Vegetable
Russet
A tier
Russets are the high-dry-matter American bakers and fryers—netted brown skins, white fluffy interiors that steam dry in a hot oven. Russet Burbank still dominates processing for fries and many fresh bakers. Low sugar when well stored keeps fry colour pale; cold storage can sweeten tubers and darken fries unattractively if stock is mismanaged. Bake whole, rice for mash, or cut for oven fries and hash browns. Skins crisp beautifully with oil and salt. Avoid for firm potato salads—the flesh crumbles into the dressing. Idaho branding often means russet-class tubers from volcanic soils prized for baking quality.
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Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
History
Russet Burbank emerged from Luther Burbank’s breeding work.
Idaho and Pacific Northwest industries scaled russet production.
Fast food fries locked demand for russet processing potatoes.
Russets remained America’s leading baking and fry potato class.