Innovator Potatoes

The name was earned. When Dutch breeding company HZPC introduced Innovator in 2004, bred from a cross between Shepody and RZ-84-2580, it was a genuine first: the first russet-skinned variety HZPC had ever produced. A company that had spent decades developing potato varieties had never cracked the russet skin profile before. When they finally did, they called it Innovator, because that's what it was.

What makes Innovator distinctive is the combination of high dry matter content, stable flavour, and the kind of uniform, large tubers that perform consistently across every cooking method it's suited to. It's popular in Europe and gaining ground in North America. In Australia, it's rare to find it fresh, which is exactly why Spud Sisters grows it.

The russet skin places Innovator in a category most Australian home cooks recognise from American food culture: the baked potato, the proper chip, the fry that holds its structure. Russet Burbank is the variety that built that reputation, and it remains the dominant French fry potato in the US. Innovator was developed as a direct evolution of that lineage, with the same russet credentials, but with a flavour profile that HZPC's own documentation describes as markedly superior to Russet Burbank. A bold claim from a company that doesn't make it lightly.

Grown in Victoria, harvested in season and dispatched fresh. Innovator has good storage characteristics with stable dry matter content - it holds quality well.

Innovator is a high dry matter variety with real nutritional depth. Its dense starch means more nutrition per serve than waxier types, while low reducing sugars mean lower acrylamide formation when cooked hot, a plus for chips and roasting. Cooked and cooled, its resistant starch rises notably, supporting gut health and blood sugar balance. It also offers potassium, vitamin C and B6, and is naturally gluten free. Eating the russet skin, rich in fibre and vitamins, makes baked Innovator the most nutritious way to enjoy it.

The dry matter content and low sugar levels of Innovator make it purpose-built for chips.

For oven chips: cut into thick pieces, parboil for 8–10 minutes in salted water with a pinch of bicarb soda, drain and steam-dry thoroughly, then roast at 210°C for 35–45 minutes. For the best chip result, the drier the potato surface going into the oven, the crispier the result coming out. Don't crowd the tray.

For a double-cook chip (restaurant style): blanch cut potatoes at 140°C in oil until just cooked through but not yet golden, rest for 10 minutes, then finish at 180°C until deep golden and crisp. The high dry matter content of Innovator handles both stages without becoming greasy.

This is where Innovator's russet skin earns its keep. Pierce, rub with oil and coarse salt, and bake at 200°C for 65–80 minutes depending on size. The thicker skin crisps to something genuinely satisfying - not just cooked skin but a proper crust with texture. The interior falls apart fluffily when forked open. Top with sour cream and chives, or split and load with whatever you like.

Parboil for 10–12 minutes with a pinch of bicarb soda, drain, steam-dry, then place into a preheated hot oiled tray at 200–210°C. The russet skin develops a deeper, more textured crust than smooth-skinned starchy varieties. Turn once at the halfway mark. Give it an hour.

Parboil briefly (8–10 minutes), steam-dry, toss in oil, season well, and air fry at 200°C for 22–28 minutes, shaking halfway. The uniform shape and size of Innovator tubers means even results with good heat circulation.

Boil gently until just tender, drain, steam-dry, then mash. Innovator produces a light, fluffy mash - less creamy than Dutch Cream, more substantial than some starchy varieties. Do not overwork: like all high-starch varieties, it becomes gluey when beaten too aggressively. Fold in butter and warm milk gently.

Cut into thick wedges, toss in oil and seasoning, roast at 210°C for 40–50 minutes. The russet skin gives wedges an especially satisfying exterior texture - more grip, more crunch, more character than smooth-skinned varieties at the same size.