Are Golden Potatoes Supposed to Look Yellow on The Inside? Can you Still Cook With Them?
Golden potatoes have yellow flesh, so it’s completely normal that they look yellow inside. You are probably talking about the Yukon Gold, which is one of the most popular yellow potato varieties.
The taste of yellow potatoes is a little buttery, and it’s great when cooking mashed potatoes and mashed potato pancakes. Yellow potatoes have a creamy texture.
As long as potatoes aren’t green inside, with dark or very soft spots, or don’t smell bad, the potatoes are good to cook and eat.
What Does it Mean When a Potato Is Yellow?
Yellow potatoes are typically referred to as gold or golden potatoes; they belong to specific varieties known for their yellow flesh.
Of course, you expect a golden potato to have yellow flesh; however, when you see red and russet varieties (that are usually white or creamy white inside) holding a yellow interior, you know you’re in for a treat!
Surprisingly, they are more common than you might think. These days, you can find many new varieties boasting a bright golden inside with a creamy texture. Now, that’s shocking.
Are Gold Potatoes the Same As Yellow Potatoes?
The term gold potatoes is often used to refer to yellow potatoes. The yellow varieties, including the famous Yukon Gold, are all-rounders with semi-waxy flesh and smooth skin, suitable for baking, boiling, steaming, roasting, mashing, and even frying.
Although they are great for everything, I instead use russets for mashing and red for roasting and salads. Gold potatoes are in the middle of the moisture, starch, and waxiness spectrum. In other words, you can turn them into any potato dish with good results, but they won’t be as perfect as the specialty types.
Are All Yellow Potatoes Yukon Gold?
Not all yellow potatoes are Yukon Gold. Many yellow potato varieties have similar texture and flavor; still, they aren’t the same. Unfortunately, despite their desirable traits, it’s harder to grow Yukon Gold crops than other yellow flesh varieties, sometimes making it quite hard to find. For that reason, having viable alternatives is always a good decision.
How Long are Yukon Gold Potatoes Good for?
Generally speaking, raw Yukon Gold potatoes can last around three weeks to one month in a well-ventilated, dark, dry room. Once cooked, though, you will need to place them inside an air-tight container inside the fridge, allowing them to be OK for a week. Cooked frozen potatoes are good for a month before becoming bland.
In the following video, you will see how Yukon Gold potatoes look inside and an interesting way of roasting them:
How Can You Tell If Yukon Gold Potatoes Are Bad?
A Yukon Gold potato is bad if many black blemishes cover it, the texture is mushy, has green skin, or possesses a strong offensive smell. Still, to be entirely sure, it’s better to cut it. Once you see what’s inside the tuber, you will be able to tell almost instantly whether something is seriously wrong with it. Indications of mold, green, or anything black inside the potato in large amounts are a telltale sign you must toss it away.
What Potatoes are Like Yukon Gold?
You need to know that the Yukon Gold is not the only variety with yellow flesh. There are others, and it is helpful to know them. Often, you might need a Yukon Gold to pull off a recipe requiring its unique texture and flavor; however, there are instances when you may not be able to find any.
You need another golden potato variety that can emulate it in those cases. The following potato varieties are acceptable replacements for Yukon Gold:
- Delta Gold
Golden potatoes also have the Delta Gold variety within their ranks. The tuber with a low to medium starch content is a strong contender for boiling, roasting, steaming, and frying potato dishes. Of course, since it only contains a moderate amount of starch, it isn’t ideal for mashing. Still, You may be able to make it work in the absence of a Russet. - Michigold
You can’t go wrong with the Michigold yellow-fleshed potato. The tuber, which can resist late blight well and is rarely known to have defects, is an excellent alternative to the Yukon Gold. Like other golden varieties, it is a multipurpose potato that goes well with almost any recipe. - Saginaw Gold
A moderately waxy spud like the Saginaw Gold should be among your preferred golden potatoes. They are a fantastic choice if you desire to make fries, potato chips, and baked potatoes. Even a yummy potato salad is within your reach with this variety.
There is no need to worry about your golden potatoes looking yellow inside as that’s the way they are supposed to look. You should be concerned though, when there are different colors such as green, black or brown. Experiment with all kinds of potatoes and find out which ones are best for you.