50# of potatoes

**freyadog** · 03-28-2007, 07:45 PM

My kroger had potatoes on sale for 5 lb for 1.00 so dh bought 50+ pounds of them. most bags are almost 6 pounds. So...I was wondering if I could grate some of them to make hash browns and freeze them. do I need to treat them or blanch them or anything besides putting them in freezer bags. would sure hate to lose them. they are really nice and no bummers.

**Dancing Lotus** · 03-28-2007, 09:00 PM

Sorry I have no idea what to do with that many pptatoes. 50 lbs might have been a little over board. I would google storing potatoes.

**Dancing Lotus** · 03-28-2007, 09:07 PM

The only thing I was able to find said to wash and peel, then cut into 1/2 inch cubes and blanch for 5 minutes, then freeze.

**monkeywrangler71** · 03-28-2007, 09:26 PM

I grate and freeze them all the time. I grate them with the food processor (although I have done them by hand but that's an all day job) and then soak them in a big bowl of cold water. Blanch them for about 3 minutes, dump in cold water, then squeeze out as much water as possible. I used to tray freeze them, then break them up into bags, but I got lazy and now I just freeze them in layers in a big ice cream container.

**sunshine** · 03-28-2007, 11:13 PM

Yep -- you need to blanch them first, or you'll have black slimy mess when you thaw them out.

50# is nothing, compared to the 800 # my hubby brought home for free a few years ago. He and my FIL picked them up in a field that had been intended for potato chips, but the potatoes were too big!

**Marie78** · 03-28-2007, 11:33 PM

Good luck with your potatoes. It sounds like you got a great deal

I have only had a bag at a time to try and use up.

**lwlynch** · 03-29-2007, 06:58 AM

For some of them, make a big batch of baked potatoes and keep in refrigerator. I make potatoe skins, potato salad, double stuffed, just from the ones I keep in the fridge for the week. The kids like them better than fries. Also I know you can double stuff them and freeze that way too.
Good luck..
Ms Louise

**lanford66** · 03-29-2007, 09:57 AM

Sunshine,

I am still laughing....800# HOLY, MOLY!! I would have died if my hubby brought home that much!!!

My son used to work at McD's & one night they were going to throw away a case of the apples they use for the apple/walnut thing they have because of expiration date & he asked if he could have it. (taught him right!! LOL) He also brought home the grapes they put in there too. I think we ate apples/grapes for a month, but hey...they were FREE!!! Absolutely nothing wrong with them either.

**sunshine** · 03-29-2007, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by lanford66

Sunshine,

I am still laughing....800# HOLY, MOLY!! I would have died if my hubby brought home that much!!!

I just stood there in shock at first. . . then we got busy. . . we dehydrated some, froze some, canned some, and ate lots. We gave some away too.

**kabin63** · 03-29-2007, 10:54 AM

You know, with the price of potatoes being what they are these days I think your hubby got a great deal. The others have all given you great ideas on how to preserve them.
Sunshine, Wow! That is a lot of potaotes and the really big ones I love to make a meal from. I used to get them at the fair and they were so good. Of course I love potaotes, never seem to get enough of them. Makes me want to go cook one right now...:-)

**cherrie79** · 03-29-2007, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by sunshine

50# is nothing, compared to the 800 # my hubby brought home for free a few years ago. He and my FIL picked them up in a field that had been intended for potato chips, but the potatoes were too big!

I would of been in HEAVEN!!! I love everything you can think of that includes potatoes. Plain, fried, boiled, baked, stuffed, grilled... You name it. Give me some butter, sour cream and some potatoes and I can live the rest of my life a happy woman!

**monkeywrangler71** · 03-29-2007, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by sunshine

I just stood there in shock at first. . . then we got busy. . . we dehydrated some, froze some, canned some, and ate lots. We gave some away too.

How did you do the canning? We had potatoes on sale last week, but I only bought 20lbs because I already had a freezer full.

I'm seriously considering buying a little deep fryer. My father brought his up when they were here in Dec. and we made a big batch of fries for the freezer. Not the healthiest, but so much better than the ones I make in the oven.

**sunshine** · 03-29-2007, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by monkeywrangler71

How did you do the canning? We had potatoes on sale last week, but I only bought 20lbs because I already had a freezer full.

ngredients - Potatoes, water, salt, pressure cooker.

Preparation - Hot Pack:
Wash, peel, and cut into 1 inch cubes.
Dip cubes into brine to prevent darkening (Brine: 1 tsp (5 ml) salt to 1 quart (950 ml) water.)
Drain.
Cook for 2 minutes in boiling water.
Pack hot and cover with boiling water to 1 inch of top.

Process in pressure cooker at 10 lbs (4.5 kg) for:
35 min. for pints
40 mins for quarts

**freyadog** · 03-29-2007, 02:45 PM

Thanks guys for such great advice. Gonna break out the old canning jars, grater(don't have a food processer) but do have a big Texan for the grating chore and get started on these spuds. I am like everyone else here give me a potato and I am in hog heaven. I do have one question for SUNSHINE. Sunshine I have 3 dehydrators. I would like to try drying some of these spuds but when I dehydrate I tend to over dry because I am afraid that they are not dry enough and will spoil. Do you have a way of drying to know when they are dry enough but not tooooooo dry.

Barbara

**sunshine** · 03-29-2007, 02:57 PM

potato slices should be crisp -- they should break when you bend them.

potato flakes -- (mashed potatoes) should crumble when you peel them off the waxed paper.