I always make sure that I have a big bag of potatoes when I do the grocery. The other day, I saw roots sprouting out of my potatoes. So I decided to cook all of them immediately. I boiled some, mashed some more, and made potato wedges of what remained. After doing all these, I suddenly realized that my family of four cannot consume all that potato in one day.
Because we know that potato is high in nutrition, we tend to buy a lot of it for our family without realizing that we still have some from the last grocery shopping trip. Then, we find ourselves having too much of this tuber.
When you find yourself in this situation, do not put on your toque immediately and whip up your potato-based concoctions. Instead, think of how to preserve your potatoes.
Can You Freeze Potatoes?
Freezing is just one method of preserving potatoes and at the same time keeping their nutritional value. However, some people feel that this is not the best way to preserve this tuber.
Aside from freezing, you can store potatoes in a cellar to preserve potatoes. Just make sure that the room’s temperature is between 45 to 55 degrees F.
Do not refrigerate your potatoes or place them in a room with a temperature below 40 degrees F, otherwise, starch is converted into sugar. Consequently, you end up with sweet-tasting potatoes.
If you do not have a cellar, an alternative would be any dry area in the house. Just make sure to place your potatoes inside a brown bag or a paper box and they’ll be pat and dry.
Canning potatoes is another method to preserve them. This can be done only with a pressure canner as this is needed to ensure that your jars are sterile to make your canned potato last long.
A lot of people do not go for freezing potatoes because frozen potato becomes watery when it thaws. However, there are ways to freeze potatoes without compromising their goodness.
How to Freeze Potatoes
Freezing potatoes is very easy. There are just a few things you need to remember before freezing them:
- Raw potatoes are best frozen when they are newly harvested
- When freezing raw potatoes, do not cut them into small pieces
- Use air-tight containers or ziplock bags
- When packing, pack enough for one meal to avoid contamination
Potatoes can be frozen raw. To do this, you will need to peel your potatoes, blanch them for 3-5 minutes, and then dip them in ice-cold water before placing them inside air-tight containers or ziplock bags.
As mentioned, this method is not popular with everyone because it changes the texture of the potatoes, and the dishes you make it with becoming watery. As an alternative, it is suggested that you cook potatoes before freezing.
How To Use Up Extra/Leftover Cooked Potatoes?
There are so many different ways to cook potatoes, but what do you do when you have extra cooked potatoes? Here are five delicious ways to use up your leftover cooked potatoes:
- Make potato salad – Potato salad is a classic dish that is perfect for picnics and barbecues. Just add in some chopped celery, onion, and mayonnaise, and you’ll have a delicious side dish in no time.
- Mash them up – Mashed potatoes are a comfort food that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. You can add in some cheese and sour cream for a richer flavor, or keep it simple with just some butter and salt. Either way, you’re sure to enjoy this tasty dish.
- Make roasted potatoes – Roasted potatoes are a great way to use up leftover cooked potatoes. Just cut them into chunks, toss with some olive oil and spices, and bake in the oven until they’re nice and crispy.
- Turn them into soup – Potato soup is a comforting and hearty dish that is perfect for chilly days. Just add your cooked potatoes to a pot of chicken or vegetable broth, and you’ll have a delicious soup in no time.
- Make potato pancakes – Potato pancakes are a delicious way to use up leftover cooked potatoes. Just grate them into small pieces, mix with some egg and flour, and fry in a pan until they’re golden brown.
So there you have it – five delicious ways to use up your leftover cooked potatoes. Next time you find yourself with extra potatoes, try one of these recipes and enjoy!
Recipes
You can bake your potatoes before freezing. In this video, Martha Steward will teach you how to make a perfect potato:
You can also try the twice-baked potato recipe. Some say it is better to do this before freezing to preserve the taste. Here’s a good video on how to do a twice-baked potato:
If your kids love mashed potatoes but you do not have time to prepare them, make a big batch and freeze it for when your kids ask for them again. Here’s how:
Wrap Up
Yes, you can freeze cooked potatoes. Frozen cooked potatoes last for 3-4 months in the freezer if stored properly. Freezing the potatoes is a great way to preserve some extra food for later on when you are cooking for a big family or you have a lot of mouths to feed. Here is how you can freeze cooked potatoes: boil the potato as if you were going to eat it, cool the boiled potato down before putting it in the freezer bag, make sure you push out all of the air while sealing tightly (to avoid freezer burn), store properly, and label the bag with today’s date.
I am looking forward to hearing about your experience with freezing cooked potatoes. I love hearing from my readers, so please share!