How to Steam Potatoes
You don’t need a recipe for this, but here are the basics so you turn out perfect potatoes every time you steam them.
Instructions
- Start by preheating your steam oven to the Steam setting, 212°F/100°C (100% humidity). Some manufacturers would have you start from a cold oven when cooking, but I find preheating to give the most repeatable, consistent results.
- Potatoes can be steamed with the skin on or off, depending on what you’re going to do with them later.
- For sliced or diced potatoes (skin on or skin off, it doesn’t matter), first make sure you’re cutting the potatoes into even sized pieces so they all cook at the same time. As you cut, drop the potatoes into a bowl of water. This rinses off excess starch and stops the potatoes from becoming gummy on the outside when you steam them.
- Drain the water from the potatoes and arrange them in a single layer in a lightweight stainless steel tray. I prefer a solid tray here, or a perforated set over a solid. Otherwise you end up with potato starch dripping into the bottom of the oven as they steam.
- If you’d like salted steamed potatoes, sprinkle them with salt now. I use half a teaspoon of fine salt to a pound (500g) potatoes.
- Cook the potatoes until they can be easily pierced with a knife. 1-inch (2.5cm) diced pieces take around 20 minutes, smaller pieces will take less time and larger more.
- For whole, skin on potatoes, just put the potatoes in a single layer in a lightweight stainless steel tray. If you have a perforated pan with your oven, this is a great time to use it. Steam the potatoes until a knife easily pierces the flesh and there’s no resistance; depending on size, this will take anywhere from 30-60 minutes.
- That’s it! Dress and serve the potatoes as a side dish or use them as an ingredient in another dish.
