Deep-Dive: Which is Healthier, Yukon Gold or Russet Potatoes
A healthy diet is the key to life. As a popular food, both Yukon Gold potatoes and russet potatoes have their own audiences. Today, let's uncover which one is more beneficial to health.
Are Yukon Gold potatoes better than russet?
There is no saying which one is better between Yukon Gold potatoes and russet potatoes. The key lies in cooking purposes and personal preferences.
In terms of nutrition, there is not much difference in nutritional elements such as carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals they contain. Just choose according to cooking needs.
Yukon Gold potatoes have a fine texture and a soft and glutinous mouthfeel. They are quite suitable for making mashed potatoes or baking. When used in stews, they are easily cooked until soft and can dissolve into the soup to enhance the flavor.
Russet potatoes have a more powdery texture. They are quite suitable for making French fries and potato chips. When fried or baked, they can maintain their shape well and are not easy to fall apart.
When should you not use russet potatoes?
Russet potatoes are not suitable for making mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, or cold shredded potatoes.
When making mashed potatoes, because of its powdery texture, the taste is rough. It is not as delicious as mashed potatoes made from potatoes with fine, soft and glutinous textures.
When making baked potatoes, it is easy to fall apart during cooking and it is difficult to maintain a complete shape. The resulting effect is not ideal.
When making cold shredded potatoes, the shredded potatoes cut from it are not crisp and refreshing enough to achieve the refreshing mouthfeel required for cold dishes.
What are russet potatoes best for?
Russet potatoes are not suitable for making mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, or cold shredded potatoes.
When making mashed potatoes, because of its powdery texture, the taste is rough. It is not as delicious as mashed potatoes made from potatoes with fine, soft and glutinous textures.
When making baked potatoes, it is easy to fall apart during cooking and it is difficult to maintain a complete shape. The resulting effect is not ideal.
When making cold shredded potatoes, the shredded potatoes cut from it are not crisp and refreshing enough to achieve the refreshing mouthfeel required for cold dishes.
Should you refrigerate Yukon Gold potatoes?
Don't refrigerate Yukon Gold potatoes.
Yukon Gold potatoes are best stored in a cool and dry place, with the temperature maintained at around 10-15 degrees Celsius. Refrigeration will cause the starch in potatoes to convert into sugar, making the potatoes sweet and the taste will also deteriorate.
When storing, you can choose a ventilated cardboard box or bamboo basket to avoid direct sunlight. If the temperature at home is moderate, placing them in a corner of the kitchen or storage room is very suitable. Potatoes should not be stacked too much to avoid getting damp and sprouting.
If the potatoes have been cut, they can be wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in the refrigerator, but they should be consumed as soon as possible, preferably within 2-3 days. Whole potatoes must not be refrigerated as it will affect the taste and nutrition.
Are yellow potatoes the same as Yukon gold?
They are not the same. There are the following main differences:
Variety origin:
Yukon Gold is a specific variety bred in Canada and has a definite background.
Ordinary yellow-skinned potatoes cover multiple varieties and are not a single one. The range is relatively broad.
Appearance characteristics:
Yukon Gold is characterized by thin skin. The color is light yellow or pale gold, and the flesh is cream yellow. The overall appearance is relatively recognizable.
For ordinary yellow-skinned potatoes, the skin color and flesh color may be different. Not all have yellow flesh. The appearance differences are relatively greater.
Taste and use:
Yukon Gold has a dense texture and a strong buttery feeling. It is quite suitable for making mashed potatoes and baked potatoes, which can bring out its own advantages.
Due to the variety of ordinary yellow-skinned potatoes, their tastes and uses are different. Generally speaking, they are more versatile and can meet various cooking needs.
Price:
Yukon Gold is usually a bit more expensive on the market.
Ordinary yellow-skinned potatoes are relatively much cheaper in terms of price.
What is special about Yukon Gold potatoes?
The biggest characteristic of Yukon Gold potatoes is their dense texture and natural buttery fragrance, which makes them the best choice for making mashed potatoes.
From a cooking perspective, this kind of potato has a balanced content of moisture and starch. It is not easy to break when stir-fried, not too soft when steamed or boiled, and when baked, the skin can become golden and crispy while the inside remains soft.
In daily use, Yukon Gold has a longer shelf life than ordinary potatoes and is not easy to sprout and deteriorate. Moreover, it is of moderate size, easy to clean, and the skin is thin and easy to handle when peeling.
