What are yellow/Yukon gold potatoes good for?

[BAPyessir6]

Growing up, I never used Yukon gold. My family always had white for everything: mashed, baked, Au gratin, fries etc. So now I want to improve my culinary knowledge and use Yukon gold. I bought a bag of each to try side by side to know the difference, and I'd love to know what yukon gold is superior for as opposed to russet white. Is Yukon good/better for mashed, as white are starchy and can get gluey? What say y'all?

Basically what are gold/yellow potatoes commonly used for and superior to?

 

[caseydog]

Yukon Gold potatoes are a good all-purpose potato. They are in the mid-point of starchy and waxy. You can use them for mashed potatoes, or for dicing into soups and stews.

As for a comparison to russets, they will hold up better for a soup or potato salad, from my experience, but they can bee used for mashed potatoes, too. Personally, I use russets for mashed potatoes. I use a waxier potato for potato salad, but I'd have no problem using Yukon golds for either one.

CD

 

[taxlady]

I agree with CD, Yukon gold are an excellent all around potato. Their flesh also has a nice "buttery" colour. I have read that when stored correctly, they can be stored longer than most other types of potatoes without sprouting.

 

[msmofet]

Ditto above. I use yellow and red potatoes mostly. I use them for everything. Usually buy the baby ones and use skins on.
Only exception is for baked. I use the big baking potatoes on the rare occasion I want a baked.

 

[dragnlaw]

The more I read here, the more I'm beginning to realize I must have made a mistake with the Russet vs Yukon. How or why I switched it around I have no idea. At any rate, thanks.
We can buy certain potatoes individually and just in the last couple of weeks that's exactly what I've been doing. But buying in bulk (comparably speaking 5# is cheaper than one) has been so ingrained I find it very difficult. As well as I'm an impulse person and when I decide I want a certain dish I want to have the ingredients on hand. If i wait 3 days to go shopping and buy the ingredient then, well, when I go to cook - I don't feel like have that dish any more.
(welcome to my world)

 

[Andy M.]

Yukon Golds and Russets are the two potato types I buy regularly. I can do everything I do with potatoes with these two types.

YG are a more flavorful version of the all-purpose potato that's been around forever.

 

[knowledge keeper]

Yukon Gold potatoes are perfect for mashed potatoes. They have a richer flavor and give the mash a creamy texture without losing shape. When it comes to baking, Yukon makes the potatoes tender on the inside with a crispy crust on the outside.

 

[BAPyessir6]

My family only ever used red potatoes for potato salad.

 

[blissful]

When we buy potatoes in volume, we buy russet potatoes. They'll be going on sale at the end of october and through november. With the harvest, there are only so many tons of potatoes they can put in climate controlled buildings, the rest go on sale. Last year $1/5 lbs limit 5. We keep them in the basement where it is cool and they last for months.
When we grew potatoes we grew kennebec potatoes, these are very similar but not exactly the same as russet potatoes. A little more waxy creamy compared to the fluffy in in russets. They also last most of the winter in the basement.

 

[BAPyessir6]

Th annoying thing is the white potatoes I just bought (10 lb of em!) are all sprouted/slightly green under the skin, so I figure I can't use them and should throw them. At least I have a 5 pounder of yellow.

Yes, I only just checked. Bah humbug!

 

[blissful]

@BAPyessir6 I agree the green under the skin is not good to eat. They had to be stored in sunlight to get that green tinge. If we buy them in plastic we check their color, then we put that bag in a paper grocery bag to keep it out of the sun in the kitchen.
If I buy large quantities, I only buy them that way in the fall, oct-nov, they last until spring. Once they've been in a climate controlled environment for months, they sprout soon after coming up to room temperature. Right now we're only buying 5 lb bags and using them soon after.

 

[dragnlaw]

Just how green are they? I've always gone ahead and used them. Maybe I peel a little deeper but I've done it for years. It is the green that contains the solanine and as long as you remove the green you should be good to go.
If it is the whole bag I would then take them back to the store and ask for either a replacement or refund. Make up your mind quickly, don't wait too long to do that.
Some potatoes are green because they were just above the soil when harvested, not necessarily stored in the sunlight. I've grown potatoes that have done that.

 

[BAPyessir6]

Apparently I cut into a bunch of them and looked, and I see that the top ones were more green than the lower down ones. The lower down ones in the bag don't seem to have any green at all. Hallelujah!

So I think I'll just make tons of oven fries tonight! Happy day!

 

[taxlady]

My arthritis starts acting up if I eat the solanine in potatoes. Unless the potato has a whole lot of green, I just cut off all the green including a small margin of safety and go ahead and cook them. That has been good enough for me. So, I would say, just cut off all the green and all of any sprouts you find on the potato and cook them.

There is also solanine in the skin and eyes, but less proportionally than in the green parts.

 

[jennyema]

Th annoying thing is the white potatoes I just bought (10 lb of em!) are all sprouted/slightly green under the skin, so I figure I can't use them and should throw them. At least I have a 5 pounder of yellow.

Yes, I only just checked. Bah humbug!

Use them. All you need to do is peel all the green off.