green potatoes - can I use them?

rosy

I dug up some potatoes today but one plant mustn't have been earthed up properly and the potatoes from it are about a quarter green. They are big potatoes ( tons bigger than the ones that were deep underground ) & I don't want to waste them, can I just cut off the green bits and use the rest? If so, how big a margin would I need to leave around the green parts?
Thank!

~Chameleon~

I've had green spuds from the supermarket before and just cut off the green bits and ate the rest and nothing dreadful happened. Although saying that, I assume you're aware that these bits are poisonous, otherwise you wouldn't be asking :doh:

Just be careful and any that are totally green I wouldn't risk, but if it's just a little bit then cut it out

ClaireLR

Aren't green potatoes carcinogenic :eek: :eek: :eek:

Sunnyday

I always cut the green bis off and use the rest, i don`t leave a margin at all, as long as there`s no green on the bit i cook i`m happy with that.
SD

moonrakerz

This is a bit of an "old wives tale" (sorry Claire !)

When spuds go green a chemical called solanine is produced. This is the chemical in deadly nightshade (same family as the spud) - which kills you.
However there is so little of this chemical in a green spud you would have to eat around 4.5 lbs of fully green spuds for it to have any neurological effect - to kill you, you would probably need to eat about a hundredweight - at one sitting.

If you put a spoonful of vinegar in the cooking water, this is said to nuetralize the solanine - if you are really worried !

loulou88

when i did my food hygiene course at college they told us green potatoes have toxins in them and should not be used as they cause upset stomachs. Well I have a delicate stomach all sorts makes it bad but green potatoes never bothered me. I have only ever used slightly green ones not totally greens ones.
I think this one really is down to personal choice and who is eating them. Not for ill or children maybe?