Potato storage can sometimes be a tricky business – blogger Jerry James Stone has come to the rescue with a simple tip that will keep your spuds fresh for up to six months
Blogger Jerry James Stone has served up an ace with his tip-top life potato hack.
If your spuds are sprouting and softening quicker than you can say “mash”, Jerry’s got you covered for stashing them soundly away for up to six months. He assured his fans that it’s a doddle to keep those tatties in tip-top condition, stating: “Storing potatoes is pretty simple”. “Store them in a brown paper bag,” said the influencer. “Just a brown paper bag, opened up. You don’t want to store them in plastic and you definitely don’t want to store them in a sealed plastic bag, because they don’t like the moisture.” “When they’re stored in a brown paper bag you want to keep that bag open,” added the blogger with another top tip. “Place it somewhere that’s a cool and sort of well-ventilated dark place,” reports the Daily Record.
Jerry warned of the dangers posed by light, revealing how it can bully spuds into going green and tasting sharp. And the influencer said the ideal storage temperature is between seven to 10C, to prevent those spuds from prematurely sprouting legs. “Potatoes can last up to three months this way, I’ve even had them last for up to six months and still keep fresh,” he said. To ensure your potatoes stay fresh for longer, it’s crucial to keep them separate from ethylene-producing fruit and veg. Some of the usual suspects that churn out ethylene, a colourless gas which acts as a ripening agent, include:
- Apples
- Bananas
- Melons
- Tomatoes
- Avocados
- Pears
- Kiwi
- Mangoes
Jerry also insisted that taters should never be stashed away in the fridge and there are good reasons for this. The exposure to the fridge light is one thing but there’s a more significant concern. “Putting potatoes in the fridge actually takes those starches within the potato and starts converting them into sugar,” he explained. “And that results just makes for a really unpleasant taste when it comes to potatoes.”
Onion, garlic and squash should also be kept in a dark, dry and airy space like a cupboard or pantry. Tomatoes retain their best flavour and juiciness outside the fridge too and are best kept on the kitchen counter. Mushrooms should also be stored in a paper bag to keep them fresh for longer and enhance their flavour. Cold temperatures can affect avocados too and bananas should be stored outside of the refrigerator. Potatoes are the most popular vegetable in the UK, with the average person eating more than 100kg a year. The root veg contains vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates and can be baked, boiled, mashed or roasted.
