Roasted Salt And Vinegar Potatoes Recipe | LaaLoosh (2024)

FAQs

Why does vinegar make potatoes crispy? ›

The acid in the vinegar can also help to slightly break down the surface of the potatoes, aiding in the development of a crispier texture during frying. Additionally, the vinegar can contribute to a golden-brown color on the exterior of the fries.

2) Soak them in cold water and vinegar. The vinegar is like magic for potatoes. It keeps them pretty while you cook them, soaking out the extra moisture, while at the same time not transferring the vinegar flavor to the chips. It's genius!

Vinegar helps boiled potatoes hold their shape

The presence of acid in boiling water can retain structure-providing carbs in potatoes, so they don't break down and soften as easily as they would in a pot of boiling water sans vinegar.

Of course, you can spray each potato with a little lemon juice or white vinegar, but if you don't want to flavour your potatoes, simply add about 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to about 2 litres of water.

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

The Vinegar Trick

In his recipe, López-Alt shares his secret for perfectly cooked potatoes every time: Adding vinegar to the water (specifically, 1 tablespoon of vinegar per 1 quart of water) prevents overcooking.

Place potatoes into a pot and add 1 1/2 cups vinegar with 3 cups cold water (or enough to just about cover the potatoes). Add in 1 tbsp salt, give it a stir then bring to a boil. Cook until knife tender, around 25mins depending on the size of potato chunks.

If your spuds are on the stove too long, "the potato cells start falling away, and the whole thing turns mushy." So what's that got to do with vinegar? Well, this tangy addition ups the acid factor of the water, which in turn helps keep that pectin from losing its grip on the starch.

Hemicellulose, the carbohydrate that makes up potatoes, softens when cooked, but when you add an acid like vinegar, the hemicellulose will remain solid instead. Even when the acidic element is diluted in the boiling water, the potato won't fully soften, McGee explained to the outlet.

Cooking potatoes twice—once in water, and a second time in hot oil—is hands-down the best way to achieve extra-crispy potatoes at home.

Does vinegar break down starch? ›

“It doesn't block the starch 100%, but it definitely prevents at least some of that starch from being digested and raising your blood sugar.” If you drink apple cider vinegar with a starchy meal, then the starches you don't digest will feed the good bacteria in your gut.