| Potato 'Red Pontiac' | |
| Genus: | Solanum |
| Species: | Solanum tuberosum |
| Cultivar: | 'Red Pontiac' |
| Hybrid: | 'Pontiac' × unknown |
| Origin: | Florida, USA |
The Red Pontiac (also known as Dakota Chief) is a red-skinned early main crop potato variety originally bred in the United States,[1] and is sold in the United States, Canada, Australia, Algeria, the Philippines, Venezuela and Uruguay. It arose as a color mutant of the original Pontiac variety in Florida[2] by a J.W. Weston in 1945.[3] It was registered by the USDA in 1983.[3] The original Pontiac itself was a hybrid of varieties "Triumph" and "Katahdin" and released in the US in 1938 and Australia in 1940.[4]
The plants are large and spreading with angled stems and large light purple flowers. The potatoes are deep-eyed and round with dark red skin and white waxy flesh, though can be knobbly if soil moisture is uneven.[3] The skin colour can fade significantly, leaving only the eyes as red.[4]
It can be used in recipes for baking, boiling, mashing, roasting or in salads, and can be cooked in a microwave oven.[5] It is not so suitable for frying.[1] [4] Red potatoes may be cooked with the skin on, and should be scrubbed and rinsed before preparation.[6]