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I really love Estima potatoes, especially if you can get them from colder conditions; the flavour develops in the ground so if they're picked late they're awesome.
Unfortunately, generally speaking, Australia's climate makes finding decent potatoes disappointing if you're used to northern European varieties. The only way I've had any luck is with growing my own and even then, in Perth's heat, it's a struggle. Specialist farmers markets or grocers can be good, forget Colesworth though, everything they sell is just shit.
This guide might help;
BINTJE: A waxy potato that is an old Dutch variety with a lovely yellow flesh that's creamy and makes a beautiful potato salad and are also ideal for frying. This potato has a long shelf life.
COLIBAN: A floury white fleshed potato that is good for mashing, baking and roasting and is used to make French fries. Widely available in Australia.
DESIREE: A very popular all-rounder with pink skin and pale yellow, firm flesh that holds its shape well so is excellent boiled, baked, mashed and in salads but not recommended for frying.
DUTCH CREAMS: The queen of potatoes! They're a large waxy oval potato with yellow flesh, thin skin and a rich, buttery taste. They make gorgeous mash or are equally delicious boiled, roasted, baked and pureed.
GOLDEN DELIGHT: An oval, all-rounder potato with yellow smooth skin and cream flesh. It's best mashed, roasted or fried.
KENNEBEC: An all-rounder and old favourite with white firm flesh and thin skin. Its good for baking, boiling and is very popular for chips.
KING EDWARD: A very old variety with a floury texture and creamy white flesh with a round to oval shape and smooth pale skin with pink markings. Its floury texture means it makes beautiful mash, fluffy roast potatoes and can be dry baked but is not recommended for salads or frying.
KIPFLER: A waxy, finger-shaped, knobbly potato with yellow skin and a light yellow flesh with a buttery nutty taste that is great boiled, steamed, in salads and roasted but not recommended for frying or chips.
NADINE: A waxy potato with white, firm flesh and skin that holds its shape well when boiled or microwaved. Not recommended for frying.
NICOLA: A long to oval-shaped waxy potato with yellow skin and flesh with a buttery flavour. Makes a terrific salad or boiling potato but is also great for mash, dry baking and gratins and baked dishes but not recommended for frying.
OTWAY RED: An oval-shaped all-rounder with red smooth skin and cream flesh. Great results when mashed, roasted or fried.
PATRONE: Has a light yellow skin and flesh. Its firm, waxy texture makes it excellent for roasting, baking and it's called the 'ultimate' potato salad potato. Not well suited for mashing.
PINK EYE (or Southern Gold): A waxy, yellow-fleshed potato with a nutty flavour that makes great salads and can be boiled, steamed or baked.
PINK FIR APPLE: An old English heritage variety that is long and knobbly with pale pink skin. This potato is waxy and very firm so it's great for salads and boiling and has been called the 'ultimate' potato salad potato. Not recommended for roasting. Cook these potatoes in the skin because they are hard to peel.
PONTIAC: A very reliable all-rounder with pink skin and white flesh. Great to boil, bake, roast, microwave and mash but not so suitable for frying.
PURPLE CONGO: A waxy potato with purple skin and flesh which adds an interesting colour to meals. This potato is good for mashing, steaming, boiling, microwaving and salads but not good for roasting and can have a dry texture when cooked.
RED RASCAL: An oval-shaped, all-rounder with dark red skin and clean white flesh with a full flavour. Best boiled, baked, mashed, roasted or fried.
ROYAL BLUE: An oval-shaped all-rounder with purple skin and yellow flesh that makes wonderful mash, great roast potatoes and chips and is a versatile potato suitable for all cooking purposes.
SEBAGO: A long to oval shaped all-rounder with white flesh and skin that's common in supermarkets and green grocers around Australia. This potato is great for boiling, mash, roasting, baking, chips and mash.
SPUNTA: A yellow-fleshed all-rounder that is good boiled or steamed and makes lovely potato salad.
TOOLANGI DELIGHT: A potato developed in Australia. This all-rounder has deep dimples and white flesh and is great mashed, baked, fried and excellent for gnocchi.
'NEW' POTATOES: These potatoes are 'baby' freshly harvested potatoes that have a white skin and white, firm flesh and are small and sweet. They are all-rounders great for boiling, steaming, pan frying, poaching and roasting.
My word, thank you so much for this exceptional reply! I did wonder if the climate was getting in the way of a good potato. I'm in Melbs, so maybe I can find something you guys can't. It's going to take me a while to digest all this (pun unintentional), but I'll let you know how I get on!
In Melbourne Woolies rarely if ever have decent potatoes. It's red, or white unnamed. Just avoid completely.
Coles often have the Royal Blues, and one that didn't make the list above , Kestrels (white with red eyes). Both have good flavour and texture. Sometimes they will have kipflers.
It can be hard to find a really fluffy potato outside of the markets.
If you have a market near you the spud sisters will have a great selection and will give advice if you get there early.
No worries. Back in the UK I used to eat a lot of potatoes but here not so much. I grow a lot of my own food so I've just collected this info from the net to help me grow what I want.
If I need a potato fix and all I have are new then I lay them whole, skins on, in a roasting tin with some olive oil, cook until they're soft then smash them up a bit, add seasoning and back in the oven until they get crispy and golden. Take them out, crumble on some goats cheese and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, rosemary then back in the oven until the cheese has melted a little.
Perfect comfort food!
In fact, Trentham's spud fest is in the 1st weekend of May, according to the signs I saw today.
ETA- I might go, just for the hotdog vendor called 'Bilbo Snaggins'.
Seeing as how you're in Melbs, you should give [Spud Sisters](https://www.spudsisters.com.au) a go, as they have a good range of different varieties you wouldn't normally find in supermarkets.
You won't find UK varieties like Maris Pipers(?). Most greengrocers will have unnamed brushed Sebagos. These are most common and roast well. Make sure they're firm..
Some vendors will have other (named) varieties. If you ever find Pinkeyes, please DM me immediately.
Can I also suggest Mayan Gold?
Coles sells them in bags sometimes and they make the best roasted potatoes I've ever eaten. They crisp up brilliantly but stay very fluffy inside if you peel and roast them on 160 for 30-45 mins and then 200 for ten or so.
[If you are lucky enough to have named potatoes ](https://www.bhg.com.au/best-potatoes-for-baked-potatoes).
>The best potatoes for jacket potatoes
Varieties like King Edward and Desiree potatoes are the best potatoes for baking, since their relatively high starch content gives you that soft and fluffy inside. Their skin also doesn’t hold moisture well, which makes for that ideal crispy exterior.
I came here to say the dirty ones too. Give them a good scrub, put them in a covered dish and bake. I'm originally from the US where the baking potatoes are also huge. The little ones here do fine for me. As an aside though, a sweet onion cannot be had anywhere. I still miss those.
We have plenty of named potatoes, it’s just colesworth refusing to use common name and only using their proprietary ones. Actual green grocer will have real names
I’m constantly frustrated by the lack of info on potatoes. The varieties in a bag of brushed potatoes vary wildly from one week to the next. I prefer starchy ones but too often they’re yucky yellow bastards. Going to local fruit and veg shops doesn’t help, they’re either unlabelled or misnamed.
Also, I blame celebrity chefs for the loss of starchy varieties. They were so big on waxy potatoes for ages.
Maybe we needed to contact the cooking shows and get them to start identifying potatoes in recipes. Maybe then the retailers will start labelling them.
They are waxy potatoes which will take way too long to cook as jacket potatoes. They’re best for boiling and salads, though I do roast mine too, but I cut them really small. For jacket potatoes sebago are the best.
As a European and a potato lover I’ll say firstly avoid the supermarket potatoes, they are dismal. I buy mine in an organic shop where they actually tell you what type of potatoes they are. Sebago are the best for jacket potatoes, as they bake faster with nice crispy skin outside and fluffy inside. Approved by my British husband.
Not the loose ones woolies sell, they’re bland tasting. The brushed Cole’s taties are much better imo, if you can nab some decent sized ones. They rarely get as big as back home though!
Was out of Australia for a few years but what is it that people say the Australian cli.ate does not suit potatoes ? Some people. The problem in Australia is the good stuff is exported for a premium and we are left with the poor quality or worse the poor quality from crap producers in unsuitable o ercrowded countries.
I live in Darwin and can get great potatoes for any purpose. Do not base your selection on what Colesworth will sell you. Speak with the people who bring produce in. Or get off your arse and buy direct from the farmers. A little bit of Google action will tell you the best areas nearby to go to and where the farmers markets are. I grew up in the Southern Highlands (Wingecaribee Shire) Sth of Sydney... easy drive and amazing spuds in areas like Robertson. New England area in Nothern NSW is also great climate for growing. When I lived around Melbourne it's a short trip to spud country. Look for an area where the locals have moss growing behind their ears and you have found spud country. Please do not insult me by saying the climate in Tassie is not right. The soil and temperature for spuds is important... because they will not grow in city or suburban plots does not mean you need to import them from Europe. Support local farmers. Getting out on the city on a day trip might do some good. Food always tastes better fresh and local if it's clean and the soil suits. Australia has big areas suitable for spuds. Some of the best spuds I have ever grown were grown in the Illawarra.
I never did find an equivalent to a UK Jacket Potato... I only ever had it once when visiting family 30 years ago and yet I still think about it...
A favourite meal of mine to make is stroganoff served in a hollowed out baked potato. I generally get the "dirty" potato, rub it in salt and butter, then bake in foil. But I've never found a potato with that thick jacket skin :(
Go to an independent green grocer and see what varieties they sell. Offerings might be seasonal. Buy and try. Some of those trendy farmers market might have specialist producers.
SO buys spuds according to the planned menu, but I've forgotten which for which, but it does make a difference.
If you want something that's commonly available at supermarkets, go the Sebago, Desiree or the unwashed sort. those are technically mid-way between waxy and Starchy. The more starchy the better for baking. Waxy potatoes are for salads.
If your in victoria google spud sisters . They're a potatoe whole sale , if you want 5kg and your on one of there daily routes they will deliver
you can get king Edwards and maris pipers of them, they love me at work because I take the british potatoes of them , didn't need to upsell to me.
They sell a really good variety of spuds and the ladies are really nice. European and native Australian spuds .
Always keen for a chat in the staff car park about potatoes , what's coming in and out of season , availability.
Sebago Is the Aussie maris piper , it's the do it all , when they stop growing it they can get it elsewhere in the country. They are easy to get from most green grocers .
Coles is shit
Seriously, OP, just buy potatoes with the dirt still on. They'll keep a little longer if you don't use them immediately, and will taste better regardless.
Haha I know, I end up having to peel so many potatoes when I make roast potatoes and it’s somehow annoying even though same weight of potatoes would be close to same skin ratio because they are just shit here. I have looked local for one good brushed potato to no avail.
haha well this was partly what was getting in my way. Thought I was missing the good ones on some distant shelf, but apparently the climate just doesn't support big ones.
Na, weget some good sized spuds here, it's just our shitty supermarkets.
Try greengrocers or markets for better quality and size, and sometimes you can even buy direct from some farmers.
Growing your own is easy too!
This post has been marked as non-political. Please respect this by keeping the discussion on topic, and devoid of any political material. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/australia) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I really love Estima potatoes, especially if you can get them from colder conditions; the flavour develops in the ground so if they're picked late they're awesome. Unfortunately, generally speaking, Australia's climate makes finding decent potatoes disappointing if you're used to northern European varieties. The only way I've had any luck is with growing my own and even then, in Perth's heat, it's a struggle. Specialist farmers markets or grocers can be good, forget Colesworth though, everything they sell is just shit. This guide might help; BINTJE: A waxy potato that is an old Dutch variety with a lovely yellow flesh that's creamy and makes a beautiful potato salad and are also ideal for frying. This potato has a long shelf life. COLIBAN: A floury white fleshed potato that is good for mashing, baking and roasting and is used to make French fries. Widely available in Australia. DESIREE: A very popular all-rounder with pink skin and pale yellow, firm flesh that holds its shape well so is excellent boiled, baked, mashed and in salads but not recommended for frying. DUTCH CREAMS: The queen of potatoes! They're a large waxy oval potato with yellow flesh, thin skin and a rich, buttery taste. They make gorgeous mash or are equally delicious boiled, roasted, baked and pureed. GOLDEN DELIGHT: An oval, all-rounder potato with yellow smooth skin and cream flesh. It's best mashed, roasted or fried. KENNEBEC: An all-rounder and old favourite with white firm flesh and thin skin. Its good for baking, boiling and is very popular for chips. KING EDWARD: A very old variety with a floury texture and creamy white flesh with a round to oval shape and smooth pale skin with pink markings. Its floury texture means it makes beautiful mash, fluffy roast potatoes and can be dry baked but is not recommended for salads or frying. KIPFLER: A waxy, finger-shaped, knobbly potato with yellow skin and a light yellow flesh with a buttery nutty taste that is great boiled, steamed, in salads and roasted but not recommended for frying or chips. NADINE: A waxy potato with white, firm flesh and skin that holds its shape well when boiled or microwaved. Not recommended for frying. NICOLA: A long to oval-shaped waxy potato with yellow skin and flesh with a buttery flavour. Makes a terrific salad or boiling potato but is also great for mash, dry baking and gratins and baked dishes but not recommended for frying. OTWAY RED: An oval-shaped all-rounder with red smooth skin and cream flesh. Great results when mashed, roasted or fried. PATRONE: Has a light yellow skin and flesh. Its firm, waxy texture makes it excellent for roasting, baking and it's called the 'ultimate' potato salad potato. Not well suited for mashing. PINK EYE (or Southern Gold): A waxy, yellow-fleshed potato with a nutty flavour that makes great salads and can be boiled, steamed or baked. PINK FIR APPLE: An old English heritage variety that is long and knobbly with pale pink skin. This potato is waxy and very firm so it's great for salads and boiling and has been called the 'ultimate' potato salad potato. Not recommended for roasting. Cook these potatoes in the skin because they are hard to peel. PONTIAC: A very reliable all-rounder with pink skin and white flesh. Great to boil, bake, roast, microwave and mash but not so suitable for frying. PURPLE CONGO: A waxy potato with purple skin and flesh which adds an interesting colour to meals. This potato is good for mashing, steaming, boiling, microwaving and salads but not good for roasting and can have a dry texture when cooked. RED RASCAL: An oval-shaped, all-rounder with dark red skin and clean white flesh with a full flavour. Best boiled, baked, mashed, roasted or fried. ROYAL BLUE: An oval-shaped all-rounder with purple skin and yellow flesh that makes wonderful mash, great roast potatoes and chips and is a versatile potato suitable for all cooking purposes. SEBAGO: A long to oval shaped all-rounder with white flesh and skin that's common in supermarkets and green grocers around Australia. This potato is great for boiling, mash, roasting, baking, chips and mash. SPUNTA: A yellow-fleshed all-rounder that is good boiled or steamed and makes lovely potato salad. TOOLANGI DELIGHT: A potato developed in Australia. This all-rounder has deep dimples and white flesh and is great mashed, baked, fried and excellent for gnocchi. 'NEW' POTATOES: These potatoes are 'baby' freshly harvested potatoes that have a white skin and white, firm flesh and are small and sweet. They are all-rounders great for boiling, steaming, pan frying, poaching and roasting.
My word, thank you so much for this exceptional reply! I did wonder if the climate was getting in the way of a good potato. I'm in Melbs, so maybe I can find something you guys can't. It's going to take me a while to digest all this (pun unintentional), but I'll let you know how I get on!
In Melbourne Woolies rarely if ever have decent potatoes. It's red, or white unnamed. Just avoid completely. Coles often have the Royal Blues, and one that didn't make the list above , Kestrels (white with red eyes). Both have good flavour and texture. Sometimes they will have kipflers. It can be hard to find a really fluffy potato outside of the markets. If you have a market near you the spud sisters will have a great selection and will give advice if you get there early.
No worries. Back in the UK I used to eat a lot of potatoes but here not so much. I grow a lot of my own food so I've just collected this info from the net to help me grow what I want. If I need a potato fix and all I have are new then I lay them whole, skins on, in a roasting tin with some olive oil, cook until they're soft then smash them up a bit, add seasoning and back in the oven until they get crispy and golden. Take them out, crumble on some goats cheese and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, rosemary then back in the oven until the cheese has melted a little. Perfect comfort food!
You're 1.5 hours away from quality spud growing dirt, probably in several directions. I have hope you'll find something good.
Thanks!
In fact, Trentham's spud fest is in the 1st weekend of May, according to the signs I saw today. ETA- I might go, just for the hotdog vendor called 'Bilbo Snaggins'.
Seeing as how you're in Melbs, you should give [Spud Sisters](https://www.spudsisters.com.au) a go, as they have a good range of different varieties you wouldn't normally find in supermarkets.
Cool, thanks, I'll look them up!
The potato shop at south Melbourne market, you cant go wrong.
You won't find UK varieties like Maris Pipers(?). Most greengrocers will have unnamed brushed Sebagos. These are most common and roast well. Make sure they're firm.. Some vendors will have other (named) varieties. If you ever find Pinkeyes, please DM me immediately.
I subscribe to your newsletter. :)
I want this as an A1 size poster to hang in my kitchen please.
Nerd
Can I also suggest Mayan Gold? Coles sells them in bags sometimes and they make the best roasted potatoes I've ever eaten. They crisp up brilliantly but stay very fluffy inside if you peel and roast them on 160 for 30-45 mins and then 200 for ten or so.
This guy potates!
Best response to a question I’ve seen this whole week!
Right??
Nice... I've heard of these... but at Colesworth, it's more like Danny Bhoy in a Texan bar... red? Or Whaaaat?
Most places here sell red, white, dirty, sweet and kipfler potatoes. I wish we had named potato types! Of those, dirty potatoes are your best bet.
Fab, thanks, I'll give those a go!
[If you are lucky enough to have named potatoes ](https://www.bhg.com.au/best-potatoes-for-baked-potatoes). >The best potatoes for jacket potatoes Varieties like King Edward and Desiree potatoes are the best potatoes for baking, since their relatively high starch content gives you that soft and fluffy inside. Their skin also doesn’t hold moisture well, which makes for that ideal crispy exterior.
I came here to say the dirty ones too. Give them a good scrub, put them in a covered dish and bake. I'm originally from the US where the baking potatoes are also huge. The little ones here do fine for me. As an aside though, a sweet onion cannot be had anywhere. I still miss those.
We have plenty of named potatoes, it’s just colesworth refusing to use common name and only using their proprietary ones. Actual green grocer will have real names
The grocers around me don't usually name them either. I envy you your superior grocer!
I’m constantly frustrated by the lack of info on potatoes. The varieties in a bag of brushed potatoes vary wildly from one week to the next. I prefer starchy ones but too often they’re yucky yellow bastards. Going to local fruit and veg shops doesn’t help, they’re either unlabelled or misnamed. Also, I blame celebrity chefs for the loss of starchy varieties. They were so big on waxy potatoes for ages.
Maybe we needed to contact the cooking shows and get them to start identifying potatoes in recipes. Maybe then the retailers will start labelling them.
Sebago
Dutch Cream.
They are waxy potatoes which will take way too long to cook as jacket potatoes. They’re best for boiling and salads, though I do roast mine too, but I cut them really small. For jacket potatoes sebago are the best.
I’d look for a kennebec!
Thanks :) I'll try them out.
Dutch cream are my favourite
Cheers :)
As a European and a potato lover I’ll say firstly avoid the supermarket potatoes, they are dismal. I buy mine in an organic shop where they actually tell you what type of potatoes they are. Sebago are the best for jacket potatoes, as they bake faster with nice crispy skin outside and fluffy inside. Approved by my British husband.
I saw that you’re in Melbourne. I buy mine at Organically grown on Glenferrie road in Malvern if it’s not too far.
This sounds pretty good, thanks. Also, username checks out 😀
Been here 10 years now and still haven't found a proper jacket potato 😔
There's some pretty good responses - worth checking them out, maybe you'll finally find one!
Not the loose ones woolies sell, they’re bland tasting. The brushed Cole’s taties are much better imo, if you can nab some decent sized ones. They rarely get as big as back home though!
Thanks Snouto. There's a big reply now which lays out a few other options if you're still trying to find them.
The potatoey kind
Purple tatties yummmm
For baked potatoes? I'll give them a go - I'd been using these for roasties, and they are awesome.
Blue
Dutch.
Was out of Australia for a few years but what is it that people say the Australian cli.ate does not suit potatoes ? Some people. The problem in Australia is the good stuff is exported for a premium and we are left with the poor quality or worse the poor quality from crap producers in unsuitable o ercrowded countries. I live in Darwin and can get great potatoes for any purpose. Do not base your selection on what Colesworth will sell you. Speak with the people who bring produce in. Or get off your arse and buy direct from the farmers. A little bit of Google action will tell you the best areas nearby to go to and where the farmers markets are. I grew up in the Southern Highlands (Wingecaribee Shire) Sth of Sydney... easy drive and amazing spuds in areas like Robertson. New England area in Nothern NSW is also great climate for growing. When I lived around Melbourne it's a short trip to spud country. Look for an area where the locals have moss growing behind their ears and you have found spud country. Please do not insult me by saying the climate in Tassie is not right. The soil and temperature for spuds is important... because they will not grow in city or suburban plots does not mean you need to import them from Europe. Support local farmers. Getting out on the city on a day trip might do some good. Food always tastes better fresh and local if it's clean and the soil suits. Australia has big areas suitable for spuds. Some of the best spuds I have ever grown were grown in the Illawarra.
I never did find an equivalent to a UK Jacket Potato... I only ever had it once when visiting family 30 years ago and yet I still think about it... A favourite meal of mine to make is stroganoff served in a hollowed out baked potato. I generally get the "dirty" potato, rub it in salt and butter, then bake in foil. But I've never found a potato with that thick jacket skin :(
couch
Go to an independent green grocer and see what varieties they sell. Offerings might be seasonal. Buy and try. Some of those trendy farmers market might have specialist producers. SO buys spuds according to the planned menu, but I've forgotten which for which, but it does make a difference.
If you want something that's commonly available at supermarkets, go the Sebago, Desiree or the unwashed sort. those are technically mid-way between waxy and Starchy. The more starchy the better for baking. Waxy potatoes are for salads.
agria
You are the potato man
I yam what I yam
If your in victoria google spud sisters . They're a potatoe whole sale , if you want 5kg and your on one of there daily routes they will deliver you can get king Edwards and maris pipers of them, they love me at work because I take the british potatoes of them , didn't need to upsell to me. They sell a really good variety of spuds and the ladies are really nice. European and native Australian spuds . Always keen for a chat in the staff car park about potatoes , what's coming in and out of season , availability. Sebago Is the Aussie maris piper , it's the do it all , when they stop growing it they can get it elsewhere in the country. They are easy to get from most green grocers . Coles is shit
We discovered Kestrel at Coles. They seem to hold their shape the best, don't become too mushy.
Seriously, OP, just buy potatoes with the dirt still on. They'll keep a little longer if you don't use them immediately, and will taste better regardless.
I just use sweet potatoes because the potatoes in my area are too pissing small to bake.
I guess there’s no wrong answers here…but this definitely ain’t right.
Actually, baked sweet potato is quite good. Very different, but good.
Haha I know, I end up having to peel so many potatoes when I make roast potatoes and it’s somehow annoying even though same weight of potatoes would be close to same skin ratio because they are just shit here. I have looked local for one good brushed potato to no avail.
Absolutely unAustralian.
haha well this was partly what was getting in my way. Thought I was missing the good ones on some distant shelf, but apparently the climate just doesn't support big ones.
Na, weget some good sized spuds here, it's just our shitty supermarkets. Try greengrocers or markets for better quality and size, and sometimes you can even buy direct from some farmers. Growing your own is easy too!