If the skin starts to sag, the flesh feels squidgy (or is even wet to touch) this is a surefire sign these potatoes are long past their best. This isn’t a task about perfection. This is a task about sustenance through the cold, barren, winter months. I wouldn’t trade my ‘ol wrinkly potatoes for a million dollars.They’re right from my garden – a part of my farm! The good news is, raw potatoes can be stored for many weeks outside the refrigerator. Some varieties remain shelf-stable for as long as 8 to 9 months.

Leaving potatoes to rest on the countertop might cause too much sun exposure, leading to excessive chlorophyll production which colors your potatoes green. The presence of a green color on potatoes speeds up spoilage. Apart from the green color, this may also lead to the potatoes growing sprouts which will make the potatoes inedible. Put the potatoes on a sheet of newspaper in a dark place – it’s important they don’t touch, as air needs to circulate between the spuds. Leave your potatoes here for a couple of weeks. Take a look at the potatoes you’ve stored every so often. If a potato starts to rot it can spread this to others, so throw it out. Softness, shriveling and mold all indicate a potato should be removed from the store.Storing at temperatures slightly above refrigeration is a great way to extend shelf life and maintain vitamin C content. Summary Then partially cook or blanch them– boiling, baking, or frying only until they’re crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Homegrown potatoes should be cured before they are stored. To cure them, keep them in a dark but well ventilated place with moderate temperatures and high humidity for a period of one week to 10 days, advise the OSU experts. 3. Keep potatoes well ventilated and cool Then, store them in a paper bag or in an open bowl or basket. Something like The Pioneer Woman Potato Keeper with its rounded holes promote proper airflow is a perfect container. Just make sure they aren't too crowded—potatoes need air! Keep them in a cool, dry place away from light, like a dark corner of the kitchen or in a cabinet. Wherever you store them should be well ventilated. And, if possible, avoid storing them near other fruits (like bananas or onions) that can cause them to spoil faster. How do you store potatoes so they don't sprout?

Smooth skin: Potatoes that have been damaged by cold temperatures may develop pitted skin and brown centers, so look for smooth textures. I kept 50 pounds of fingerling potatoes at our house to eat through the Fall, since they don’t store quite as well as the larger storage varieties. Combined with those we freshly dug out of the garden all summer, these fingerlings have provided us with all of our potato needs since last June! Incredible! They’re incredibly flexible, fun and easy to work with. It’s always wise to keep a bunch of extra spuds on hand.

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Time passes, you begin to have that feeling like you’ve forgotten something, and then the next time you organize your cupboards you realize what’s happened. Your beloved potatoes have started growing strange coral-like clusters that don’t look entirely edible. In fact, they look more like they belong at the bottom of the ocean than in your stomach.

It’s also important not to store potatoes and onions together. Though they seem like two peas in a pod as they’re often both called for in the exact same recipes. However, storing them both together actually does more harm than good. Both of these root veggies contain a lot of moisture, which can lead to faster spoilage. Combined, they produce an ethylene gas that will speed up the ripening process. Instead, keep them apart in an area that has good air circulation to maintain their long shelf life. How to Store Potatoes So, grab a cup of coffee, get cozy, and dive into our collection of articles written by our knowledgeable team. We guarantee you’ll discover new ways to enjoy potatoes and expand your culinary horizons. Let us take you on a potato journey that will leave you craving more.It’s okay to freeze them once they are fully or partially cooked, as the cooking process deactivates the browning enzymes and prevents them from discoloring ( 15). Summary The next time you need that satisfying, salty crunch of a potato chip, whip up a homemade batch using this tried-and-true recipe. Either transfer your potatoes to a paper or mesh bag, like the Five Two Organic Cotton Reusable Produce Bags or a well-ventilated container. (They will be releasing carbon dioxide and water in the form of vapor, so things can get a little too damp.) If you’d like to keep them in the plastic bag they came in, make sure it’s well-perforated and that the top isn't tightly sealed. 3. Don’t Store Them Next to Your Onions Research showed that potatoes stored in cool temperatures maintained up to 90% of their vitamin C content for four months, while those stored in warmer room temperatures lost almost 20% of their vitamin C after one month ( 3, 4).