To Peel Potatoes Ahead of Time, Use This Trick Your Grandmother Knew

As much as we adore eating potatoes every which way, from mashed and scalloped to fried and roasted, peeling spuds can be labor-intensive (especially when you're entertaining a crowd). So, can you peel potatoes ahead of time? The answer is yes (yay) but of course, you need to know what to do with those precious pieces after they've been under the knife—and before cooking time starts. We caught up with a food safety expert and a chef to get the expert-approved method—and it's one your grandmother probably used.

How to Keep Cut Potatoes From Turning Brown

To save time in the kitchen, you can peel and cut raw potatoes well before you gather your mise en place and dive into your recipe. While it is safe to do so, you must take one additional step to prevent oxidation.

"Placing [peeled and cut] potatoes in water helps prevent oxidation, which turns their exposed flesh brown," says Ronna Welsh, author of The Nimble Cook and chef/owner of Purple Kale Kitchenworks, a cooking school in Brooklyn, NY. While oxidation won't make the potatoes unsafe to eat, it does change their flavor and so should be avoided.

How to Soak Cut Potatoes

To successfully prepare your potatoes ahead of time, you will need an airtight container with enough room to completely submerge the spuds in water. Here's how to tackle the task:

1. Fill an airtight container halfway with water. 
2. Wash potatoes in cold running water to remove any dirt. 
3. Peel the potatoes completely. 
4. Slice the potatoes according to recipe instructions (or keep them whole). 
5. As you slice, place the potatoes into the container with water. 
6. Once all of the potatoes are peeled and sliced, fill the rest of the container with water so the potatoes are completely submerged. 
7. Place the lid onto the container, making sure it's airtight. 
8. Store the potatoes in the refrigerator. 

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Types of Potatoes to Soak

Waxy potatoes, like white and Yukon gold, hold up better in water than non-waxy ones. "This is because they have less starch and more moisture and will take on less water while being stored," says Tracey Brigman, EdD, MS, RDN, LD, a clinical associate professor and associate director for National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia.

"Sweet potatoes can also be peeled and stored in water for up to 24 hours," says Brigman.

When Not to Peel, Cut, and Soak Potatoes

You should avoid peeling and cutting potatoes ahead of time for any recipe that calls for finely diced or grated potatoes. "Because all potatoes are rinsed of surface starch when soaked in water, grated potatoes would lose even more starch," says Welsh. "But starch is key to holding the potato pieces together for things like hash browns or potato pancakes, so you don't want to rinse it away." Grated potatoes are also more difficult to dry thoroughly, which is important if you want to fry them.

How to Prepare Peeled and Cut Potatoes for Cooking

What you do with your potatoes after soaking them in water depends on what you're using them for.

• For roasting: Pat the potatoes completely dry before adding oil and putting them in the oven, says Welsh.
• For frying: Rinse after soaking to rid the potatoes of excess surface starch, then drain and dry well.
• For boiling: Potatoes can be placed directly into the cooking pot after being drained, no rinsing or drying is needed.