How Should I Store Potatoes?

"No, your potatoes shouldn't go in the fridge. The cold turns their starches into sugar. Instead, keep them in a well-ventilated basket in a cool, dark place, away from onions. (They'll be bad influences on each other: Onions emit ethylene gases, which can speed up the ripening and spoiling process.) Try not to bang them around on the way home from the store despite their reputation, they bruise easily."

"How can you tell if a potato is problematic? Look out for greening skin. That hue comes from exposure to sun or artificial light, and indicates a higher presence of solanine, which, in large amounts, can be toxic. Wrinkled skin is a sign of deterioration, too, as are potatoes riddled with sprouts (a few are just fine). Heed any funky scents or brown liquid pooling below the basket and remove the culprits right away."

"Kept properly, they typically last about two weeks in a dark pantry at room temperature before they start to sprout (to them, warmth means spring), and a good month or more in a cooler (45 to 50 degrees) basement or garage. Make the most of it: Compost or deeply peel any with green skins, but other kinds of sprouts or unsavory bits can be trimmed away with a paring knife, as long as the rest of the potato is firm."

Choose very firm potatoes with no nicks, sprouts, or green skin. Avoid refrigerating potatoes because cold converts starches to sugar; instead store them in a well-ventilated basket in a cool, dark place away from onions. Do not wash before storing since lingering moisture encourages bacterial growth and decay. Properly stored, potatoes last about two weeks at room temperature or a month or more at 45–50°F. Green skin signals higher solanine and possible toxicity; wrinkling, heavy sprouting, odd smells, or brown liquid indicate spoilage. Trim or peel problematic areas, compost severely damaged tubers, and repurpose potato cooking water in breads and gravies.

Read at cooking.nytimes.com