Driest Potato Varieties

Driest Potato Types

• Russet potatoes are so-called based on their brown or russet-colored skin. They are the driest potato variety, have the highest starch content and are the most widely consumed potato in America. There are five types of russets commonly sold in the United States and all have the same, elongated shape and brown, sometimes bumpy exteriors. The different varieties differ slightly in taste and starch content and are interchangeable in cooking.

Medium Moisture Potatoes

• Potatoes with medium moisture levels include white, blue, purple, yellow and gold types. The white, blue and purple varieties range in shape from round to oblong, while the yellow and gold types are commonly round. Their medium moisture content coupled with their moderate levels of starch make them the most versatile of all potatoes.

Moistest Potato Varieties

• Red potatoes and fingerlings have the most moisture. Red potatoes, often mistakenly called new potatoes based on their small size, are round and exude a small amount of moisture when cut. Fingerlings get their name from their long, slender shapes and sometimes curve inward to form crescents. Red potatoes and fingerlings are frequently eaten unpeeled.

Cooking Different Potato Varieties

• The mealy texture and high starch in dry potatoes make them best for baking whole, mashing and sliced and baked in scalloped or au gratin potatoes. They easily absorb water but resist oil, so they are the most preferred type for French fries. Medium-moist potatoes are not quite as fluffy. These varieties are good boiled, steamed and in salads, but can still successfully be baked, fried, mashed or used in potato casseroles. The high moisture content of red and fingerling potatoes helps them hold their shape during roasting, steaming or boiling. Their delicate skins yield to soft, creamy interiors when they are slowly cooked at moderate temperatures.

Potato Preparation Tips

• Use a soft vegetable brush to clean the skins of potatoes to be eaten unpeeled to keep the peels intact. Prick the skins of potatoes before baking, steaming, boiling or roasting to prevent the heat inside from making the potatoes explode or fall apart. Avoid potatoes with green tints to their skins as they have been harvested too early and have an unpleasant grassy taste.