Soft, fluffy mashed potatoes is the dream, right? And the best way to achieve this is to peel them first… But, the potato peeler’s broken! You need to find out how to use apple peeler for potatoes. Necessity is the mother of invention, and there is really very little difference between these two implements.
How To Use Apple Peeler For Potatoes
If you have one peeler in your kitchen drawer that peels all of your fruits and vegetables, you don’t have to worry too much about this.
If, however, you have one of those very fancy apple peelers that peels, cores and slices the apples, you may be wondering if it is actually suitable for potatoes…
The good news is, it is. You can put any fruit or vegetable into an apple peeler and it will do the job it is meant to do!
The first thing you need to do is ensure that your potatoes are plump, healthy, and not wrinkled.
Make sure that the potato fits the peeler – it is no good having a tiny spud that the peeler won’t be able to get to!
A potato that is bumpy will not give such good results as one that is rounded, because the peeler won’t be able to get into all the nooks and crannies.
There are, of course, other types of apple peeler – the small, handheld one (that actually looks identical to a potato peeler!) is another good option.
Using a handheld apple peeler for potatoes is pretty simple – you just peel them the same way you would an apple.
You do still have to take care with the shape of the potato though, as they are generally not as uniformly round as apples.
Watch your fingers if you have a very sharp peeler, as you can unwittingly hurt yourself because of the varying texture of potatoes.
This fun video shows you a way to peel potatoes using a hand-cranked apple peeler – watch and learn!
What Can I Use If I Don’t Have A Potato Peeler?
If you don’t have a potato peeler, don’t panic! You can still remove their skins fairly easily and without too much fuss – or running out to buy a peeler.
- Knife. This is the method that was probably used before potato peelers were invented! Be careful that you don’t remove too much of the potato with the skin.
- Scraper. If you have very thin-skinned potatoes, you don’t really need to peel them at all – a good scrub with a stiff brush can remove enough skin to make the potato palatable.
- Boiling. Much like beetroots, potatoes’ skin will become soft and looser when they are cooked. Simply boil your potatoes then run then under cold water and scrape off the skin.
As you can see, you don’t actually need a peeler – just some potatoes and a bit of determination!
What Tool Should You Use To Peel Items Like Potatoes?
If you are removing the skin from a hard vegetable like a potato, you will need something that has a sharp edge.
A potato peeler is an ideal for this task, as it has been designed for the purpose – but anything with an edge that can scrape will do the job.
The peeling item must be fairly sturdy, as potatoes are quite hard, and you don’t want something that is going to crumple!
There are a lot of different potato peelers out there on the market, from simple hand held devices to those with a few more working parts.
Some potato peelers swivel, so that you can use them on all parts of the potato even if it is a particularly knobbly one.
Whatever sort of peeler you use, it is always worth shopping around so that you can find the one that best suits you and your needs.
Why Not Peel Potatoes Before Boiling?
You may be shocked and horrified to know that some people don’t peel their potatoes before they cook them – but it’s actually pretty common.
Leaving the skin on your potatoes can increase the texture of a dish such as mash – you may love it or hate it, but it’s certainly something different!
The skin contains quite a lot of flavour, so you will find that by leaving them on you get more of an earthy, potato taste.
Another great thing about it is that there are a lot of nutrients in the skin, that you lose if you peel them all off before eating the potato.
It is recommended that you always give your potatoes a good scrub before you eat them, to make sure any soil or debris are removed, and you should cut away any blemishes or “eyes.”
Other than that, just enjoy your potatoes however you like them – but give them a try with the skins on one day. It may just surprise you!
What Is A Fun Kitchen Fact About Potato Peelers?
You may not think that there is anything fun about a potato peeler, but you’d be wrong! It turns out that people haven’t figured out how they actually work…
You may think that your old potato peeler is broken, because it wobbles about when you use it, am I right?
Well, you may think that it’s broken, but you’re wrong – it’s actually designed that way, and for a very good reason.
Potato peelers’ blades swivel about, so that you can use the peeler in just about any direction, meaning that you can peel the whole spud without lifting the peeler off.
Great for those games you used to play when you were little, when you’d try to peel an apple in one go, and the letter it showed would be the first letter of your true love’s name.
We don’t know if it works with potato skins, but do try it and let us know the outcome!
Some people do choose to not peel their potatoes before mashing, but if you like a completely smooth mash then it is best to do so.
Now at least you have a better idea on how to peel your potatoes, and what to use if you don’t have a specific potato peeler!
