Having dug the last of the potatoes it was time to prepare them for storage. Earlier in the season we had started digging potatoes and canning the new potatoes in jars. These are the small potatoes that are usually smaller than a golf ball. We like them as an addition to green beans during the winter. But O Wise Ones favorite is new potatoes smothered down in butter, garlic and parsley.
The larger potatoes are stored in the shed for now under dry straw to protect them from the light. They will be used for bakers as well as potato salads, casseroles, stews and mashed potatoes.
But then you always have those potatoes that are too large for new potatoes and really too small to bake. These are the ones that I like to dehydrate.
First I peel them. Yes by hand !
Then I slice them with my mandolin slicer to about 1/4 inch thick.
The peelings go to the pigs or the compost.
The potato slices are put in cool water with a little citric acid in it.
Then I put my blanching pot on to boil. Once the water comes to a full rolling boil I take my sliced potatoes out of the cool water and put them in the boiling water for 4 minutes.
After 4 minutes they go into a colander and immediately run cold water over them to stop the cooking process.
Then I put my blanched potatoes in ice water with a cup of lemon juice added until they are all blanched.
Then the potato slices are placed on dehydrator shelves and dried until crisp at 125 degrees.
We use these dehydrated potatoes to make casseroles and I also make au gratin potatoes like the ones that you buy in the packs in the store only I use fresh local cheese from the Amish and my own dehydrated potatoes sometimes throwing in a little bacon is good too.
You can also rehydrate these and fry them too. I also make a casserole layering the potatoes with ground beef or venison and cheese.
1 dehydrator full makes 4 quart jars of sliced potatoes which is about 10 pounds. I have atleast one more batch of small ones to dehydrate for the pantry sometime this week. Then all the remaining potatoes will be large enough for baking and such. They will just remain in storage to be eaten fresh.
Blessings from The Holler
The Canned Quilter
Do you seal the jars someway or just hand tighten them?
ReplyDeleteI put oxygen absorbers in them to seal them.
DeleteWhere do you get oxygen absorbers at?
DeleteThese are the ones I use..on amazon:
Deletehttp://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GVI2TWM/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1447869972&sr=1&keywords=oxygen+absorbers
I really want a dehydrator. Need to keep my eyes open.
ReplyDeleteEverything looks good, CQ. Happy Wednesday!
Doing some of these tomorrow or Friday! Thanks for the push, CQ!
ReplyDeletePlease oh Please don't ever consider closing this blog, you are just a wealth of information and I just can't get enough!! I wish I had known about this blog when I first got married and started gardening and such, but of course who knows if you were blogging then anyway. Oh all that blabbing to say THANK YOU for taking the time to chronicle all you do, I don't know if you realize how helpful and encouraging you are but I am greatful!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much
Dana
Thanks for your kind words : )
DeleteThis is so timely! I was just talking with husband about dehydrating potatoes and was going to research it. Instead, I am linked through Homestead Survival and am lucky enough to find a beautiful blog to poke around on.
ReplyDeleteLucky me!
Thanks so much for the info.
I love coming to your house every morning. I love sitting in your kitchen and chattin, seeing what you are doing and learning from the best. I wish you were my next door neighbor.
DeleteThis is so timely! I was just talking with husband about dehydrating potatoes and was going to research it. Instead, I am linked through Homestead Survival and am lucky enough to find a beautiful blog to poke around on.
ReplyDeleteLucky me!
Thanks so much for the info.
Welcome : )
DeleteHow wonderful. I was just looking to start another project. Have you heard of using the microwave on low as a dehydrator?
ReplyDeleteNo I have not. I have only used the sun, my dehydrator or my oven. You must let me know if it works : )
DeleteSounds pretty easy to do. Any advice you can give on the best way to rehydrate them for the casserole or frying?
ReplyDeleteThanks,
John
I put mine in a heat safe bowl and completely cover with boiling wwater. Let sit for an hour covered with foil or plastic wrap then drain and use as regular potatoes : )
DeleteCan you put them in the freezer using a seal a meal once you use the dehydrator?
ReplyDeleteAs long as your bag remains sealed to keep out moisture they should be fine. My freezers are usually pretty full so I put mine in jars with oxygen absorbers.
DeleteLove it but do u have to use citric acids and lemon juice or can u leave those out?
ReplyDeleteLemon juice or citric acid prevents your product from turning brown.
Deletegood to know, now i don't have a blancer i only have a boiling-water-canner
Deletewhat can i do?
Any big pot will do.
DeleteSo glad I found this blog through Old Fashioned Country Living! I was just wondering about dehydrating potatoes!
ReplyDeleteI found you thru "Knowledge Weighs Nothing" and Face Book.
ReplyDeleteGlad to have this info, as I was wanting to know how to dehydrate them too.
I guess you are a case of Ask and you shall receive. LOL
Thanks for the info.
I am going to "like' you for Face Book to keep me up to date on what you are posting.
Dehydrating my first batch tonight using my wife's Excalibur Dehydrator. Thank you so much for the great info on your Blog.
ReplyDeleteWelcome and please let me know how they turn out!
DeleteI love your website/blog. How long will these potatoes keep? When I think long term, I am thinking long term as 5+ years.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
I have some that are 6 years old that I am eating on now : )
DeleteI do not have oxygen absorbers. I use my vacume sealer with the Jar adaptor. It works great as long as your mason jar lids are new and the rim ofthe jar is clean(Just like if you are processing your food) I want to try to dehydrate Hash Browns. The potatoes I dehydrate are used for soups or home fries. They are so good.
ReplyDeleteI have you ever made chips this way? I've made sweet potato chips in the dehydrator but never regular potatoes, just curious if you had. Trying to figure out other ways to "fix" my husband's chip cravings. Thanks! and LOVE your blog, you are such my inspiration! :-)
ReplyDeleteWe have been doing hash browns and slices for several weeks now. I think I am going to experiment with the peels. I had a bag of store bought tatoe peels (fried crispy with salt and butter on them) thought I might try to either fry some, or dehydrate, but am leery of dehydrating with butter....
ReplyDeletecan you used vaccuum sealed bags with oxygen absorbers
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for posting everything on your blog. I’m getting ready to dehydrate potatoes and I’m using your method. Your instructions are so easy to follow. Thank you, thank you! I can’t wait to try your canning ideas and recipes!
ReplyDeleteSo happy that they have helped.
ReplyDeleteCan you seal the jars with a Food Saver?
ReplyDeleteyes
DeleteHow much citric acid and how much lemon juice do you use? Also.. can you share how to do this in an oven, please. I don't have a dehydrator.
ReplyDeleteCitric acid powdered maybe a Tablespoon lemon juice about 1/4 cup. As far as an oven I have no idea as I have never used the oven.
DeleteApproximately how long did you dehydrate them at 125 degrees? I realize every dehydrator is different, just a ball park figure # of hours for a full load. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteTill they are crisp. In my big dehydrator that usually takes about 6 hours.
DeleteWhat's the shelf life of these potatoes once dried?
ReplyDeleteLove this idea regardless
I have used them a decade later and they have been fine. I put them in either jars or mylar with O2 absorbers. Jars stored in the dark and mylar usually stored in buckets.
Delete