Russet Burbank

Russet Burbank plants grow medium-sized with angled stems, medium leaves, and dark green flower buds that drop readily; the tubers are large, long, and cylindrical to slightly flattened, with brownish-purple sprouts. The skin is thin and light brown, wrapping an oval, slightly flattened shape and an off-white to ivory, moderately dense interior. Its flavor is distinctly earthy, and the high starch content gives a grainy texture and slightly chewy skin that bakes dry and fluffy or fries crisp and golden brown.

Russet Burbank suits fresh, frozen, and dehydrated preparation alike, making it broadly adaptable in the kitchen and in processing. Its size makes it well suited to producing long fry pieces, which led major fast-food chains such as McDonald's to favor it as a primary french-fry potato. After decades of widespread use across North America, it has become the standard against which other potatoes are judged by both consumers and processors.

Russet Burbank stores exceptionally well, keeping for up to five months at 7°C without the need for sprout-inhibiting treatments. The plants grow large and vigorous, showing resistance to scab while producing excellent yields. Despite this resilience, the crop needs a consistent moisture supply to perform well.

Russet Burbank traces back to Luther Burbank, who selected the variety while working to breed hardier, less disease-prone potatoes than the Irish stock then grown; because tuber-propagated plants could not be patented in the United States, his selection entered commerce unprotected. It was released commercially in 1902 by L. L. May & Co under the name Netted Gem, a lineage confirmed by a 2014 study.