How to cook potatoes in their skins: ways to speed up the process and not lose vitamins

Tunic - a very strange name for a potato peel. But there is an explanation for everything. In Russia, the vegetable was not cooked, but was thrown into the bonfire whole and brought to readiness on charcoal. After removing the vegetable from the fire, he was all black, in soot. And the peel swelled under the influence of high temperature, making the tuber larger than it actually is. Probably, one of the eaters with a rich imagination associated this “pomp” of baked potatoes in a bonfire with high conceit of officials wearing a uniform. So an unusual name was born.

I must admit that the dish, combined in the minds of Russian people with a piece of slightly salted herring and green onions, is hardly able to decorate the festive table. But as an everyday dinner, boiled unpeeled potatoes - that’s it. Firstly, because quickly. And secondly, because it’s useful. The peel, aka “uniform”, prevents the destruction of vitamins and minerals in the process of heat treatment. While in a boiled peeled potato, not a gram of its former utility remains.

And what's under the skin

It would be more correct to ask not “what is under the skin”, but “what is in the skin”. Potato is one of those vegetables in the “wrapper” of which is the greatest value. The vast majority of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other beneficial substances are not found in the pulp, but in the skin. The one most used to get rid of before the heat treatment.

The peel cut and sent to the trash can is 15% of the discarded good. Another 30% of the benefits will be destroyed in the cooking process. Only a little more than half of the vitamins present in the raw unpeeled vegetable will remain in the plate.

• Cellulose. Without it, the gastrointestinal tract cannot function normally. Excess fiber is an effective treatment and preventive measure for constipation. A sufficient amount of this substance in the body protects a person from an increase in blood sugar. The jacket potato contains three times more fiber than a banana, which seems to be much more healthy.
• Vitamin C. The substance necessary for the immune system to cope well with its functions - protects the body from numerous viruses. Without this vitamin, iron is not absorbed, and the skin and internal organs begin to age prematurely. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant present in abundance in boiled unpeeled potatoes.
• Selenium. There is a stereotype that nuts are the absolute record holders for this substance. Uniform potato is a rebel that destroys public opinion. In fact, it is he who rightfully owns this title.
• Potato starch. He is so afraid of losing weight due to the harm caused by starch to the figure. However, there is another side to the coin. This substance can become a reliable protection of the stomach from the destructive effects of drugs and normalize the functioning of the digestive tract.

How and how much to cook potatoes in their skins in different ways

In Soviet cuisine, cooking potatoes in their skins could only be done in one way - cook in a pan. But the kitchen in the apartment of the 21st century is a different matter.The kitchen "arsenal" over the past decade has replenished with new appliances. Such, for example, as a crock-pot or microwave. And therefore, the answers to the question of how to properly boil potatoes in their skins in a pan, became at least three times more. The table below shows the cooking time, depending on the method chosen.

Table - Cooking time for potatoes in a peel

20 minutes - just as much you need to cook potatoes in their skins after boiling water. But if the product is intended for the preparation of salad, the cooking time can be safely reduced to 15 minutes.

In the pan

Features The “in the pan” method is considered classic not because of convenience, but because of availability. If not every kitchen has a microwave or multicooker, then without a gas or electric stove a modern kitchen certainly cannot exist.

Action algorithm

1. Using a clean sponge for washing dishes, thoroughly wash potato tubers under running water. We use not the soft, but the hard side of the sponge in order to qualitatively clean the surface of the vegetable from adhering earth.
2. We put the potatoes in a pan and pour the water so that the tubers are completely under water, and the liquid level is 2 cm higher than the top vegetable.
3. Close the pan with a lid and put on a big fire. After boiling, reduce the fire, add salt from the calculation: half a tablespoon to 1 liter of water and leave to boil for 18-20 minutes.
4. Cook large potatoes in their skins will take 3-5 minutes longer. If time is running out, potatoes should be cut into several parts before cooking. So the vegetable will boil faster, however, due to a violation of the integrity of the peel, it will lose a fair portion of vitamins.

In a slow cooker

Features A crock-pot is a kitchen appliance designed to replace several devices for cooking at once. The slow cooker allows you to fry like a frying pan, and simmer it like a pressure cooker. It can be steamed using a special container, and cook - exactly the same as in a pan.

Action algorithm

1. Thoroughly wash the potato tubers and put them in a multi-cooker bowl.
2. Add water to the bowl so that it covers the potatoes completely plus 1 cm on top.
3. We select the "Cooking" mode and set the timer for 30 minutes.
4. Close the lid of the appliance and wait for the signal about the readiness of the dish.
5. Having removed the potatoes from the bowl, put them in cold water for several minutes. So you can speed up the cooling process and simplify peeling.

In the microwave

Features The method of cooking in the microwave is the simplest and most “clean”. After it there is no dirty dishes left, and it takes the least time. To implement this method, you will need a whole (without holes) plastic bag or sleeve for baking.

Action algorithm

1. We wash the potato tubers from dirt and dust and dry with paper towels.
2. Salt and pepper, add any spices as desired and put the potatoes in a bag.
3. We tie a cellophane "container" and turn on the microwave oven, having previously installed the device at a power of 600 watts.
4. In this way, you can cook small potatoes in their skins so that it does not boil. Ready-made tubers are whole on the outside and well-cooked inside.

A couple of recipes

Someone is waiting for spring to re-inhale the smell of flowers and green grass. And someone - to finally enjoy the taste of boiled young potatoes with butter and dill. Also interesting is the method from Syracuse (New York State), promoted at one time by the resourceful entrepreneur John Heinerwadel.

Spring delicacy

Features Peeling potatoes is a thankless task. This is a long and not the most pleasant process. The peel is reluctant to peel, leaving characteristic brown spots on the skin of the hands. You may not have known, but peeling a young vegetable is not necessary. It can be thoroughly washed under running water and sent to the pan for further cooking right in the peel. A young potato in a jacket is cooked quite quickly - about 20 minutes. And even faster is eaten.

You will need:

• young potatoes - 5-6 tubers;
• dill - half a bunch;
• butter - 70 g

Cooking algorithm

1. Bring the water in the pan to a boil.
2. Throw vegetables into it.
3. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
4. To understand the degree of readiness, we use a fork or a toothpick: if the tubers pierce easily, then the pan can be removed from the fire.
5. Season with finely chopped herbs and butter. Mix gently and let it brew for five minutes.
6. We do not use a knife to check the readiness of potatoes. A boiled tuber may fall apart under a knife blade. So, the finished dish will look on the plate is not so aesthetically pleasing.

Syracuse

Feature. Syracuse potato is, in fact, our jacket potato, only boiled in brine. The taste of the dish is a little peculiar due to the large amount of salt. But they add it in abundance for a reason. Salt is a substance that can increase the boiling point. This means that in brine potato tubers are cooked faster than in slightly salted water.

You will need:

• a lot of salt;
• small potatoes - 10-15 pieces.

Cooking algorithm

1. Pour water into the pan and add salt to it until it stops dissolving.
2. We make sure that during cooking, the water always covers the vegetables with two fingers. If necessary, add boiling water to the pan, simultaneously adding a little salt.
3. After boiling, reduce the heat and leave the potatoes to boil for about half an hour.

Mistress note

The use of little tricks is the key to tasty and moderately boiled potatoes in their uniforms. So tasty that homework will certainly ask you to repeat this trick. Moreover, it will not matter to them what you serve the dish with - herring fillet, smoked mackerel or fried bacon. Take note of the following five subtleties of making the perfect potato.

1. So that the potatoes do not stick together when cutting. The sticking of potato slices to a knife annoys not only housewives, but also professional chefs. But the latter have one important trick: to deprive the vegetable of stickiness, it is necessary to put it in a pan not before boiling water, but after.
2. To not "bare" when cooking. Water should cover vegetables not in order to enhance the palatability of the finished dish, but in order to prevent boiling and “bare” part of the potatoes.
3. To keep more vitamins. Tuber readiness checks can result in the loss of a large amount of nutrients if you repeatedly pierce vegetables with a toothpick. The fewer holes, the more vitamins inside.
4. To make it tasty. The most delicious jacket potato is one that is not digested. Therefore, simply putting the vegetable on the fire and forgetting about it for a while will not work.
5. To please even children. After cleaning the tuber from its uniform, it can be cut into circles and fry in a small amount of vegetable oil.The dish will turn out not so useful, but super appetizing and archival.

But in general, knowing how to cook potatoes in their skins, you can cook aromatic and healthy food for the whole family. And while maintaining the maximum benefit in the product. If you worry that during the cooking process the flesh of the vegetable may darken, add a little 9% vinegar at the rate of a tablespoon per 2 liters of water. And if you are worried about the taste of potatoes frozen on the balcony, do not cook it right away. Let the tubers rest for a couple of days at home.

Reviews: “I put dill, parsley and a bay leaf in the water for flavor”

It would seem - what a banal question - how to cook potatoes. But there are a lot of varieties of cooking potatoes. Yes + besides, each housewife has her own culinary secrets acquired in the kitchen. For example, I salt potatoes after boiling, closer to how it will be ready. In the water where potatoes are cooked, I always put a sprig of dill, a sprig of parsley, 1 bay leaf for taste and aroma. Believe me, the prepared boiled potatoes will be very tasty and fragrant with these spices. And you can cook potatoes in a double boiler - it will preserve nutrients, appearance and, importantly, it will be tasty and healthy.

Ulyana, http://ya-sama.net/kulinariya/tehnologiya-prigotovleniya/kak-pravil-no-i-skol-ko-po-vremeni-varit-kartoshku.html

Submerge only in boiling water, REMEMBER THIS FOREVER, 1 kg of salt per 1 kg of potatoes should not be put, discard barely having time to try. If the potatoes are in salads, then drain the water and let it cool well, if you eat immediately, then first cut it and then peel it off.

Vasja Strunnikov, https://otvet.mail.ru/question/36369485

She herself has repeatedly thought about how to cook potatoes in their skins, in which water to put it - in cold or boiling. Cooked and so and so, but did not notice any difference. As a result, my preparation: I wash the potatoes well, put them in cold water, boil them, lower the temperature a little and cook for 15-20 minutes. Add a pinch of salt. I check the readiness as follows: I got down, I stab the potatoes with a knife.

Angelica, http://www.divomix.com/forum/kak-varit-kartoshku-v-mundire/

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