I was taught to cook red potatoes in their skins and peel them when cooked for potato salad. Is this an absolute rule and if so, why?

Question

susan G. · Accepted Answer

As long as the potato skin (any color) is thin, I do not peel.  Tastes good to me.

A Whole Foods Market Customer · Answer

Boiling the potatoes in their skins theoretically reduces sogginess - they don't soak up as much water. I'm not sure how true it is, though.

SeaJambon · Answer

While I agree that the skin on ANY potato tastes good, it is more common to leave the skin on thin skinned potatoes like red potatoes than a thicker russet.  Having said that, if you are going to take the skin off a thin skinned potato, it will peel off very easily and take just the peel if you do so after it is cooked (as opposed to using a peeler and getting a fair amount of potato with the skin).  Instead of using a peeler, just cut a slit in the skin and peel it off by pulling (like peeling an orange).

nutcakes · Answer

Same here.

I was taught to cook red potatoes in their skins and peel them when cooked for potato salad. Is this an absolute rule and if so, why?

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