Food - Drink
Why Alton Brown Cuts Potatoes Into Triangles Before Boiling
By KAREN HART
Boiling potatoes correctly seems pretty straightforward—that is until celebrity chef Alton Brown makes you feel like maybe it isn't. Brown's preferred way to boil potatoes involves peeling the potatoes as well as cutting them into triangles for a rather interesting reason.
If you are boiling potatoes to make mashed potatoes, Brown suggests cutting them into triangles to achieve the "perfect range of doneness and starch-gelatinization." He states that he has done "copious" testing to discover that the triangle is the perfect shape to cut up potatoes in before boiling.
Brown recommends cutting the potatoes into "half inch slices" and explains that you want to stack these slices, about three at a time, and cut in half, turn, and cut in half again. Once you’re done, it should take only 15 to 20 minutes for your potatoes to cook perfectly.