A little while ago, I was asked for a recommendation for a good roasting potato; and then again for advice on what sort of spud to use for soups and mash. These may seem like daft questions to those of you in the “just buy a bag of potatoes and use them for everything” camp, but if you like your roasties fluffy and light and your mash whipped into peaks, picking the right potato is actually a very important task to complete.
There are hundreds of different potato varieties in Germany, each offering their own individual combination of texture, flavour and cooking characteristics, so choosing the right one for the job can really make all the difference to your meal. Happily, these perennial tubers can be broadly generalised into several different types, which means that despite there being so many varieties to choose from, if you know what you want them for, you’ve got a good chance of ending up with the right sort. Unfortunately, the way potatoes are classified differs around the globe: in the US, for example, it seems to be done by colour – russet, white, yellow, and so on – and in the UK they’re categorised by how waxy or starchy they are.
In Germany, potatoes are classified in two ways. Firstly, they can be grouped by when they’re harvested: very early, early, medium-early, medium-late or late (specific, I know, but remember where we are). Potatoes are available all year round, but those planted in winter and harvested early, in spring and early summer, are known as early potatoes (new potatoes) and can only be bought from around April to July. Early potatoes have very thin skins and hold their shape well when cooked and cut, which makes them perfect for boiling or making salads.
Potatoes in Germany are also classified in terms of their cooking characteristics; whether they’re floury and dry or waxy and firm or somewhere in between. Floury spuds disintegrate when boiled but are the perfect for baking; waxy potatoes make great gratins but a mediocre mash. So, these characteristics are the most important thing to consider when buying potatoes, and happily, this is how they’re grouped in Germany, very broadly, into the three categories below. From farm shop to supermarket they’re even labeled as such, so despite there being countless different sorts of potatoes in each category, the good news is that if you stick within the right group, you can’t go too far wrong.
Festkochende Kartoffeln | Waxy potatoes
Festkochende potatoes have a smooth, waxy, dense flesh that remains firm when they’re cooked. They have a high moisture content and a very thin skin that, though you can scratch it off easily with a fingernail, doesn’t tend to come off in the pan. They’re waxy, not starchy, so they hold their shape well and for this reason are good for frying, making gratins and stews or boiling for salads (which is why they’re also known here as salad potatoes, or Salatkartoffeln). Waxy potatoes are flavoursome and very moreish roasted with their skins on, but the end product is very different to a classic (British) roastie made with a floury tuber.
In German supermarkets, festkochende potatoes are often labeled in green. Well-known varieties include: Annabelle (pictured above), Agata, Charlotte, Kipfler, Marabel, Linda, Princess and Pink Fir Apple.
Vorwiegend festkochende Kartoffeln | Primarily waxy potatoes
Vorwiegend festkochende potatoes are the middle ground, being both reasonably firm and a little starchy without being dry. They’re therefore a good all-purpose potato and a safe pick if you want a big bag of potatoes to use throughout the week for different dishes. They won’t fall apart when you cook them or turn into a gloopy mess when mashed, so they’re perfect for serving puréed or riced or boiled and peeled as well as for making French fries, roast potatoes, rösti or Bratkartoffeln or for adding to stews. They’re also a good option for making dumplings and other dishes that involve turning potatoes into dough.
In German supermarkets, vorwiegend kochende potatoes are often labeled in red. Well-known varieties include: Bolero, Christa, Désirée, Finka, Gala, Hela, Maja and Saskia.
Traditional German fried potatoes!
FAQ
What is potatoes used for in Germany?
Why do Germans love potatoes so much?
Which is the most famous potato dish in Germany?
Do Germans eat potatoes?
No matter how you slice it, potatoes make up a large part of the average German diet. Whether in soups, mashed, fried, or served as French fries or chips, an average of roughly 60-65 kilograms of potatoes are eaten per person per year in Germany. Native to the Bolivian and Peruvian Andes, the potato first arrived in Germany in 1630.
Do Germans eat potato salad?
Pot lucks can prove problematic in Germany, since potato salad is a popular dish to bring. However, everyone’s version is different. Some smother the sliced potatoes in hot oil and bacon; others prefer theirs chilled and coated in mayonnaise and accompanied by pickles. Either way, German potato salad is a must at any grill party.
Do German stores label potatoes?
German stores do label a potato as to whether it is festkochend, vorwiegend festkochend, or mehlig kochend, which we describe in order as waxy, medium or primarily waxy and floury, or starchy. Festkochend (Waxy)—These are potatoes with a low starch content, which hold up well after cooking.
What potatoes are good for German fried potatoes?
Waxy potatoes that are ideal for German fried potatoes are Red Bliss, Red Adirondack, French fingerlings, baby potatoes, and new potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes work great, too. They are an all-purpose potato that tastes great while not falling apart too much.