Roasted Salt And Vinegar Potatoes Recipe | LaaLoosh (2024)

FAQs

Why does vinegar make potatoes crispy? ›

The acid in the vinegar can also help to slightly break down the surface of the potatoes, aiding in the development of a crispier texture during frying. Additionally, the vinegar can contribute to a golden-brown color on the exterior of the fries.

Playing With pH: Why You Should Add Baking Soda to Your Water. In my previous roast potato recipe, I recommended adding a splash of vinegar to the water for the initial boil. The idea is to control the breakdown of pectin, the cellular glue that holds vegetables together. Think of it as the mortar between bricks.

Instructions: Place potatoes into a pot and add 1 1/2 cups vinegar with 3 cups cold water (or enough to just about cover the potatoes). Add in 1 tbsp salt, give it a stir then bring to a boil. Cook until knife tender, around 25mins depending on the size of potato chunks.

Vinegar is also a natural preservative and can help to keep the potatoes fresh for a longer period of time. Additionally, the acidity of the vinegar can help to break down the starch molecules in the potatoes, making them creamier and easier to mix with other ingredients.

Vinegar causes the potatoes to form a thin crust that further helps in retaining their shape. Vinegar increases the acid pH levels of water which further helps the potato just like when you add a little salt to the water while boiling eggs.

This sure sounds a lot like potatoes that have been stored too long, in too cold of an environment before cooking. When potatoes are held below 41°F for too long a period, the starches convert to sugar and it changes the cooking chemistry.

Parboil the Potatoes First

Parboiling helps soften the potato insides before the roasting begins, so you won't be tempted to burn the outsides in exchange for less undercooked insides. Boil the potato chunks for eight to 10 minutes—they won't be fully cooked, but they'll be ready for the next step.

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

By rinsing off the excess starch, you can achieve a better balance and control over the browning process, resulting in evenly cooked and beautifully golden fries. Another advantage of rinsing the potatoes is that the cold water makes the potato cells firmer, leading to crispier fries when fried.

Dense potatoes don't absorb seasonings easily, so you'll need to salt the water liberally so that the water the potatoes do drink up also carries in seasoning. And because potatoes are so timid in flavor, they need that salt to bring them out of their shells. Pour some salt in, then keep going.

How long should you soak potatoes in water before baking? ›

2. Give them a cold water bath: Once your potatoes are chopped, toss them into a large bowl. Then cover the potatoes completely with cold water and let them soak for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight). This will help to rinse off the excess starch and help the potatoes crisp up beautifully in the oven.

After rinsing potatoes in cold water to remove dirt (if necessary), submerge potatoes in a vinegar bath of approximately 3 parts water and 1 part white vinegar. Ensuring they're all completely submerged, soak potatoes for 5 to 10 minutes, and then pat dry for immediate use.

Combine potatoes, 1 cup vinegar, and 1 Tbsp. kosher salt in a medium saucepan; add water to cover by 1”. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 20–25 minutes; drain and pat dry.

Once you've established that you're using the right ‌potato for boiling, adding vinegar to the water will help the potatoes maintain their form. In order to use this trick, you must boil potatoes for 30 minutes and add a little salt and vinegar to the boiling water at the 13-minute mark.

If your spuds are on the stove too long, "the potato cells start falling away, and the whole thing turns mushy." So what's that got to do with vinegar? Well, this tangy addition ups the acid factor of the water, which in turn helps keep that pectin from losing its grip on the starch.

Add lemon juice or vinegar

Just like you might use a squirt of lime juice to keep guacamole from browning, a bit of lemon juice or white vinegar in the bowl with the potatoes will ward off gray hues. Use one teaspoon to a half gallon of water to get all the anti-browning impact with no noticeable flavor changes.

Kenji López-Alt in The Food Lab, “a dehydrated layer of gelatinized starch [...,] much like when you fry a french fry.” The clumped starch mixes with the fat—more on that below—to form a “potato-oil paste” that “acts almost like a batter for fried foods, creating an extra layer of crispness as the potatoes roast.”

While some studies suggest that apple cider vinegar may have modest effects on metabolism and satiety, its impact on breaking down starch or fat in the stomach is limited. Incorporate it into a balanced diet, but don't rely solely on it for fat breakdown.