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To Boil Potatoes

A simple method for boiling potatoes until tender, then peeling and serving hot.

From an old cookbook · modernised transcription
From a historical cookbook (Internet Archive) · 2 ingredients
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To Boil Potatoes

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare

  1. Wash and scrub the potatoes clean with a hard brush.

  2. Rinse them well and arrange them compactly in a saucepan.

  3. Cover the potatoes with cold water.

Cook

  1. Bring the water to a boil, then add 1 teaspoon of salt for every quart of water.

  2. Simmer the potatoes until nearly done, then boil rapidly for the last 2-3 minutes.

  3. Check for tenderness by probing with a fork.

Drain and serve

  1. Drain the water immediately and lift the lid to let steam escape.

  2. Place the potatoes on a trivet or by the side of the fire until moisture evaporates.

  3. Peel and serve quickly, either in a hot napkin or a covered dish to allow steam to escape.

Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.

Explore the science

What each ingredient does

Potatoes
Starch softens during boiling, giving a tender, fluffy interior with a mild flavor.

The step that matters

Drain and let the potatoes dry. Water left clinging to the potatoes or trapped under a lid makes them waterlogged and soggy. Letting steam escape and allowing moisture to evaporate keeps the surface dry and the texture firm.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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