Kennebec Potatoes

Kennebec takes its name from the river that runs through Maine, in America's potato growing heartland. The USDA released it in 1948, bred specifically to meet the demands of the growing chip and fry industry, and within a few decades it had become the primary chip processing variety across the United States and Canada, the potato behind a generation of the definitive American crisp. Its high starch, low moisture and thin skin made it the industry's default for exactly the kind of high heat cooking a good chip demands.

What nobody expected was how good it would taste fresh. Kennebec has a flavour richer and more interesting than most starchy varieties, earthy and nutty with a natural sweetness that develops during cooking, giving it a caramelised depth that few white fleshed potatoes can match. In Galicia, Spain, it became the benchmark potato for pulpo a la gallega, a dish where the potato's flavour and texture matter almost as much as the seafood itself. Seventy five years of chip credentials, now grown fresh in Victoria.

Kennebec carries high starch with a notable natural sugar content, giving it a richer flavour and deeper caramelisation than many commercial starchy varieties, though this also means a slightly higher GI when eaten hot. Cooled cooked Kennebec, whether cold chips or leftover roast, converts to resistant starch, feeding beneficial gut bacteria and significantly lowering the glycaemic response. It offers a good source of potassium for healthy blood pressure, meaningful vitamin C particularly when baked rather than boiled, and folate to support cell division. It also carries small but notable amounts of vitamin A, unusual for a white fleshed variety, and is naturally gluten free. Its large tubers mean less peeling waste and more usable flesh per potato, a practical benefit that rarely gets mentioned.

Grown in Victoria and dispatched fresh after harvest. Kennebec performs best in cool growing conditions, which suit the Victorian highlands well.

Kennebec is in season from March to July, the window when this cool climate variety is at its best.

Kennebec was bred for exactly this. Cut into chips or wedges, parboil in salted water for 8 to 10 minutes with a pinch of bicarb soda, drain thoroughly and steam dry so the surface is properly dry before cooking. Roast at 210C for 35 to 45 minutes, or deep fry in two stages, blanching at 140C until cooked through, resting, then finishing at 180C until golden. The natural sweetness gives real flavour complexity.

Parboil for 10 to 12 minutes with bicarb soda, drain, steam dry, then place into a hot oiled tray at 200 to 210C. The higher sugar content produces deeper caramelisation and real character in the crust. Turn once, allowing around an hour for a properly sized cut.

Pierce the skin, oil, salt and bake at 200C for 65 to 80 minutes. The interior turns genuinely fluffy and falls apart cleanly when forked open, ready to take on butter or sour cream. The thin skin crisps well without needing extra time.

The high starch content makes Kennebec excellent for this. Grate raw, squeeze out as much moisture as possible in a clean towel, season, then fry in butter or oil over medium high heat. The starch helps the hash brown hold together and crisp evenly, making it one of the better varieties in the range for this job.

Peel for mash, chips and hash browns, but leave the skin on for baked potatoes, hasselback and wedges. Kennebec greens quickly when exposed to light, so store it consistently in the dark and check carefully before cooking, since the thin skin makes any green tinge easy to spot. Cut away generously if found.

Store in a cool, dark and ventilated spot such as a pantry or cupboard. Kennebec is particularly sensitive to light and greens rapidly if exposed, so consistent dark storage matters more here than with most other varieties. Do not refrigerate, since cold converts starch to sugar and affects the chip or roasting result. Keep in the paper bag it arrives in rather than sealed plastic, and store away from onions, which speed each other's decline. Shelf life runs to around 2 to 3 weeks in ideal dark conditions, somewhat shorter than Fontane or Innovator, so eat Kennebec first if you have multiple bags on hand. When your order arrives, unpack promptly and move it straight to a cool, dark spot. Minor marks from transit on the large tubers are normal and do not affect eating quality.