Until today.
I always thought that canning potatoes was rather pointless. Don't potatoes keep well in the cellar without any kind of preserving?
But when we dug our potatoes this week and got many small potatoes, I decided to give canning a try. I knew that the little potatoes would not keep well. Unless I used them in a few weeks, they would start to shrivel up, and I was NOT going to peel those little things.
A few directions from my mom, got me started. She recommended cleaning the potatoes in the washing machine. It only took a few minutes in the rinse cycle to make them clean. A few more minutes on spin and they were finished.
Don't let the machine run any longer then necessary. The skin is so thin on new potatoes that it can start peeling off. And expect to have a very dirty washer afterwards. I put in a little bit of detergent and ran the rinse cycle to clean out the washing machine.
Next I cut out any blemishes. Besides small potatoes, I was also canning the potatoes that had bad spots or had gotten cut while digging - anything that would not keep well. I cut the potatoes into 1-2 inch chunks, unless they were tiny enough to go in whole. I added one tsp of salt to each quart jar and filled with water. The directions for my pressure canner said to can potatoes for 40 minutes at 11 lb pressure.Potatoes must be pressure canned.
Result: Canned potatoes that should be an instant meal, or addition to casserole this winter. And it really wasn't as much work as I thought it would be.
THANK you for posting this, I had the same problem with our potatoes this year and was wondering how I was going to use them all up before they were bad. I'll have to try this. Thank you! :) Yours look amazingly beautiful! So pretty!
ReplyDeleteHow fabulous! I have never canned potatoes either! When our potatoes are ready, I just may have to give it a try though! **How neat that you washed them in the washing machine!!!** ;)
ReplyDeleteI am canning green beans today! :)
I wash my cucumbers in the washing machine when I have a lot to make pickles. It works great.
DeleteI have canned potatoes in the past for the very same reasons. They taste different than a fresh potato. I use them when I'm in a pinch for time. And they also come in handy when we spend a weekend at our cabin. They're good for breakfast or dinner. I often brown them in some oil and add some seasoning to them. I especially like to use McCormick's grill mates. (Montreal steak)
ReplyDeleteWow! I never even heard of canning potatoes (and wouldn't have thought it made much sense either until reading this post) Thats ingenious about the washing machine....so smart! Will have to put this in the mental ídea book!
ReplyDeleteTHanks also for yesterdays poem, I reread it and it really 'sunk-in'.
:) Simone
I haven't canned potatoes in a few years but I love having them on hand-they really are a time saver sometimes.
ReplyDeleteThey are great to throw into soups at the last minute, too.
Any idea how many you harvested?
Gina~ Thank you so much for this post!
ReplyDeleteI have so many small potatoes as well and have wondered about canning them.
I will absolutely try this, this weekend!
I've canned potatoes & though I found it to be alot of work, I think it is worth it! Like you said, potatoes keep a long time without canning, but being able to open a jar, drain, RINSE, and have nice soft homefries in a short amount of time is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteGood for you. I have been wanting to get a pressure canner, but am somewhat afraid to use them. But for the reason you are showing, I have been wanting it.
ReplyDeleteYou do make it look and sound easy! I have yet to invest in a pressure canner (I'm also a chicken to run one by myself...silly, eh?)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea for all the little ones, and to have some ready meals is always nice too. I will have to remember this for when we have potatoes again.
ReplyDeleteHuh. I never thought to can potatoes OR run them through the washer. I'm wondering if that would work for a front-loading washer. Your canned potatoes look so pretty!!!
ReplyDeleteI can baby potatoes every year to occasionally throw in with my green beans or peas. My husband's favorite is when I cook new potatoes with butter, garlic and parsley.
ReplyDeleteThat looks fantastic, what a fantyastic idea. You don't have to waste any potatoes this way.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend.
dear gina
ReplyDeletethat is a great idea. i have never canned potatoes!!!!
i canned plums and tomatoes today,
have a wonderful time,
love regina
Great post. I am planning on growing my own potatoes this year so this came is extremely helpful as to what I can do when it is time to harvest. Being that I live in Arizona and we don't a very good place to keep produce fresh and cool long this will be awesome. Hugs, Bobbi Jo
ReplyDeleteWe have not grown potatoes yet but I hope to in the spring. Thanks for sharing your recipe. They look so good.
ReplyDeleteI haven't visited your blog in awhile and I loved my visit! :) Funny how, here in the south, we have finished with our gardens (now getting pears and muscadines) and those up north are in the thick of things. :) Last year was my first yr trying to can potatoes and I didn't pressure cook them long enough and they didn't take. What a mess! :) :) Live and learn! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I have not canned potatoes either but I thought about it when I bought 50 lbs. of them. I washed mine in the dishwasher, but the washing machine would work too.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips, Gina! Using the washing machine! What a time saver!
ReplyDeleteDeanna
I loved the tip about the washing machine - I've often wondered what to do with the little potatoes! (& how to clean them!)
ReplyDeleteI hope you have many delicious meals from these!
Have a wonderful day
Renata:)
Here in Texas, we harvested potatoes Memorial Day weekend. Imagine our surprise at a 200 pound harvest in the same year we planted sugar snap peas TWICE and only got one cup. Gardening is a joyous and frustrating experience. Good to know they can be canned!
ReplyDeleteI canned potatoes for the first time two years ago. It was fun and I really liked having them on hand for soup or to add to green beans. They even work for roasted potatoes; simply drain and place in a greased pan. Bake at 400 until brown.
ReplyDeleteI'm considering doing this with some potatoes given to us. A real blessing since our garden didn't do well. I've heard of washing the potatoes on the rinse cycle in the dishwasher, which is what I'm going to do, I think! Thanks for the inspiration:)
ReplyDeleteI love having canned potatoes on hand. Makes me feel like I need to add some to the pantry. When life is at its busiest they make a great side dish.
ReplyDeleteNew to pressure canning - Love it. I canned about 20+ quarts of potatoes and many pints as well. They are the best thing since sliced bread. Awesome roasted in oven with spices, great for soups with my canned meat, no more raw scalloped potatoes cooking for hours, quick potato salad. Retired now so trying it all out so I can teach my kids and grandkids. Love your blog.
ReplyDeleteHi Gina, I was introduced to canning potatoes three years ago. I had 38 bushel of kennebacs, it was a bad winter here In central east KY, so three of us sat around on a sheet with big dish pans, canners, we peeled, slied, diced, whole, every bad day we had. I still have plenty of potatoes from that canning. Fried like a little crispy to take away a certain flavor they have, spud soup, spud salad, they sure come in handy.
ReplyDeletethey also turned me onto Hot Peppers and Franks.