How can I reuse/use up potato peelings?
I came across the recipe the other day and thought mmm – potato crisps made from potato peelings rather than the potato themselves – the skin contains loads of fibre and it’s usually the tastiest bit of the ‘tato too, so win all around.
Our potato peelings usually end up in the stock box in the freezer – although when we finally get chickens, they might end up in their treat bucket instead (there seems to be some disagreement about whether you can feed chickens raw potato – some say yes, some say no, although everyone says don’t feed them green bits).
What do you do with your potato peelings? They’re a welcome, quick-to-rot-down addition to a compost bin if nothing else. Are there any practical rather than culinary uses for them, like how banana skins can be used to polish leather? I suspect the starchy residue will get in a way for a lot of things but you never know…
I think people peel potatoes far more than they really need to, I know I do. I’m not sure why, I guess just because my mum always peeled them, but my partner is always surprised when I start peeling and reminds me that maybe I don’t need to. When I think about it I usually agree that I might as well not bother.
Roast potatoes are great with the skins left on, mashed potato works fine if you chop into fairly small cubes before cooking (which means they take less energy to cook too), same for potatoes in soups, boiled potatoes are a bit boring but are slightly more interesting with the skins left on, fried potatoes are nicer with the skins on…
Why not just eat all those lovely tasty fibrous skins right along with the rest of the potato? Try varieties with thinner skins if that helps.
I love the idea of using these peelings for crisps. I am going to try it next time we peel potatoes. I don’t feed them to my chickens so they are compost material usually. I wonder now about using them in soups and stock. Potato water, however, is used in some recipes: See these links for 1. potato water, 2. baked potato skins.
http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes.php?foodid=11437
Skins from baked potatoes can be filled and reused for a dish:
http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes.php?q%5B%5D=baked&foodido=16526&srwci=&ls=d&Searchr=
No harm in cooking it for our canine furkids. We make stew for our canine babies using free-range meat, pumpkin (good for skin, hair and digestion), sweet potato (antioxidant) and peas (vitamins and fibre). Am sure clean potato peelings would be appreciated. Natural and homecooked foods (esp a good variety of vegetables) have done so much for my rescuee, Amber, who had demodectic mange when she first came to us from the animal shelter.
do you mean “dogs”?
Potato peel makes a great tasting broth! It was my broth of choice
when I was much more disciplined about what I ate. Very earthy and full of flavour.
I still use it for my curried cauliflower soup and it is perfect.
I never peel the potatoes. It’s the only part of them that has any taste.
One alternative for boiling – and having to peel them is to do them in oven. Cut to fries sized strips, or small cubes, or lawyers, and just bake them. Takes less time than baking them as whole, and the skin will just feel more natural addition that way. And they have more flavor than boiled ones – plus use any flavor, salt, rosemary, any spice mix you fancy…
I have no clue why anyone even peels them in the first place, the peel is what has iron and fiber, except for mashed potatoes. The peel-crisp idea is good though.
Thanks for the great idea! I’m trying my first batch of potato bread and wondered what I could do with the peels. Looks like I won’t be wasting a bit of any more potatoes. (I’m even freezing the boiling water for bread and soups later on) I’m off to enjoy my homemade crisps now!
To those who say “why peel them in the first place” – How about “because I don’t like the skin”?
I don’t peel potatoes – not even for mash. The skins don’t really have a flavour, so I don’t understand people not liking the ‘taste’. I think people peel them out of habit, rather than any rationale.
The only thing I’ll peel a potato for is roasts (which I make rarely) so can get the fluffy outsides. The peel is then LOVELY fried with bacon/facon and onion etc. Nomnomnom.
I put all peels in a blender and toss it in garden where it is food for plants and worms
all kind of peels including onion, egg shells – you name it.
The peelings give you fiber and nutrients. I always eat them. Then again…I love the pulp in orange juice too. its an acquired taste/ texture thing.
They are great for compost bins, and or the worm bin.
Potato skins absorb most nutrients from the ground ( more, than potato itself)but besides good nutrients, they also absorb chemicals, pesticides, unless they are grown organically. That is why it makes sense to peel the skins.
You can make potato starch out of organic potato peelings.
the reason some people peel the skin is due to the fact that the all potatoes contain a certain amount of natural chenicals that are toxic to humans (and chickens and possibly other animals) although there is very little it is most concentrated in the skin and the eyes. although for it to do anything noticibly harmfull a person would need to eat loads of potatoe skins! (i think the reason you are not supposed to give the skins to chickens might be because their smaller bodies can handle less- but thats just a guess) i dont usually peel potatoes but when i do i dry the skins and grind them to make potatoe flour. it keeps for a while and is good in gluten free breads, pie crusts, soup
I do a litttle of all..I. don’t peal my taters for most things even tater salad! Also I. Have resgued several dogs 18 or soo live here. The skins get cooked and put in with other doggie scraps also go for compost. Haven’t tried fring them like chips yet that will be next