I guess I never really thought to steam potatoes. I have started to steam other vegetables such as corn, peas, green beans, etc., but never thought about potatoes. Whenever we want a baked potato, I would use the microwave (I know…I am trying to reduce microwave use as much as I can!). If I wanted potatoes to make mashed potatoes, I would peel, dice, and boil them. Well…over the weekend I tried something new…I steamed the potatoes! It was so easy and I’m sure better for you than boiling. It really didn’t take that long either! Here is how I did it:
I don’t have a steamer pot, so I just used a large soup pot and my steamer basket (that I got at Walmart for $5). I put some filtered water in the bottom of the pan and put the steamer basket in. I then scrubbed some potatoes, quartered them, then put them in the basket in the pan.
Bring the water to a boil, then put a tight-fitting lid on the pan and turn the burner down a bit (not too much, though, because you want it to continue to boil). Set the timer for about 20 minutes. You will want to check a couple times during the cooking time to make sure that the water does not run dry. I added more water a couple times just to make sure.
After 20 minutes, check the potatoes with a fork to see if they are done. If done, then remove from burner, take lid off, and let cool. If not done, then keep steaming in 5-minute increments until done.
Once the potatoes have cooled, you can peel them if you wish (the peelings come off very easy) or leave the peelings on. You can the mash them for mashed potatoes or dice them for potato salad (this is what I did this weekend)…or use them however you wish. You could serve them “as is” for a potato bar meal with meat toppings and cheese. The ideas are endless!
I am so glad I tried this. This is much quicker than baking them in the oven and healthier than using the microwave. Why not give it a try!
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