's a win-win!
Smash your baked spuds
There are so many fillings to add to baked jacket potatoes. But if you really want to make a special dish, then twice-baked potatoes are delicious and definitely worth the effort. Toppings aside, to make this simple meal stand out, you really want the carbs inside those wonderfully roasted and crispy skins to be soft and fluffy. That way, when you add some butter, it melts into every part of the potato.
Popular lifestyle personality Martha Stewart suggests a simple way to fluff up potatoes via an Instagram post. After a 90-minute roast in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit (whether you're using an Idaho spud or a Yukon Gold), your potatoes should be ready to eat. Once they come out of the oven, pick them up individually (you may need oven gloves for this, of course). Next, throw them straight down on the counter. Do this hard enough so the insides get smashed up. With your fingers, open each one. Season, then add butter and either sour cream or creme fraiche. A sprinkle of fresh green herbs (such as dill or parsley) on top would make for a great finishing touch. If you have your own favorite baked potato fillings, then go for it! You could also try experimenting with flavors.
Wet kitchen towels speed up microwave cooking
A baked potato makes for a great lunch or a side to an entrée. However, while they take a while to cook in the oven, they're not super quick when they're cooked in the microwave, either. But if you're thinking that you can't speed up microwaving, then you're wrong. A hack presented by Loaves and Dishes offers a simple method. All you need are some kitchen towel sheets (and of course, some potatoes and a microwave as well).
After washing your potato, stab it a few times on each side with a fork. Dampen a length of kitchen towel and wrap this around the potato. Nuke it in the microwave for 4 minutes before turning it over and continuing for another few minutes. You'll know when it's done if, when you put your fork in, the tines go into the flesh easily. TikTok poster @harley.oseguera demonstrates the hack, advising a few deep stabs to the potato before cooking. The potato is wrapped in the paper towels before being run under the tap so it's wet, and the spud is cooked for 6 minutes without flipping. This may be a variation on a theme, but the takeaway is that the towels, in one way or another, shorten the cooking time needed in your microwave.
Make mash (without any peeling or mashing)
Here's a potato-themed puzzle for you. How do you make mashed potatoes without the skins, but without using a peeler or peeling them? @lorafied has a great tip posted on TikTok which went viral. It's a great time-saver too, and a great technique for all those cooks who hate the hassle of having to peel potatoes to make soft, creamy mash. You don't need a masher, either!
Wash your potatoes, and don't peel them. Cook them as you usually would in water. Get a bowl that's big enough for your mash, and place a wire rack over the top. Cut your cooked potatoes in half and lay them one at a time on top of the rack. The flesh of the potato should be face down. With the palm of your hand, press down on the skin. The cooked potato is squashed through the rack into the bowl, leaving the skin behind! YouTuber sweetsavant demonstrates this hack too, pointing out that the rack needs to be a cooling one that has a grid design. She also uses a glove to protect her hands, as she recommends using hot potatoes (which doubtlessly work better because when they're hot, they're softer and push through much more smoothly).
Create a tasty snack with potato peels
Stop! Before you throw out those potato peelings, why not use them to make a tasty snack? This isn't just an idea that's based around not wanting to waste any part of your potato; these crunchy, chip-like morsels are wickedly moreish, too! And they're not complicated, either, since they literally take 5-10 minutes in the oven.
Obviously, you'll have washed your potatoes before peeling, so they'll be clean. Add some olive oil before you whack them in the oven, and season with salt and pepper. Add some flavor with some garlic and paprika. Beyond potato peelings, you can also try this with the peel from a sweet potato and a squash (via Real Homes).
If you need any more convincing to try this recipe hack, then remember just how much goodness is in those skins. They contain fiber and phytochemicals, as well as vitamins and minerals. In other words, they're good for your digestion, bone health, immunity, and overall health. Research suggests that B vitamins can help alleviate anxiety, while choline (which is found in potato skins) is renowned for its beneficial properties in relation to your mood and your memory, along with your muscle control (via Livestrong). Potassium and other minerals such as calcium and magnesium can also positively impact your blood pressure. Just think about all the good nutrients you're wasting the next time you bin your potato peels.
Keep potatoes cool (but do not chill them)
If you keep your spuds in the fridge, then you could be putting them in the worst place. Simply put, they're just not going to last as long if they're kept so cold. It's not always clear how best to store vegetables, and so you may need a fridge hack for those you do keep in the chiller. Before you stash your spuds, check if any of them need to be eaten imminently, which would be ones that are looking a bit battered and bruised. Love Potatoes warns that whatever you do, don't wash these vegetables before storing.
Other must-dos include keeping them away from light and making sure they're in a dry place to prevent them from going bad fast. That said, you don't want them trapped in an airtight container (or even one with a tight lid), either. Keep them ventilated by using baskets or netted bags in a cool place. Remember: If one rots, it'll soon make the others rot, too. A dark cupboard is your best bet, while adding a layer of newspaper underneath will toughen up the skin and protect them for longer.
Store your potatoes longer with an apple
There's nothing worse than choosing a fantastic dish to make (such as potato pancakes), only to find that your spuds are on their way out and have already sprouted. Once they're gone and past their best, there really isn't a lot you can do. The key is to follow some good advice on how to store them, so they don't start growing shoots before you've enjoyed their lovely starchy carbohydrate goodness. The key to making potatoes last longer may be a common fruit, according to a Lifehacker feature. Do try this at home!
It's simple: Just an apple into the mix. It's an idea that didn't just spring out of nowhere, and it's not an old wives' tale, either. Apples produce a gas called ethylene, and when this comes into contact with potatoes, it actually stops them from sprouting. While apples and potatoes may go well together because of this, the other advantage is that keeping this fruit away from other, ethylene-sensitive fruits and vegetables is a positive, too. Apples can cause this type of produce to become ripe too soon. So, it's not just where you store your potatoes, but what else you put with them.
Follow Nigella Lawson's advice for making fries
For such a simple side or snack, french fries can be so very different. Some are fat and floppy, while others are thin and crispy. However you like your fries, chances are what you don't find so appetizing are the ones that are swimming in grease or taste overly oily when you bite into them. Since they're made from deep frying potatoes, then trying to remove any excess fat can be a challenge. Trust British domestic goddess Nigella Lawson to come up with a culinary hack for just such a problem. What she suggests might surprise you, though.
Posting her take on Tuscan fries on @nigellalawson on Instagram, she reveals the secret is to use cold oil. Featured in HELLO!, the idea (which the celebrity chef admits sounds like a crazy idea, but certainly works) is explained further. It's usual that the chip pan is brought up to a pretty high temperature before frying, presumably so the potatoes won't soak up too much grease. To try this method, add chipped spuds to cold vegetable oil and heat this up to cook the fries. You don't need to peel; also, don't stir as you let them fry until the point when they're nearly done. Add unpeeled garlic cloves to the pan for around 5-10 minutes, and a minute before everything is ready, throw in some fresh herbs. Before serving, sprinkle on some sea salt flakes.
Make crispy roasties with a secret ingredient staple
Close your eyes and imagine biting into a deliciously hot roast potato. Can you hear that crunch before hitting the velvety softness inside? That crispy exterior is everything, yet everyone's eaten roasties that are too soft and chewy, or where the outside is browned but greasy instead,as if it's been doused in too much oil. It's a disappointment, especially when served with a grand roast dinner.
One way to guarantee your potatoes come out of the oven perfectly is by following a simple culinary trick posted on TikTok by @thatdudecancook. What's wonderful is that you only need one ingredient that's a kitchen staple, too: baking soda.
Peel and cut spuds into uniform sizes. Boil a pan of water and add a teaspoon of kosher salt and a teaspoon of baking soda. Add the potatoes for around 20-25 minutes to par-boil them. Add them to a bowl with some rosemary salt and olive oil and mix together. The baking soda breaks down the edges of the potatoes and fluffs them up a little. Roast in some hot olive oil and toss them as they cook. Once done, sprinkle on some truffle salt and pepper. Chef Not Required also recommends a similar method, while adding rosemary and garlic to the roasting pan for the last 30 minutes. The site also suggests using floury, starchy potatoes.
Crisp up fries by blanching
Do you put your potatoes straight into hot oil after cutting them up to make fries? You may be missing out on a step that could improve this much-loved side and snack.
According to Kitchen Seer, you can get crispier fries if you plunge them first into boiling water and then really cold water. This is called blanching, and it draws out the moisture from the vegetable. The result, after frying, is a crisper fry. The colder water means that when they are fried, they won't soak up as much oil, so they won't be as greasy. Blanching also stops your raw potatoes from browning, which can happen pretty quickly after cutting. This can be really useful if you're preparing fries in advance of actually frying them.
Working in batches, put the uncooked fries in boiling water for 3 minutes. Immediately put them into a bowl of iced water and leave them for 15 minutes. You then need to dry the fries. If you're not ready to use them, then try spreading them out on a lined baking sheet and freezing them. You can also use oil to achieve the same result. With this method, the cut, uncooked fries are put in hot oil for a minute or two before being taken out. There should be no coloring on the potatoes, which are now ready to be cooked for real.
Use potato juice for a better complexion
Next time you're preparing a deliciously creamy potato gratin for a dinner party, why not keep a bit of raw potato back for a facial? Yes, not only can you create some outstanding dishes with this nutritious root vegetable, but it's also good for your skin.
If you want to add a refreshing tone to your beauty routine, then try a hack of a different type (via Health Shots). Mineral-rich potatoes can help refresh the skin, improve your complexion, and lock in moisture, while calming down inflammation and reducing dark circles under the eyes and tired-looking skin. Not bad for a root vegetable!
All you need to do is juice a medium-sized potato. Add 3 tablespoons of this juice to 2 tablespoons of honey and mix. Apply this mask to your face and neck, massaging it into your skin, and let it dry. After around 15 minutes, just wash it off. You can use this potato mask daily. You can use slices of raw potato that've been refrigerated on the eyes to tighten the skin, get rid of puffiness, and smooth out fine lines (via Business Standard). Make sure you don't relax so much that you forget all about the potato dish you're supposed to be cooking, though!
Remove stains with raw potato
As if the incredible culinary versatility of what has to be the most revered of carbohydrates weren't enough, it turns out that you can use a spud to clean, too! In case you find that a potato in your pantry has gone off and is no longer good to eat, consider how it can be used in a number of household cleaning remedies before you throw it away.
For one, if eating fries dipped in ketchup has meant that you've stained your top, then raw potato may be able to help. This tip by Maids by Trade tells you how to remove stains from fabrics. You may find that this cleaning suggestion works better on lighter stains than bright-red sauce, but either way, start by rubbing the mark with raw potato. Pressing on the stain with a potato or using some water that potatoes have been cooked in may be enough to get rid of the spoiled spot. You can also rub fabric with a potato and boil it in a pan of water for a minute, or let it soak in cold water for an hour. Make sure you rinse your garment, however you use your potato. You can also use a potato to remove rust and tarnish, as well as clean and de-fog glass!
Grow a potato hill without soil
If you're interested in growing your own veggies, then the idea of having your own harvest of spuds may appeal to you greatly. Not only is growing your own potatoes not overly complicated, but with a green-fingered hack from The Savvy Age, you don't even need any soil or compost, either. How is that possible, you may ask? Read on and find out how to make your own potato hill at home.
You can use seed potatoes or even ones you've bought at the store. Cut wedges of your vegetables around where they've sprouted and give them a day to dry out. Put these wedges on the dirt, with the eye pointing upward. Space them out so there's 12 inches between them, and pile on mulch or clippings on top to a depth of about 6 inches, then water. What's ideal about this hack is that you don't have to dig through the dirt to harvest, and you're not likely to accidently spear a spud when you're gardening. Add hay, mulch, or clippings as your potatoes grow, and simply look through your hill to find ones that are ready to pick and use for a fabulous potato recipe hack.
Make creamier mash with Tyler Florence's cooking tip
Do you have memories of lumpy mash or sludgy wallpaper-paste-like spuds at school? If so, then it's time to reignite your passion for what can be an extraordinary side with a mash hack from renowned chef and Food Network star Tyler Florence. His tip is to ditch the water and make a simple change when cooking your potatoes to make them a lot creamier, as revealed in a feature in Popsugar.
Cook your potatoes in single cream, with butter and olive oil added. The liquid should just cover the peeled and chopped potatoes. If you've got around 1.3 kilograms of spuds, then you'll want to use 3 tablespoons of salted butter and the same amount of oil. Throw in some garlic and a bunch of herbs (such as sage, rosemary, and thyme), plus a teaspoon of salt. Simmer for 20 minutes or until soft when touched with a fork. Drain, keeping the liquid, and then with the potatoes in a bowl, add the garlic and herb infused cream, getting rid of any herb stalks. Mash so it looks velvety, and you have yourself the creamiest mashed potato ever!
Create crags for crispier roasties
If there's one culinary dish the British excel at, it's making roast potatoes. These crispy spuds are served with a classic Sunday roast beef, while mashed potatoes are sometimes added to the plate as well. As the meat sizzles, the potatoes cook in the oven in fat too, as do the Yorkshire puddings. These roasties are not just a simple side; they're an intrinsic part of a classic meal. And the key to their success is that they're crunchy. One TikTok post by @scheckeats demonstrates how to guarantee that crispiness.
Parboil peeled and cut Yukon Gold or red potatoes, putting them in cold water with kosher salt before heating up. The salt will penetrate the spuds and add to the flavor. Once the spuds are fork-tender, drain them and "rough them up" with a wooden spoon so that they have a craggy texture. This increased surface area lets the oil in and adds crunch. You can add the potatoes to a hot baking tray and heated-up oil, but it's not necessary. While avocado oil is used, you can also drizzle on duck fat instead. Add fresh rosemary with seasonings such as paprika, old bay, and garlic powder. You can also add oregano, thyme, and Maldon sea salt, plus black pepper. Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit until the potatoes look nearly done and are nicely brown, turn off the oven, and leave the tray in there for another 10 minutes (via Real Simple).
Speed up oven-baked potatoes
The reason the kitchen is the heart of any home, especially when it starts to get colder outside, is that if you're cooking something delicious in the oven (like baked potatoes) for so long, it warms up the kitchen. However, if energy bills, time, or the fact that its summer (or possibly all three) are making you want to speed up your potato cooking, then you'll be glad to know there's a simple way showcased by Good Life Eats, which avoids just microwaving your spuds instead.
There's no doubt that sticking a potato in the microwave is quicker than cooking it in the oven. But, and it's a big but, you're just not going to get that same contrast between the fluffy inside and the crispier outside. If you don't want to settle for microwaved-baked potatoes, then you can use both methods. In other words, microwave first, and bake in the oven to finish. Problem solved, and no more soggy-skinned spuds. To ensure the oven crisps up the skins, set it to preheat higher than you would if you were using the oven for the whole of the cooking time.
Set the oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash, stab, and dry your potatoes. Cook for up to 4 minutes in your microwave before turning them over and cooking for the same amount of time again. Put olive oil and salt over the skins. Transfer to your hot oven for 20 minutes, and they're done.
Make crispy garlic potatoes without an oven
Here's the issue. You're making a sumptuous feast, but your oven's jampacked — and there's no way you're going to fit a tray or two of potatoes in there. But you know that roast potatoes are going to go incredibly well with the other dishes you've prepared. What do you do? You follow a potato hack, that's what — and what better place to get some good cooking tips than Mashed (sourcing great ideas from TikTok)?
User @morganhipworth has some great ideas when it comes to making garlic roast potatoes using a pan. Wash and boil peeled and cut spuds after drying on a lined tray. Cook thinly sliced garlic in a pan of olive oil on low heat for 20 minutes before straining. Heat the oil in a pan and add the cooked potatoes, sautéing until they go nice and crisp. Add sea salt, rosemary, and the cooked cloves, and toss.
Meanwhile, @feelgoodfoodie also prescribes the pan-roasted potato method. Boil potatoes that have been cut into the size of roasties, without peeling. When they're fork-tender, add to hot oil, adding smoked paprika and garlic as they crisp up. Sprinkle fresh herbs on top for some greenery.
Use your microwave to make mashed potatoes
So, to make mashed potatoes, you first need to add your spuds to salted water and bring them to the boil before simmering, right? Actually, before you follow this well-worn technique that everybody knows, why don't you consider making mash without boiling your potatoes?
A mash-making tip on Mumsnet reveals a "faff-free" method that's quick and easy, which is perfect for mums wanting to rustle up some mash for their little ones without pans of boiling water bubbling over. Not only that, but there's no peeling or mashing, either! Microwave clean, unpeeled potatoes, and when they're done, halve them. Using a spoon, scoop out the middle right onto the plate you're serving your mash on. Smash the soft potato with a fork and add butter and whatever topping you like.
Meanwhile, you can also follow @davidchang's method. Peel and cut up potatoes before seasoning with pepper, cover, and microwave for around 8 minutes. Add some butter and pour in some milk before mashing. Season with some savory salt and serve.
Enjoy super crispy potato squares
Just when you thought you knew all that could be done with the simple potato, along comes another great culinary tip that blows your mind. If you want to know how to make the crunchiest dish ever, then potato squares are what you've been looking for.
Posted on TikTok by @monmackfood, the secret to this hack is in grating and freezing your spuds! Grate peeled potatoes and fry them in some salted olive oil for 5 minutes. Put in a dish lined with wrap, and freeze. Chop your frozen block into squares, coat in cornflower, and deep fry in vegetable oil. After around 5-7 minutes, drain your crispy potatoes and add a sprinkle of salt.
Similar to this are 15-hour potatoes (as demonstrated on TikTok by @poppycooks). Actually, they're more like crispy rectangles than squares. Peel and then thinly slice your potatoes, cover in beef dripping with salt, and layer these into an ovenproof dish. Cook in the oven for 3 hours so the potatoes are tender. Next, cover and weigh down with cans before leaving in the fridge for 10-12 hours. Cut the compact potato into uniform slices, using a tape measure for guidance, and deep fry. Sprinkle with salt and enjoy biting into the many crispy layers.
Peel a potato using a fork
A tip-top TikTok lifehack for peeling potatoes posted by @larissaandjoel saves your fingers and knuckles from scrapes. It's also super-fast, and you don't even need any special equipment — just a fork.
Take a potato that needs peeling. Stick a fork in it so that the spud's not going to come off the end without pulling. Holding the fork, make downward motions with a peeler to remove the skin. Turn the fork so you can peel all round.
Another example, posted on TikTok by @thatdudecancook, uses a similar method. However, in this hack, the speared potato is rested on a wooden board as it's peeled and turned, no doubt adding some extra stability. Once you've finished peeling all that you can with the fork in, there's an extra step. Take out the fork, then finish removing the peel close to where the utensil has been with the peeler, while holding the potato firmly. It's not easy to imagine a quicker way to carry out this task, and if you've got a whole bag full of potatoes to work with, then this technique could easily become your go-to.
Turn potatoes into a fun spiral
If you've ever tried potato spirals, potato springs, or a tornado fry (as they're sometimes called), then you'll need no convincing about how moreish they are. Not only do they look fun and creative, they're also easy to munch on, since you're just holding a stick and biting off crunchy bits of potato (with softness in each bite, too).
What you might not have thought of, however, is just how easy it could be to make them at home. This potato baking suggestion is revealed in an article on LEAFtv. And since this potato on a stick is baked in the oven, not fried, this makes for a healthier crunchy snack hack for kids.
Craft the swirling design by pushing a wooden skewer through a peeled potato. Of course, you need a fairly good-sized spud for this. The stick needs to run through the length, from one end to the other. Cut down at one end until the blade hits the skewer, and turn the potato while you move the knife to follow. Do this until you reach the other narrow end of your vegetable. Push the potato down the stick so that it opens up and creates a spiral. Before putting in an oven on a baking sheet for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, brush some olive oil on and season. You can use salt and pepper, or try other flavors such as cayenne and garlic powder.
Make waffles from raw spuds and leftover mash
Had enough of mashed potatoes and roasties? Eaten enough fries for a while, and had your fill of boiled potatoes, duchess potatoes, and potato wedges? Feel like a change from dauphinois, baked potatoes, and crispy smashed potatoes?
An interesting way to turn raw potatoes into a tasty dish, according to one Reddit tipster, is to grate them and cook in a waffling iron. An added piece of advice on this thread is to dry the grated potato with a kitchen towel after plunging the shreds in icy water. Apparently, this is a sure-fire way of making the potatoes crisp up even more, so you get a really good crust on your waffle.
If you've already cooked your spuds and have some leftover mash, then you can also use this to make a waffle, as suggested in a TikTok post by @mell_asari. Mix together mash, grated cheese, and an egg with flour and chopped spring onions. Oil your waffle maker and pour the mixture in to sizzle away, and add gravy on top of a stack of these savory sides or snacks. Use your imagination and think about what else you could add to customize your own waffle and what toppings and sauces you could combine with your potato creation.
Rub your grill with a potato before a cookout
Want to cook some potatoes on the grill? You may want to get your spud on your barbecue before you even start. You've probably done some type of grilling for an al fresco meal, whether you're cooking up some succulent steaks or charring some veggies for a plant-based cookout. Either way, you're likely to have come across the annoyance of whatever is on the grill, sticking to the rack. As you yank away, you can end up with food stuck on, losing that chargrilled part. Or you may pull in a way that causes whatever you're grilling to fall through the rack and into the hot coals.
To make your grill non-stick, heat it up. Stick half a raw potato on the end of a fork and rub the inside of it across the hot grill so the starch comes out. This is a great tip for grilling fish, which always sticks (via Good Housekeeping). Meanwhile, when cooking potatoes on the grill, season par-boiled spuds beforehand. Try herbs and olive oil with some chili flakes. You can also mix olive oil or mayonnaise with mustard, or use a pesto or tapenade with oil instead. You can also use a dry spice rub (via Fine Cooking).
Fry leftover mash for a quick snack
Even though mashed potato is so extraordinarily moreish, since it's usually served as a side, there's often some left at the end of a meal. This is exactly what you want. In fact, it's worth cooking some extra mash just so you can make an incredible snack the next day using the leftovers.
A Reddit thread suggests frying up mashed potatoes. Take the mash out of the fridge and roll into balls before putting them in the freezer for an hour. Coat in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, then add another coat of egg and breadcrumbs. Then, all you need to do is fry.
Other ideas from across the globe include a croquette which is popular in Japan and made with mince and onions, with a similar dish served up as an appetizer in Italy. Meanwhile, you can use mashed potato to make sweet Hungarian dumplings with plums and cinnamon, plus sugar, coated in breadcrumbs (via Budapest Cooking Class). Another variation is a street food snack that's well-known in Puerto Rico called papas rellenas. The potato balls are stuffed with meats, olives, raisins, and spices (via Happy Baking Days).
Boil spuds in Guinness before roasting
If you like the taste of the black stuff — as in the smooth, creamy taste of Guinness — then you'll be delighted by this fun roast potato tip that uses a can of this tasty stout. Posted on an English TikTok channel, @dadthedish, what's brilliant about this hack is that it's fuss-free, too. That's because you just literally open a can of draught Guinness and pour it in. If you want to try yourself, here's how.
Soak your peeled and cut potatoes in salted water and then drain. In a pan, add a whole can of Guinness and 400 milliliters of vegetable stock. Add the potatoes and boil for around 8 minutes before draining. Shake them once in the colander to fluff them up, then add a tablespoon of flour. Meanwhile, heat oil in a roasting tray in the oven at around 374 degrees Fahrenheit and put the spuds in, turning them so they're fully coated. Add garlic and salt before roasting for 15 minutes. Turn them over, roast for another 15 minutes, and repeat this step. Serve with gravy. There are so many hacks on how to create the best roast potatoes, but this one has to be the most original!
Make a dessert with a potato pudding
It's something of a British culinary tradition to create recipes that use simple produce in pretty inventive ways, like making a dessert out of a potato. Interestingly, this practice has been around for hundreds of years, as noted by Foods of England. In fact, as far back as the 18th century, potatoes were being used to make pudding, which was sometimes served with meat. In the renowned 19th century recipe bible "The Book of Household Management" by Mrs. Beeton, mashed potatoes are mixed with sherry, lemon juice and peel, and sugar, as well as butter, eggs and milk. Meanwhile, crushed almonds are added as an optional ingredient before the mixture is baked in the oven.
An example of a dessert dish that consisted of potatoes was curate's pudding, which appeared in various forms in the early 20th century. One recipe involves pressing cooked boiled potatoes through a sieve before sweetening. Similar to the earlier Mrs. Beeton's version, this pudding is also baked in a buttered dish. It's also served with a raspberry sauce (via Foods of England). While it's interesting to learn about new culinary techniques and creations, sometimes, the best place to find a great hack or a new way of doing something is to look back at the past, where a forgotten idea may be waiting to be rediscovered.
Bake potatoes in charcoal
It's doubtful whether there's a baked potato recipe out there that's as back-to-basics delicious as one that's been cooked in hot coals. There's something so intensely flavorful about cooking in this way, with the skin taking on such a wonderfully meaty texture and the inside so velvety soft. With a potato cooked this way, you need nothing more than a knob of butter and some seasoning. The best part? You can make it even when you're not camping, as demonstrated in a YouTube clip posted by Jacob's Weekend Cooks.
Burn some charcoal, making sure you're following fire safety rules. When the coals turn white and ashy, level them out and add a few more briquettes on top to make sure your pile stays hot. Wrap potatoes in around three or four layers of aluminium foil and add to the hot coals. Keep an eye on them, flipping them every 15 minutes or so. They should take about an hour to cook. Using protective gloves, give the spuds a little squeeze. If they "give," then they're ready, so remove them from the charcoal oven when that happens. You can also cook potatoes in the embers of a wood fire (via Ignite Stoves). Cut them open with a knife and enjoy straight out of the foil.
While food fads may come and go, the humble potato's taste is both luxurious and a classic — enough to remind you just how good the simple things in life really are.