Earthy tasting potatoes...

[RobsanX]

The last couple bags of potatoes I bought have contained a few with a certain earthy tang to them.

Outwardly they looked no different than the regular tasting potatoes. Is there a way I can I.D. these guys before I start cooking them?

[Calicolady]

I don't think so, but I too have had some nasty experiences this season with potatoes and black spots. But not like yours. Like who was it theat had interior rot in their's?
And a 5 lb. bag went as high as $4.99 a bag. No rhyme or reason to that than in a few weeks/month, they went back down to about $2.49
Smell before you buy, and take 'em back. It's our only recourse as consumers, and email the company. That's the only way they'll know. You know those bosses ain't the ones cooking 'em.
Good luck.

[PanchoHambre]

It was Chowhound's post with the nasty rot taters

no clue how you can tell in advance

[RobsanX]

Well they were all good in the pot roast tonight. Well one of them disintegrated while all the rest were perfectly cooked... Weird...

[bullseye]

I usually smell 'em. If they have an overly earthy smell, I pass them by. It's not as pronounced as the smell you use to choose tomatoes and such, but it's there.

[MexicoKaren]

Seems like this is probably the time of year when potatoes have been in storage for awhile - no? Probably get better as new crops are harvested later on....

[Keltin]

It’s happened to us as well. They just taste dirty, but look fine. No rot, no chlorophyll build up, nothing. You can’t tell until you eat them. About the only thing I can chalk it up to is it was a bad crop….maybe low water or something. Never found a way around it except to buy another bag. It never made us sick, but they don’t taste that great.

[chowhound]

Yep. My spuds had the Interior Brown Spots. I know the earthy smell you're talking about too, Rob, but I used those potatoes anyway. I didn't notice it after they were cooked.
And I didn't know uncut tomatoes had a smell..... I'm probably not a good produce buyer. I just buy by looks.

[bullseye]

Originally Posted by chowhound

Yep. My spuds had the Interior Brown Spots. I know the earthy smell you're talking about too, Rob, but I used those potatoes anyway. I didn't notice it after they were cooked.
And I didn't know uncut tomatoes had a smell..... I'm probably not a good produce buyer. I just buy by looks.

Tomatoes, like many fruits, should smell like what they are, even when uncut. Next time you're in the veggie and fruit aisle, try smelling the inexpensive tomatoes and the ones still attached to the vine. The difference in smell equals the difference in tomato flavour. The difference is much more pronounced with ones picked ripe and fresh in the garden.