Preserving Your Harvest

[NanaK]

Potatoes - who preserves them? This is my first year growing them, should I can them or freeze them? I don't have a good place to store them fresh so I must preserve. Thoughts?

In the past when I had a large harvest I did pressure can some. They were very good. I used the USDA guidelines.

I've never tried freezing them.

 

[tripletfeb]

Potatoes - who preserves them? This is my first year growing them, should I can them or freeze them? I don't have a good place to store them fresh so I must preserve. Thoughts?

I wouldn't think freezing potatoes would be good, they would get slimy and gross. I've dry canned them before with success

 

[Smokerbill]

I just ordered more freezer bags and I'm trying some half-gallon size for the first time. So far I have 8 quarts of cooked or blanched kale/collard greens (in yogurt/sour cream/cottage cheese containers), 2 quart bags of snow peas and 1 quart bag of snap peas in the freezer for the coming winter.

 

[Sueby]

I wouldn't think freezing potatoes would be good, they would get slimy and gross. I've dry canned them before with success

You have to blanche them first, otherwise they get gross.

 

[tripletfeb]

You have to blanche them first, otherwise they get gross.

I figured that

 

[Justagalwithchicks]

Potatoes - who preserves them? This is my first year growing them, should I can them or freeze them? I don't have a good place to store them fresh so I must preserve. Thoughts?

You can pressure can them. They are great in soups and fried potatoes. You can freeze them, blanche them first. Shred them for hash browns, cube them.for casseroles, blanche them, flash freeze and then freeze. Either way works great!

 

[Smokerbill]

How would you go about freezing potatoes to have something like Ore Ida frozen french fries? Partially cook them in a deep fryer, then freeze? Or would that be too much oil that would turn rancid over time?

 

[Justagalwithchicks]

How would you go about freezing potatoes to have something like Ore Ida frozen french fries? Partially cook them in a deep fryer, then freeze? Or would that be too much oil that would turn rancid over time?

Good question! I would just slice them, blanche, and flash freeze, then freeze. I am not sure how partially cooking first in oil would work, but it's an interesting idea. I may experiment when my potatoes are ready just to see.