FOOD Not sure where to put or flair - black spots in potatoes, lol!

[Kewpie]

So I bought a large sack of russet potatoes meant for baking, but thank god I wanted mashed potatoes tonight! I see a lot of black spots that are deeper in the potatoes, do you just cut off most of the offenders, and leave some of the dark spots? Or do you cut out ALL the black?

Sorry for putting this in general chat, I wasn’t sure where else to put it, and seriously, I trust this forum WAY more as far as ‘granny wisdom’ goes! Almost all my grandparents have passed, and I have no one else to ask! Thank you so much!

 

[kyrsyan]

I cut them all out. And I would plan potato based things to burn through those as fast as possible.

 

[Kewpie]

I cut them all out. And I would plan potato based things to burn through those as fast as possible.

Ugh, that’s so disappointing! In some cases, the dark spots go to the middle. I’ve never had potatoes with dark spots like this, I was hoping a little black wouldn’t make them bitter or poisonous. To be safe I’ll carve out all the dark spots.

This is the first time H‑E‑B has ever let me down.

 

[Plain Jane]

I recently bought 4 large russet potatoes and discovered the same thing. You don't really see the spots on the outside until you scrub them before baking. One spot was almost an inch deep.

 

[summerthyme]

They aren't poisonous... IIRC, it's often a boron deficiency. Are they actually *black*, or more of a grayish? You should be fine just trimming the worst off...

I don't know what they do to commercial potatoes, but the quality is awful these days! I'm so grateful for our homegrown ones... we had a super crop of Kennebec bakers last year, and I never had to worry about "bad spots" showing up after baking. And potatoes aren't cheap anymore, either!

Summerthyme

 

[kyrsyan]

I've been seeing a lot more fruit and veggies that look more like third levels than first or second. And in the "good" stores. It makes me wonder what is going on in the supply chain that we are not seeing. And is more motivation to grow my own.

 

[Kewpie]

They aren't poisonous... IIRC, it's often a boron deficiency. Are they actually *black*, or more of a grayish? You should be fine just trimming the worst off...

I don't know what they do to commercial potatoes, but the quality is awful these days! I'm so grateful for our homegrown ones... we had a super crop of Kennebec bakers last year, and I never had to worry about "bad spots" showing up after baking. And potatoes aren't cheap anymore, either!

Summerthyme

A full garden is on my fall checklist. I just do a little light container gardening, but I’m so frustrated with crappy produce! I’ve got a plot all laid out, I’ve covered the whole thing with cardboard and started the mulching process with leaves, glass clippings, and a big compost pile. I’ll try a fall garden if I have time (fingers crossed), but for sure I’ll expand fully in the spring!

 

[kyrsyan]

Depending on where you are, you can fall plant potatoes and let them overwinter in the soil. End result is a very early spring blooming and spring harvest. I did it for many years.

 

[Kewpie]

Thank you for the replies! It’s such a silly question, but I’ve never seen so many dark spots all through a potato! I had to hack up 5 potatoes when I originally planned for 3. I was just genuinely second guessing myself, and I know we have some prolific gardeners and phenomenal chefs here. If I was gonna get a quick, accurate answer, this’d be the place.

 

[Kewpie]

Depending on where you are, you can fall plant potatoes and let them overwinter in the soil. End result is a very early spring blooming and spring harvest. I did it for many years.

North Texas. I’ll have to give that some research. We don’t eat a TON of potatoes, we tend to eat fairly low carb, but it SUCKS when you want one but end up with an abomination. I may just toss the rest into compost, I have a bag of baby potatoes to roast for another meal this week.

 

[bbbuddy]

Seems like each bag of carrots includes broken pieces now too. Pieces that never "made the grade" in the past.

 

[zeker]

This is the first time H‑E‑B has ever let me down.

just spent the last 36 hrs on the toilet

3 days ago I got a sub at the local deli

she smelled the meat b4 she put it on the bun.

took me 2 days to eat

as the second day is rolling around,

I noticed that things were not good.

didnt eat at all yesterday.

last nite was horrendous

every 2 hrs on the shytter

seems ok now

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Ugh, that’s so disappointing! In some cases, the dark spots go to the middle. I’ve never had potatoes with dark spots like this, I was hoping a little black wouldn’t make them bitter or poisonous. To be safe I’ll carve out all the dark spots.

This is the first time H‑E‑B has ever let me down.

Having dark spots in russet potatoes is a common thing down here in the South. I've tried several places over the last couple of years to find them without spots. I think we get the worst of the worst down here. I just cut the spots out, but I have had to throw out whole potatoes from too many black spots in them. They look perfect on the outside.

It's so common down here that we gave up eating baked potatoes. Got tired of cutting them open to find the center was rotted.

 

[mecoastie]

Depending on where you are, you can fall plant potatoes and let them overwinter in the soil. End result is a very early spring blooming and spring harvest. I did it for many years.

In Maine I almost always have volunteers from potatoes I missed digging in the fall.

 

[Publius]

People like potato, tasty tuber.

 

[bracketquant]

I mentioned this, more than a year ago. With inflation, companies will cut corners where ever they can. Near blemish free bulk produce may be a thing of the past. Expect to see lower quality in potatoes, carrots, onions, apples, oranges, whole heads of lettuce and cabbage, stalk celery, etc...

There is less labor cost with less sorting going on, and what were once culls now get sold for a profit, within that bulk bag.

And, as for potatoes, the green surface that you may see on some, is toxic. So, it should be peeled off.