Quick Answer
It is possible to leave the peel on russet potatoes, but it is generally recommended to peel them before cooking. The peel contains higher levels of certain toxins that are minimized with peeling. However, leaving the peel on does offer some nutritional benefits.
Can You Eat Potato Skin?
The skin of a potato is entirely edible, despite some concerns over potential toxins. The peel contains higher levels of glycoalkaloids, which are toxic compounds found in nightshade vegetables like potatoes. Glycoalkaloids can cause gastrointestinal distress if consumed in very high amounts.
However, the levels found in potato skins are very low and not considered dangerous. According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the average person can safely consume up to 1 milligram of glycoalkaloids per kilogram of body weight per day.
So unless you are eating many pounds of potato skins in one sitting, you should not experience any negative effects. Some people also seem to be more sensitive to glycoalkaloids than others. But overall, the compounds are not a major concern for the majority of people eating moderate amounts of potatoes.
Some other potential downsides to leaving the skins on potatoes:
– Textural changes – skins can sometimes end up rubbery or leathery, especially if potatoes are overcooked.
– Cooking time – skins may take longer to become tender than the inner flesh.
– Dirt – potatoes are grown underground and not washed before being sold commercially, so skins may harbor traces of dirt or microbes. Proper washing is essential.
However, leaving skins on also has some advantages:
Nutritional Benefits
Potato skins contain a concentrated amount of nutrients compared to the flesh. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the skins provide:
– 4 times more fiber -skins have 2 grams of fiber per medium potato while the flesh has 0.5 grams.
– 5 times more iron – skins have 3.5 milligrams vs. 0.7 mg in the flesh.
– 3 times more potassium – 620 mg in the skins vs. 210 mg in the flesh.
– 4 times more calcium – 30 mg in skins vs. 7 mg in flesh.
– 3 times more zinc – 0.4 mg in skins vs. 0.1 mg in the flesh.
– 2 times more vitamin C – 13 mg in skins vs. 6 mg in flesh.
– 3 times more vitamin B6 – 0.5 mg in skins vs. 0.15 mg in flesh.
– 8 times more vitamin K – 10 mcg in skins vs. 1 mcg in flesh.
So keeping the nutrient-dense peel on potatoes can significantly increase their nutritional value. Potatoes with skins on are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Are Russet Potato Skins Nutritious?
Russet potatoes, with their brown netted skin and fluffy white interior, are one of the most popular types of potatoes. Their skins in particular are highly nutritious.
According to SELF Nutrition Data, the skins of a medium russet potato (about 173g) contain:
– 7 grams of fiber – 27% of the Daily Value (DV)
– 4 milligrams iron – 18% DV
– 920 milligrams of potassium – 26% DV
– 44 milligrams magnesium – 11% DV
– 46 milligrams of vitamin C – 51% DV
– 1.4 milligrams vitamin B6 – 82% DV
– 28 micrograms vitamin K – 34% DV
– 360 milligrams phosphorus – 26% DV
Russet skins are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin K, and fiber. They also contain substantial amounts of iron, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus.
Compared to other potato varieties, russets tend to have a higher fiber content in their skins. And fiber is linked to many health benefits including improved digestion, heart health, and blood sugar control.
Overall, the skins of russet potatoes are very nutritious and contain a significant concentration of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Leaving them on can boost the nutritional value of russet potatoes.
Best Cooking Methods for Potatoes with Skins
Most cooking techniques allow you to leave the skins on potatoes. However, some methods may be better than others for maximizing texture and nutrient retention.
Baking
Baking whole potatoes is one of the best ways to prepare them with the skins on. The dry heat helps render the skins nicely crispy on the outside while the inside flesh becomes light and fluffy.
To bake potatoes:
– Scrub potatoes well and prick several times with a fork. This allows steam to escape and prevents exploding.
– Rub with oil or butter and seasonings as desired.
– Place directly on oven rack or on a sheet pan lined with parchment.
– Bake at 400°F for 60-90 minutes, until skins are crispy and insides are easily pierced with a knife.
Baking brings out the best attributes of potato skins.
Roasting
Roasting diced potatoes is also an excellent way to cook them with skins on. The high heat of the oven at around 400°F crisps up the skins nicely.
To roast potatoes:
– Peel if desired or leave skins on and scrub well.
– Dice potatoes into 1-2 inch chunks.
– Toss with oil and seasonings of choice.
– Roast on a sheet pan for 45-60 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Roasting gives a nice mix of crispy browned skins and tender, creamy insides when cooking diced potatoes.
Mashing
You can also prepare mashed potatoes leaving the skins on, which adds fiber and nutrients.
To make mashed potatoes with skins:
– Peel if desired or leave skins on and scrub potatoes well.
– Cut into chunks.
– Boil until very fork tender, about 15 minutes.
– Drain and return to pot.
– Mash with milk, butter, and any other ingredients until smooth and creamy.
The skins should mash down into a relatively smooth puree while adding an earthy flavor and rustic texture.
Frying
French fries and home fries/potato pancakes are also great ways to cook potatoes with their skins. Frying crisps up the skins nicely.
For frying:
– Leave skins on and scrub clean.
– Cut potatoes into fries, cubes or shreds.
– Rinse in cold water to remove starch.
– Dry thoroughly before frying.
– Fry at 325-375°F until deep golden brown.
Fried potatoes develop a satisfying crunch from the crispy skins.
Slow Cooking
For very tender skins, cooking potatoes low and slow is the way to go. The moist environment of the slow cooker, at around 200°F, helps break down the skins over several hours.
To slow cook potatoes:
– Peel if desired or leave skins on and scrub clean.
– Chop potatoes or leave whole if small.
– Place in slow cooker with broth, cream or other liquids.
– Cook on low for 7-8 hours.
The skins should become very soft and tender after slow cooking, while still providing some texture.
Should You Peel Russets?
Russet potatoes have a hardy brown skin that holds up well to cooking. But should you peel them? Here are some pros and cons:
Reasons to Peel
There are some valid reasons to remove the skin from russets:
– Appearance – Peeling gives a more uniform and refined look when mashing or pureeing potatoes. It creates smoother mashed potatoes or potato soups and sauces.
– Texture – Skins can sometimes end up a little too al dente. Peeling ensures a silky smooth pureed dish.
– Cooking time – Dense skins may require longer cooking than the inner flesh. Peeling reduces cooking time.
– Growing conditions – If growing conditions are wet, skins may be thicker with more glycoalkaloids. Peeling can remove any green spots or imperfections.
– Personal preference – Some people simply don’t like the texture of skins and prefer peeled potatoes.
So peeling russet potatoes can be better in some cases based on the recipe, cooking method, or personal tastes.
Reasons to Leave Skins On
On the other hand, leaving russet skins on has some advantages:
– Nutrition – Skins contain lots of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Peeling removes many nutrients.
– Texture – Russet skins provide a nice contrast of crispiness. They hold up well when baked or roasted.
– Flavor – Skins add an earthy, potatoey richness from their additional caramelization.
– Time – Peeling takes more prep work and time. Leaving skins on is faster.
– Waste – Peeling wastes food that could be consumed.
So keeping skins on preserves nutrients, provides textural contrast, boosts flavor, saves time, and prevents waste.
Whether to peel or not peel russets depends on your preferences and the dish you are making. But the skins are fully edible if you want to take advantage of their nutrition.
Do You Have to Peel Potatoes for Soup?
Potato soup often calls for peeling and dicing pounds of potatoes. But is it necessary to peel them for soup?
Here are some things to consider:
– Texture – Potato skins may give an undesirable grainy texture in smooth pureed soups. Peeling helps avoid this.
– Appearance – Skins can make potato soups look rustic. Peeling gives a more refined silky appearance.
– Cooking time – Diced skins take longer to soften than the inside flesh when simmering in soup. Peeling reduces cooking time.
– Potatoes varieties – Waxy potatoes like red or Yukon gold have very thin, tender skins. Peeling is not as necessary. Russets and other starchy potatoes have tougher skins.
– Pureeing method – Hand mashing or an immersion blender may not fully puree skins. Using a standing blender or food mill removes skins more effectively for the smoothest texture.
– Personal preference – Some enjoy skins in soup for the texture and nutrition. Others want smooth and silky soups without skins.
Overall, peeling is recommended for pureed potato soups to allow potatoes to cook evenly and achieve the silkiest texture. But leaving skins on works for more rustic style soups with dicier potatoes. Consider the potato type, cooking method, and your texture preferences.
Should You Peel Potatoes for Mashing?
Mashed potatoes often start with peeled, chunked potatoes boiled and mashed with butter, milk, and seasonings. But is it necessary to peel potatoes for good mashed potatoes?
Here are some things to consider when making mashed potatoes:
– Texture – Skins may not fully break down when mashing, giving a slightly uneven texture. Peeling helps achieve super smooth and creamy mashed potatoes.
– Lumps – Small bits of skin can stubbornly remain and create lumps after mashing. Peeling reduces the chance of lumps.
– Appearance – Skins create a more rustic, country-style look. Peeling makes mashed potatoes look more refined.
– Potatoes varieties – Thin-skinned waxy potatoes like Yukon gold mash more smoothly with skins on than starchy russets or brown-skinned potatoes.
– Mix-ins – Leaving skins on works well when mashed potatoes include mix-ins like cheese, garlic, or herbs that add other textures and flavors.
– Nutrition – Skins add fiber, vitamins and minerals to mashed potatoes. Peeling removes much of this nutritional value.
For velvety smooth classic mashed potatoes, peeling is recommended. But skins can be left on for a heartier, more rustic texture and added nutrition, especially with flavorful mix-ins. Consider your texture and health goals when deciding whether or not to peel potatoes for mashing.
Should You Peel Potatoes for Roasting?
Roasted potatoes develop crisp, golden brown exterior and fluffy interior when cooked in a hot oven. Should you peel potatoes before roasting them? Here are some pros and cons:
Reasons to Peel Potatoes for Roasting
– Uniform texture – Peeling helps potatoes cook evenly so inside and outside tenderize at the same rate.
– Shorter cook time – Skins take longer to crisp so peeling reduces total roasting time.
– Appearance – Peeling gives a tidy uniform look. Skins can look ragged after high heat roasting.
– More oil absorption – Peeling allows potatoes to absorb more oil for extra browning and flavor development.
So peeling can help achieve evenly cooked roasted potatoes in a shorter time with crispy outer texture.
Reasons to Leave Skins on Potatoes for Roasting
– Texture contrast – Skins get super crispy and add textural interest next to the creamy interior.
– Flavor – Skins develop a delicious caramelized flavor during roasting.
– Nutrition – Skins retain more fiber, vitamins and minerals than peeled potatoes.
– Time saver – Skipping peeling saves on prep time.
– Waste reduction – Not peeling reduces food waste.
Leaving skins on gives you the best of both worlds with tender insides and crispy flavorful skins when roasting potatoes.
For maximum crispy skins, leave potatoes unpeeled. But for very uniform texture, peeled potatoes work best. Consider how much time you have and your texture preferences when deciding whether or not to peel potatoes for roasting.
Do You Have to Peel Baby Potatoes?
Mini potatoes like baby creamers or fingerlings offer a built-in petite size perfect for roasting whole. Their small size and tender skin make them ideal candidates for leaving unpeeled.
Here are some reasons you can get away with not peeling tiny potatoes:
– Thin, tender skin – Baby potato skins are very thin so they cook up nice and crisp without the need for peeling.
– Added texture – The thin peel adds textural interest and crispy edges to balance out the creamy interior when roasted.
– Quick cooking – The small overall size means baby potatoes cook through quickly, with the skin softening at the same rate as the flesh.
– Appearance – Peeling would remove much of the potato itself due to the petite size. Leaving unpeeled keeps them intact.
– Time saver – Skipping peeling saves time prepping loads of small potatoes.
– Flavor – The skins add great roasted flavor when caramelized in high heat.
The main downside to peeling is you would lose a lot of the actual potato flesh because the skins are so thin. So there is no advantage to peeling baby potatoes. Their skins easily crisp up for tasty roasted potatoes without any peeling required.
Do You Have to Peel Potatoes for Frying?
French fries, potato chips, and hash browns all start with raw potatoes. When frying potatoes, should you leave the skins on or peel them first?
Here are some pros and cons of peeling versus not peeling potatoes for frying:
Reasons to Peel Potatoes for Frying
– Uniform texture – Skins may remain leathery if the interior doesn’t cook through at the same rate. Peeling helps them fry evenly.
– Oil absorption – Peeled potatoes absorb oil better for getting perfectly crispy fries.
– Appearance – Peeling gives potatoes a tidy uniform look when fried. Skins can look spotty or ragged after frying.
So peeling helps achieve evenly cooked fried potatoes with consistent texture and appearance.
Reasons Not to Peel Potatoes for Frying
– Crisp skins – Skins fry up wonderfully crisp, adding a nice texture contrast.
– Flavor – Skins develop delicious flavor when fried up crunchy and browned.
– Nutrients – Leaving skins on retains more vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
– Time saver – Peeling each potato takes a lot of prep work. Leaving skins on is faster.
So skins help make fried potatoes tastier and more nutritious. Unless appearance is critical, skins can be left on for excellent crispy fries or chips.
Weigh your priorities for texture and nutrition when deciding to peel or not peel potatoes for frying. If appearance matters most, peel them. But for ideal crunch and health perks, leave those skins on your fried potatoes.
Conclusion
Russet potato skins are edible and contain a concentration of important vitamins, minerals, and fiber. While the skins do contain trace amounts of toxins called glycoalkaloids, they are generally safe to eat in normal quantities, especially if the potatoes are washed well.
Leaving skins on potatoes offers the advantages of added nutrition and textural contrast. However, peeling potatoes can result in a smoother, more refined texture in dishes like mashed potatoes. Most cooking methods allow you to cook potatoes with their skins on or peeled. Consider the recipe and your own taste and nutrition preferences. For maximum nutrients and crispy skins, leave the peels on when preparing russet potatoes.
