Maris Piper boil to mush

[keat63]

I've never grown poatoes in any sort of quantity, usually a few in the back garden under my apple tree.
However, this year we took on an alottment, we have two healthy patatoe patches, with Maris Piper. (why we didn't do some earlies i'm not sure).

The harvested potatoes seem a bit odd.
In the respect that they don't make good roasties or chips (they seem dry).
Put them on to boil and they turn to mush inside 5 minutes.

They make decent mash if you keep your eye on them.
Take your eye off the pan and they turn to soup.

Can I assume this is down to the exceptionally dry summer we had. ?

[Mikey]

No its the variety, some potatoes are only really mashing potatoes and Maris piper is one of those in my humble opinion.

I like Jersey Royals - also know as International Kidney as my new potato of choice
Desiree - is my stalwart does anything potato
Maris Piper is my mashing potato preference, though I never use them in the water under my steam veg like I would do desiree they simply won't last the distance.

How about trying out here and here for next years varieties, you can get varieties to eat throughout the year and some that store really well too. I like to store mine in sand, in planters in the shed, they keep well, as though they are still in the ground to be fair mostly.

for a bible of potato varieties also try here

[Scarlet]

Have you tried steaming?

[4Shoes]

Pipers can be a bit temperamental. Could just be the season we've had, but I think it is more likely they are too fresh. You may find they will boil better the longer they are stored. The whole Marris family do tend to break down with early pickings, but that said, they are my go to potato when I run out late season.

[Chippy Minton]

When we've had that problem in the past I found that putting them in cold water and slowly bringing to a light simmer seemed to help. Hard boiling just seems to flood them with water. Pretty sure that's a tip I got from this group but can't remember where!

[bario1]

Leave them in your salad drawer in the fridge for a couple of months to dry out and they’ll cook perfectly.

[4Shoes]

Leave them in your salad drawer in the fridge for a couple of months to dry out and they’ll cook perfectly.

Does that not make them sweeter?

[bario1]

Don't know about that but it worked for me last year with my Charlottes.

[bario1]

Just tried boiling my Picassos I dug up yesterday. Moosh.

[keat63]

I stood watch over mine, took them out before they broke down completely.

[keat63]

As a matter of interest, I have a patch still in the ground.
The tops are all but gone, maybe the odd straggler still green.
How long can I leave them there.
Would they keep better in the ground or in my garage.

[bario1]

The middles of mine were still uncooked while the skins and outer layers of spud had disintegrated. Think i'll stick to Charlottes kept in the fridge for a couple of months in future.

[nooby]

Boil or steam them in their skins WHOLE. The skins will peel off a bit but you get left a lot more potato

Little restaurant trick... For the best mash ever roast the whole potato with jacket at 200 for an hour. Switch the over off and leave for another half hour then scoop out the potato and pass it through a ricer if possible. Add an obscene amount of butter, enough to make a Cardiologist reach for a drink and whip with a whisk until it all starts to move as one. Don't forget salt, pepper and a wee grate of fresh nutmeg.

If you don't have a ricer just whip for longer.

Trust me, it's a game changer.