Waxy vs floury potatoes (creamy vs mealy, boiling vs baking, etc) 

I'm enjoying this Potato arc of the Ragusea anime.

Adam, we've gotta collab. Signed, another potato lover

Adam, talking about starches, could you also do a series on different root vegs? Taro, cassava, yam, sweet potatoes, cocoyam... I am from West Africa. We use all of those. You might find an angle that would be interesting to your mostly USA and UK viewers.

This is why I like golden potatoes. The perfect balance between starchy and waxy. Fries well but doesn't get mealy. Very versatile.

Interesting on the aesthetics of mealiness in mashed potatoes - I really like it (I like my mash to be a bit coarsely fluffy and lumpy - heterogeneity eh?) - this made me think back to your cheese sauce episodes and I realised the same thing is happening there - you like a silky sauce where the cheese is modified by citrates and possibly thickened with things other than roux - I like the slight mealiness of a roux-thickened cheese sauce (I think because it reminds me of the texture of mature cheese, which is somewhat granular - not smooth and rubbery like a milder cheese)

As someone who was born in Idaho and has family that are potato farmer, and therefore is required by law to love potatoes, I envy the huge variety of potatoes that they have in South America. Specifically in countries like Ecuador and Peru.

Your ability to read papers outside of your field and make heads or tails out of them is really impressive

I for one think that your history in journalism is very relevant to what you do today. I think its part of what sets your videos apart from the others and why I've watched since day one.

I was thinking literally just yesterday how cool it would be if Adam Ragusea made a video where he geeks out on the various kinds of potatoes. 🙌

man got sponsored by a whole ass university

3:22 - I love it when my waxy potato spills its cytoplasm out in my mouth, giving me that moist mouthfeel.

In German we call them "festkochend" (firm cooking) and "mehligkochend" (floury/mealy cooking - same word in German) You tend to also find a third variant "vorwiegend festkochend" (mostly firm cooking), which I personally think is the best kind if you just have boiled potato as a side dish. I actually like the floury texture, but actual floury potatoes break apart too much. These tend to be a really nice middle ground, staying quite firm, but also having some of that floury texture.

Potatoes are one of the things I can eat everyday without getting tired of it.

I've been using so-called "waxy" potatoes to stuff my pierogi for like, a decade now. I did switch to Russets for a year (as an experiment), but I found the resultant mashed filling too dry, especially after the pierogi were boiled and fried. The filling (mashed potato, extra-old Cheddar cheese, and I throw some diced jalapenos and a bit of chili oil in some of them, to add a nice kick) should be a bit loose and creamy, so that when you cut into it, it bursts out like potato lava. Really nice...!

Thank you for these kinds of videos! Being a young man trying to learn to cook via the internet is difficult, especially seeing some people get so fussy over little differences in recipes.

After growing over 300lbs of potatoes in my garden this year, I'm enjoying these potato themed videos a whole lot

In the Czech Republic potatoes are mostly sold in three types from A (the waxy potatoes) to C (the floury ones) and B standing in between. There are a lot of typical Czech dishes that depend on the proper type (especially the C - lots of potato dough stuff) but I've always been kinda taught by my mother to think of Cs as "inferior". This video is making me think I should do some experiments with them.

I’ve found that using Yukon golds, a potato I believe you’ve said you use in your mashing, creates my favorite mashed potato texture. It really has this nice middle ground between fluffy and creamy that I love, which I didn’t expect since I tend to hate mashed potatoes made with the boiling varities

For stew, I will pulverize one of the russets, before cooking, to help thicken the stew. Run it through a chopper, ricer, or garlic press.

I really enjoy adam‘s down to earth attitude at the end, I also usually cook what I have cause I‘m hungry

Here in Chile what we usually do in asados we cover the potato in aluminum foil and let it cook directly in the charcoal, let it sit while the meat cooks and at the end we put a little bit of butter with salt dill and pepper, bc of the high temperatures the potato gets this amazing flavor and with the melted butter on top, sometimes it’s just better than the mean hahahaha Love the content Adam

Great video! When I first tried to cook 土豆丝 (a Chinese recipe where potato is cut into super small matchsticks), I used a floury potato. That was huge mistake. The little matchsticks just completely dissolved as they cooked. However, using waxy potatoes completely solved this issue for me. Definitely recommend trying this tasty dish... with waxy potatoes :)

Hey Adam! The whole series you did on these potatoes and mashed potatoes inspired me to do my own mashed potato dish given your tips and instructions. I haven't had a better mashed potato in literal years--and I even used just red potatoes! Didn't need to add milk, just butter! I'm literally eating it now as I type this comment because I wanted to give my thanks for such an incredible dish and for you taking the time to be scientific about cooking. It's inspired me to do the same!

In Ireland anyway, floury spuds would usually be considered far superior for mash - the gluely texture is really not appriciated most of the time. Another factor is that I don't think its that common for the cook in a home kitchen in Ireland to make up the mashed spud in a batch like it seems to be in the US. A more common practice is having a plate of boiled or steamed potatoes in the centre of the table, and people just take their share of potatoes, peel them, and mash up the spuds themselves on the plate, maybe with a bit of butter or salt to taste. Usually, Waxy spuds are best eaten by cutting them into slices and eating them with a bit of salt and butter individually.

Thb I think the preference of "smooth" vs "dry/grainy" mash is an acquired taste. Idk about the rest of Poland, but in my family we use starchy potatoes for mash (I'm not even sure if waxy potatoes are widely available, never seen them before) and use only a little bit of butter, if any, and definitely no milk and I never had an issue with the mash's tase or texture. Actually, the thought of smooth and creamy mash is strange to me 😅 Last time I made mash with more butter my fiance said it was actually too heavy and thick for him (possibly as we don't add milk) so I think he agrees with me on the dry mash being tasty.

So happy that you are getting all of these sponsors

I have to say that I absolutely love these food science videos! Learning “whys” is what makes life interesting. Keep up the excellent work!

I've found huge differences in texture in things like gnocchi between waxy and mealy potatoes. Waxy potatoes make a much firmer, dense gnocchi than mealy potatoes do. Both taste good, both work well, it just depends on the texture that you want.

Haha, I was just watching another one of your videos when this came into my notifications. I'm loving the potato episodes

I loved watching good eats as a kid and your channel hits all the same points. I love cooking but what really interests me is the science behind cooking. Thank you.

I use red potatoes for stir-frying, but I dice them into small cubes first. I like them because they do not fall apart, and if the cubes are small enough, they will cook evenly.

That was really interesting. I've always wondered why sometimes potatoes are divine, and other times just really kind of "yuck". My poor mother used to try to make potatoes au gratin for us, and no matter how thin she'd slice them, to me they came out too undercooked, with, to me, an unpleasant mouth feel. Maybe it was the kind of potatoes she was using, I suspect smaller "boiling" potatoes that maybe were the waxy kind. Sometimes hash browns and tater-tots come out like that too. Could you do something about varieties of apples? I love a firm, tart, crisp apple, and can't stand the mushy, mealy ones. The thing is, I seem to find a variety that I like, but after a couple of months buying the same kind, the texture goes weird? Would this be a function of the age of the crop during a season? Just a bit of a link, in French potatoes are "pommes de terre", "earth apples".

"Just cook whichever kind of potato you have" - Well, that was definitive!

Ragusea is actually being sponsored by a whole university 💀💀

i love LOVE the 10 whole minutes of science that concludes in "it doesnt reeeallllyyyyyyy matter yaknow?" lmfao. srsly, you make learning even more entretaining and i already loved learning.

I really appreciate the research behind this. That's a lot of reading I never would have done. That being said, I prefer the pastey red potatoes for...everything. Mashed included.

For extremes in potato variants, look at the following bits of Peruvian goodness: Papa amarilla (the most popular for mashed dishes) way starchier and flavorful than Russets Olluco (ollucus in English and papalisa elsewhere in Latam) very high in protein content and keeps its chewiness even after well-boiled

Because of your videos I did actual research into what potatoes are available in this country and found a delicious waxy-mealy Finnish cultivar called Bellarosa. Highly recommend to anyone in Finland.

I actually love the mealy texture for mash. I suppose if I had to describe why, it feels like there's actually something to chew, and it also contrasts well with less substantial toppings like gravy.

The potato man is at it again

All my life, I've hated mash potatoes due to that mealy texture. Maybe now I'll try it with a waxy potato and finally be able to enjoy this classic dish

I was thinking through this hole video how much of a non-issue the difference is. You summed everything up with that last statement. Great video again, thanks for all the info!

Hey, Adam! Not sure if you'll even see this, but congrats on 500 MILLION views! Another 500 million and you'll be at the big B!

I’ve always preferred using waxy potatoes for mashing, never thought to combine the two! Definitely going to give that a try

I prefer the waxy types of potato for mashing, but I also like my mashed potatoes on the "rustic" side, so they tend not to get to the gluey stage. If I do over-mash a batch of waxy potatoes, I find that a big lump of cream cheese added to the mixture makes for an excellent way to cut down on the glueyness (if that’s even a word).

Adam you should look into Salt Potatoes (probably better to search Syracuse Salt Potatoes), they are made by boiling small potatoes with the skins on in a proper brine (the original recipe is add salt equal to 1/6 of the volume of water, in NY a salt packet is sold with a package of properly sized potatoes although you don't have to use the entire packet).

"I could probably try to figure it out myself If I'd studied in college.... ' I knew immediately that the sponsor message is next.

While the ad on digital marketing on a digital media piece seems appropriate, thank God! That this is not an ad on Cybercrime course!

So, which one is "potato" and which one is "potahto"?

Omg you’ve been reading my mind two times in a row now with your video subjects

Adam, another enjoyable, informative video that puts reasons and words to sensations I've been around for years. Now I know why. Thank you.

I never realized how irrationally annoyed I could get by someone calling mashed potatoes just "mash". You learn something new everyday.

hearing you say the word fluffy makes me happy

I actually really like the texture waxy potatoes make when mashed

My personal favorite Sunday morning breakfast... Waxy potatoes or leftover baked floury potatoes pan fried with yellow onions and plenty of granulated garlic and black pepper, plus any leftover meat from Saturday night. I personally prefer using the waxy ones so I can cook them until almost burnt before the inside gets too mushy. Ketchup or sour cream are acceptable condiments.

Potato salad, diced and boiled waxy potatoes, pieces hold together well.

I always wondered, now I am enlightened.

Dude the way you work in the sponsorship plug into this and the other videos is something else lol

I love that he points with the potato

I feel happy when I get a notification that you have uploaded a new video 🥰😘😍. Thank you very much for uploading the video. Your videos fill me with so much positive energy 🍓♥️🥰😍😍🍓♥️🥰

potatoes are THE superfood

Interesting, but I still think the way they're cultivated makes a much bigger difference. As an experiment (after debating the matter with my wife), this spring I seeded some of the worst potatoes you can buy from the supermarket, those watery mushy blobs that taste like cardboard no matter how you cook them. They grew just like any other potato and the harvested bulbs are way different, definitely smaller in size but firm, crunchy and flavorful. Also, despite the relatively modest average size of the bulbs, total yield was rather good for a hobby chemicals free garden, around 10:1 by mass.

I like how you have many videos about the same food (in this case, potatoes) This is like a lesson

I've always made mashed potatoes with both. I throw a few yellow potatoes and a few red ones in the pot and smash them up together.

I like a mix of both. Floury idahos for fluffy texture (which I almost always peel), and red potatoes for taste and those lovely red peels (and texture; I find they add just enough “gluey”ness to keep everything together) And of course, a lot of butter, garlic, and salt

This potato arc is making me want to buy some potatoes. I also got recomended his home fries video and you know I gotta watch an Adam Ragusea video when I see it recomended

@Adam Ragusea, three observations: 1) Most people would add "waxy" red "new potatoes" to something like fresh green beans, but I found that they absorb the bitterness of the green beans, and end up almost inedible. I prefer the "starchy" ones, added late. 2) As for frying, the best way to make "home fries," something you may find around Knoxville, it to first boil the red potatoes, hence pre-cooking them, then frying them, usually with onions and green bell peppers. They end up being MUCH better than frying simply cut up Russetts, which end up very dry. Try The Lunch House for breakfast sometime, over on the East side of town, owned by some of my late husband's in-laws, and formerly frequented by people you may have heard of, such as "Johnny Knoxville." Tell them, "Steve Pruitt's husband, Greg, sent me." His brother was married to the sister of the original owner. Their generation has since almost all died of cancer. 3) My mom's side, in Michigan, always used diced Russets, boiled, for mashed, but used a hand mixer to mash them, so they were never mealy. They got kind of waxy, due to "over mixing." I like them like that.

i needed this so much! just hearing the words floury and waxy tells nothing to me, it is too vague and i wouldn't have known what to do with them.

The name of the researcher being McComber et al is incredible- in Ireland, especially the North, Comber is a really famous and loved variety of potato (and yes we really do know all the potato names).

Good food is good for good mood. Great demo given by you. Thanks for sharing. 😍

It makes for a slick transition but it seems like Adam has the perfect background for this. I'd wager that a science communicator probably needs communication skills more than they need a science background.

Potatoes are honestly my favorite vegetable so I was psyched for this video lol

I get the sense that Adam's kids are going through a single-food phase with potatoes. 😄

You really are a great teacher

Love this channel. Answering questions I never knew I even had.

This is video a video I've been waiting for for a very long time!

i don't even cook but i watch this channel religiously. i don't concern myself with different potato types at all and yet here i am, learning about potatoes

You should do one on the difference between yams and sweet potatoes

Saving that HOT tip about mixing the 2 types of spuds for the LAST second!

And some of us have spent too many years eating the Uncle Sam's Specials from the Mess Hall to the point that what is cheapest on shopping day is what gets bought as they all come out the same. And as long at it goes down once and does not self return it is considered good enough food.

I prefer the red potatoes (waxy?) to french fries ... however if it goes undercooked its really sweet!(flavour) and ofc mushy or soft =P but i usually tend to overcooked them at its amazing imo =P

There’s literally nothing better than a delicious red potato. Roasted mashed broiled. They have the best flavor and season well

This is the peak of cooking content.

This potato series is the one you're looking for

Adam's inner monologue: "Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew. Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew. Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew."

I love Adam and his most random videos

Floury potatoes make good rustic mash. Pairs well with anything smothered in barbecue sauce (I smother vegetables in barbecue sauce, lol).

yknow when i was looking for good online college courses earlier i did not think i would find them by watching a video about potatoes at 3:30 in the morning

Very informative video; thank you, Adam. Where i'm from potato cultivars usually aren't labelled in the store; so i always had to chose them by their looks. Usually it works, but not always; and i was always curious what exactly do you mean when you mention either "waxy" or "starchy" potatoes. After watching this i can make my mash even better!

"Awesome article about different potatoes's structures", I thought I was into science, till now.

I've been eating potatoes longer then Adam's been living but he couldn't have said it better.

it's amazing how I guess cultures differ? The mealy texture is just absolutely how I want my mash to be, and how any mashed potatoes are here in the Netherlands. Nobody uses waxy potatoes, it's considered glue rather than proper mash.

I adore mashed potatoes made with flourly potatoes, reminds me of my childhood 😅

Great informative video! However, just because of the way I was raised, Russets are the superior potato especially for mashed potatoes. And that also means skin on! Never been a fan of waxy potatoes in any shape or form, comparatively to floury potatoes, but I am actually intrigued about mixing them together for a mash. Keep on doing what you do!

Nothing beats the Yukon Golds .. Roasted with some OO, salt, pepper, garlic powder and Paprika.

This also explains why i need to soak my fries to prevent them from sticking to each other before frying them if I used a vaxy potato but not when i use a floury.

Omg! I so love your content! I always enjoyed Good Eats on Food Network because he would get into the hows, whens, and whys, of food. You take it all the way to cellular level. I think that's is so fascinating!

I love the Potato videos dude

Drinking game, you have to drink every time he says "Potatoes" 😂😂🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔

anytime i see a sponsored ad i click away and find another video to watch that isn't wasting my time