40 Lbs Fresh Potatoes

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by TXKajun, Nov 7, 2015.


  1. TXKajun

    TXKajun Monkey+++

    I have managed to come up with about 40 lbs of fresh Idaho potatoes. There's only the 2 of us that eat at home regularly, sometimes 3. If we buy more than 5 lbs of potatoes at a time, they sprout or go bad on us. I've been Googling freezing potatoes and preserving potatoes and have recipes for frozen hash browns, french fries, regular as well as twice baked potatoes, dehydrated potatoes, potato chips, but I was wondering if anyone had a really favorite idea for freezing potatoes.

    TIA.


    Kajun
     
  2. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    We had a root cellar, that kept potatoes for a long time..... I agree with CS, you need something along that line.
    As far as freezing potatoes, I will defer to others that have tried.
     
  3. Dont

    Dont Just another old gray Jarhead Monkey

    Pressure can them??
     
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  4. Dunerunner

    Dunerunner Brewery Monkey Moderator

    You can shred them, rinse in cold water, then par cook on a griddle. After that they can be frozen. Shape them into patties before frying (they should look like a hamburger patty). Stack them with parchment paper between each one and freeze in a vacuum storage bag that has just been drawn down to the stack. Do not let the sealer run to full vacuum, seal it as soon as the bag collapses around the stack of potatoes.

    I would pressure can some, make beef stew and can that, make potato soup or clam chowder.
     
  5. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    Dunerunner has the right recipe, It is the only way you can freeze potatoes. You have to leach out the starch and partially cook them to freeze them.
     
  6. TailorMadeHell

    TailorMadeHell Lurking Shadow Creature

    I know nothing of it, though could you dehydrate them for reconstitution later?
     
  7. TXKajun

    TXKajun Monkey+++

    Thanks, folks. I have been practicing my Google-fu and have quite a few ideas. I didn't know you could pressure can 'taters! I think this is gonna be on the agenda for tomorrow. And lots of sites about freezing taters.....but they have to be par boiled/blanced first. Also saw something about slicing thin, boiling till tender, dehydrating, crushing and using as instant 'taters.

    Thanks. Looks like I'm gonna be busy tomorrow.

    Kajun
     
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  8. stg58

    stg58 Monkey+++ Founding Member


    When we lived in North Dakota all along the roads near the potato and sugar beet processing plants folks were picking up "road kill" spuds and beets that fell off the trucks.
     
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  9. T. Riley

    T. Riley Monkey+++

    I cube mine, blanch then dehydrate them. Then I vacuum seal them in one-half gallon canning jars. Kept in a dark pantry they will last years. I use them in soups, as hashbrowns and in casseroles. I am sure you can freeze them since you can buy them frozen, but I have never tried it. Don't want to waste the freezer space.
     
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  10. Gopherman

    Gopherman Sometimes I Wish I Could Go Back to Sleep

    Any body dehydrate them? Will they come back afterward?
     
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  11. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    dehydrate... if you slice em is almost like eating unflavored potato chips. You can do it but..... ewww....

    and just like freezing, if ya dehydrate potatoes you need to leech starch out by boiling before you dehydrate or they turn black, boil for 3-4 minutes, then rinse in cold ice water bath. This deactivates the enzymes & gives you more whitish color dried potato.
     
  12. RightHand

    RightHand Been There, Done That RIP 4/15/21 Moderator Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Blanch or boil then can. I used top get 50 lb sacks of potatoes and onions every fall. This was before I had a root cellar so I would set aside about 1/4 of each sack in a cold box in the unheated garage and can the remainder
     
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  13. ditch witch

    ditch witch I do stupid crap, so you don't have to

    Seconding what Dont said. You can pressure can them, in fact that's what I'm doing right now. The Mr didn't realize I'd just bought a 10# bag for him, and he brought home 2 more (they were on sale). I'm canning dog food today and am using the about-to-go-soft potatoes instead of pumpkin.

    Here's directions for pressure canning them.
    Canning Potatoes, Step by step instructions using a pressure canner.
     
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  14. Altoidfishfins

    Altoidfishfins Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    We just tried dehydrating some a couple of different ways. One internet instruction said to boil for 20 minutes. The smaller potatoes were almost cooked in that amount of time. We ate about 4 lbs of mashed potatoes for the following week :lol:

    The larger potatoes we sliced and dehydrated. We reconstituted a few and with a little cooking, looks like they'd be edible, usable for things like mashed or skillet fried.

    Then we got a tip from someone that said to soak them in lemon juice, then dehydrate. Well one of us got the idea that Fruit Fresh would do the same thing - NOPE! They turned black. Chalk that one up to experience.(n)

    Looks like if we're going to dehydrate, Ganado has the right formula with 3-4 minute boil, then cold water. Otherwise can. Fortunately they're less than $3 a 10 lb sack at the local groc store. We'll experiment again later this week. I think we also have a pressure canner so that's an option to explore. Don't know if it'd be more labor to do it that way.

    Oh, and thanks for the canning link, DW.
     
    Last edited: Nov 8, 2015
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  15. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    You tried something new, and you didn't die. That's always a good thing.[winkthumb]
     
  16. Witch Doctor 01

    Witch Doctor 01 Mojo Maker

    If they turn black and are dehydrated then they probably are still edible but don't look very appetizing...
     
  17. TXKajun

    TXKajun Monkey+++

    Round 1 of 'tater preservation is done. I baked up a total of 18 of the nice "baking-sized" 'taters and let them cool overnight. 8 of them went straight into freezer after being vacuum sealed. The other 10 got split in half, the insides taken out and broken into small pieces, combined with some freshly shredded cheddar cheese, sprinkled with salt and pepper, put back into the potato skin, vacuum sealed and put into the freezer.

    Catching my breath now before going on to round 2. Probably going to peel, do a small dice, boil till tender, smush and then stick in the dehydrator. When they are dry, I'll take them for a spin in the food processor and finally, stick them in a pint jar and use the good old food saver and jar sealer on them. And I'll use the fruit stuff treatment as I'm peeling.

    Kajun
     
  18. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    hmmm I am interested to see how this comes out. I thought baked, they turned black. Thanks for sharing your experiment.
     
  19. TXKajun

    TXKajun Monkey+++

    Ganado, one of the many videos I've researched on this showed potatoes that hadn't been full cooked turn black a couple of hours into dehydrating. I think it has to do with deactivating some enzymes in the potato when it comes up to full cooked temps.

    So far my dehydrating 'taters are looking nice and white

    These came directly from a farmer up in Idaho....he works for the same company I do. Our manager down here went to considerable effort and a bit of expense to get these down here. I figure 80% of our employees down here are going to let 75% of the 'taters spoil. Bummer.

    Tomorrow it's looking like I'll try freezing some potatoes o'brien with onions and bell peppers. So far, so good, but a bunch of work. Oh yes, I'm also smoking a pork butt and an arm beef roast. Busy day!

    Kajun

    UPDATE
    The pork butt and arm roast are finally done....after 12 1/1 hours. 'Taters are dehydrating just fine. Son loved the pork. :) All in all, a pretty darn successful day. Happy Veteran's Day all you vets! Thanks for your service.
     
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2015
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  20. fedorthedog

    fedorthedog Monkey+++

    Simple way to make an above ground root cellar is use an old freezer that does not work Store it in a cool out of the sun area. Air Dry the spud for several days then place in freezer for storage. You can partially bury the freezer to help keep it cool. If you are in an area that get cold put a thermostat switch on the inside and hook it to the light fixture inside Have it come on at 36 or so it will give enough heat to keep things from freezing. I learned this from an mentor of mine who has been doing it for years and stores several hundred pounds each year. Carrot can store in the same freezer but not onions.
     
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