Question about canning potatoes

[Dace]

Ok well I am on the fence...( I prop myself up here often)

I did buy two more bags so now I have 40 lbs pf pots. I will put them into my cold closet while I wait for that bolt of lightning to strike and set my decision for me

 

[Ldychef2k]

Hmmmm....ok.


LadyChef- did you hot pack them? Add any seasonings? I am thinking they would be great drained and then fried with bacon grease and onions for a quick weekend breakfast side dish.

I blanched them very briefly, put a teaspoon of salt in each quart, then boiling water. Pressure canned for 40 minutes.

And I blame this thread for my cracking open a jar for dinner tonight, along with canned deep pit beef. Can't want to use the rest tomorrow.

Oh, speaking bacon...I made some bacon popcorn the other day using bacon fat instead of oil. I used my bacon flavored seasoning (bacon salt, lemon pepper, garlic powder and onion powder), and added 1/4 tsp of liquid smoke to the melted butter.

I need to go make some of that. I wonder how popcorn would be if you used beef fat, steak seasoning and cheese powder.

So totally off topic. Sorry.

 

[Iceblink]

After reading about punkin canning potatoes, I tried it, and they turned out just fine. They were definately cooked, but not mushy. I think they are great for slicing up with scrambled eggs for a quick breakfast.

I am storing most of my potatoes in my basement, but I still wanted to can a few jars to try it and because I -A) Harvested about 30 - 40 lbs of potatoes all at once from my garden, and -B) Went out and bought another 45 lbs of wonderful potatoes from the Farmers Market. They were .50/lb. Later in the winter and spring, they will be 2.50/lb, so I figure it is worth my time to can a few quarts.

Oh, and the wide mouth jars are definately easier!

 

[keljonma]

A tad off subject - but have you thought about dehydrating some of them?

PamPride's dehydrated a bunch of them; check the What Did You Dehydrate thread, I think.

 

[TanksHill]

I need to revive this thread to ask a couple questions.

So I am canning potatoes today. 10 pound bags for 77 cents, how could I resist. Just wanted to comment on the dehydrated part. I have both and I can't figure out how to cook the dry ones.

Any suggestions.

How exactly do you rehydrate them, obviously boiling water but for how long?

Thanks gina

 

[Bettacreek]

I so wish that I could find these great deals! I LOVE canned potatoes. So much so, in fact, that I buy the canned ones from the store. Now that I have space and a pressure canner, I'll definately be making my own once I get around to it. It's just too easy to open a can (or jar here soon), drain the water and dump it into your roaster, pan, whatever. It makes it so convenient. Cube and jar when you have excess time (winter is right after harvest season, so it's perfect), then just open, drain and dump when ready to cook (and limited on time).

 

[freemotion]

When I lived in Maine, surrounded by 'tater fields, I (and most of the local population) would glean a couple hundred pounds of spuds left by the harvesters. I would store them in paper feed sacks in a cool, dark place and sort them now and then. They lasted until spring signalled them to sprout.

My only question about canning potatoes is.....why? This time of year, they will keep quite a long time if you keep them in the dark.

 

[Ldychef2k]

Why? For me, flavor, convenience, and I was able to get ten pound bags for less than a dollar. I live in California, things do not keep here like they do in the midwest and east. Most of us don't have root cellars, but we do have the ability to can. It's different strokes for different folks. Not everyone has the same situation.

 

[freemotion]

Of course! I think you told me that before. It is hard to remember that part of the country is actually warm when I am freezing my tuckus off.....sub-zero at night, frozen water to deal with, all my veggies that I forgot on the porch froze solid, and we have a major snowstorm coming tonight....we are on the edge of the "blizzard" line, so we have no idea how much snow will be dumped on us. It is warm somewhere?????

 

[TanksHill]

Southern Ca is worse. It was 80 deg at my house today. I am about ready to start digging a root cellar. I wish I had a spot to put one. I do keep some potatoes on hand in a pantry all the time. But at 77 cents for 10 lbs I just had to can them. I have a ton of quarts jars and it really has only take a couple hours of my time. dh asked how many potatoes do we really need? I don't know but I'll have them when we do!!!