Cooked potatoes make the best candidates for freezing. Raw potatoes can be frozen with mixed results, but may develop a watery or grainy texture during freezing. If freezing casseroles or dishes containing unbaked potatoes, it's best to omit them during freezing and add them in fresh later. Cooked potatoes are excellent candidates for freezing and reheating.
Raw (Fresh) Potatoes:
New potatoes work best for freezing raw. Select smooth, firm potatoes from the supermarket or get them directly from the garden. Peel or scrape and wash. Remove any deep eyes, bruises or green coloring form the flesh. Cut into 1/2 inch slices or cubes. Water-blanch for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the size. Potatoes should still be somewhat firm after blanching. Cool and drain. Pack in freezer bags leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Label, seal and freeze.
Potatoes can also be boiled whole with the skins on before being frozen. Cook until nearly done. Remove, cool and peel off skins. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer bags. Seal, label and freeze. To prepare, finish cooking in water or microwave.
French Fried Potatoes:
Use mature potatoes (stored longer than 30 days) for making fresh fried potatoes. Wash and peel potatoes. Cut them into 1/3-inch sticks lengthwise, then crosswise into 3/8-inch strips. Rinse in cold water and dry thoroughly on paper towels. Fry small amounts in deep, hot oil (360ºF) for about 5 minutes. Potatoes should be tender but not brown. Drain on paper towel. Cool. Package, seal and freeze. Store frozen for 2 months. To serve, finish browning in 425ºF oven or fry in oil.
Another method is to place the potato strips in a plastic bag with salt and oil. Shake the bag until the strips are fully coated. Bake them in an oven preheated to 425º until they are golden brown. Cool, package and freeze. Store frozen for 2 months. Reheat in oven until warm.
Hashed Brown Potatoes:
For hashed browned potatoes, prepare as you would to serve, only brown them only to the brown-and-serve stage. Cool and package for freezing. Store frozen for one to 2 months. When you want to use them, finish cooking and browning as you would normally.
Mashed Potatoes:
Prepare mashed potatoes as for serving. Cool. Pack in airtight containers for freezing. Alternatively, spoon individual servings of mashed potatoes onto baking sheets and tray-freeze until firm. Once firm, transfer into suitable containers and freeze. Remove individual mounds as needed. Store in the freezer for 1 month. Thaw mashed potatoes in microwave safe container.
Twice Baked or Stuffed Potatoes:
To stuff baked potatoes, remove the cooked potato from the skin, mash it and add seasonings or desired fillings. Return potato to the skin, piling lightly. Wrap each potato with plastic individually, then place in freezer bags. Store in the freezer for 1 month. Potatoes can be removed from wrappers and baked for 30 minutes at 425ºF. After 15 to 20 minutes in the oven, top each potato with grated cheese if desired.
Sweet Potatoes:
Wash and peel. Cook until almost tender. Cool. Leave whole, or cut into halves, slices or mash. Dip halves or slices into a solution of 1/2 cup of lemon juice or 1 tablespoon of ascorbic acid to 1 quart water for 5 seconds. This will keep flesh from darkening. To keep mashed sweet potatoes from darkening during freezing, add 2 tablespoons of orange or lemon juice to each quart of mashed potatoes. Pack in suitable container and freeze.
Suitable Freezer Packaging:
Freezer containers should be moisture and vapor resistant and should not be prone to cracking or breaking at low temperatures. Containers should provide protection against absorbing flavors or odors and should be easy to label. Suitable packaging for freezing potatoes includes freezer-grade plastic bags, rigid plastic containers or glass containers and heavy-duty aluminum foil or foil containers.
Refrigerating Potatoes:
Leftover cooked potatoes can be stored in sealed plastic bags or airtight containers for 2 to 3 days. Fresh, whole potatoes should be placed in a well ventilated container and stored in a cool, dark, moist place for 2 to 4 months. Do not refrigerate potatoes or keep them in plastic bags. Cure home grown potatoes for several days after harvesting in a warm, dark place before storage. This toughens up their skins and extends their storage time.
Well, I just thawed out a Minestrone soup I froze over a week ago. Dumb me put potatoes in the soup vs pasta. I'm now picking out all the nasty tasting potatoes from my soup. I won't freeze anything with potatoes in it again!
This is all FANTASTIC info! I always seem to lose my potatoes before I can use them up and saw that they are now selling frozen potatoes. I thought I'd investigate to freeze my own rather than pay extra for store bought.
Note to those microwaving in plastic/plastic wrap - REALLY bad idea. Cancer-causing chemicals are released from the plastic into your food. Thanks much for your help!
This is all FANTASTIC info! I always seem to lose my potatoes before I can use them up and saw that they are now selling frozen potatoes. I thought I'd investigate to freeze my own rather than pay extra for store bought.
Note to those microwaving in plastic/plastic wrap - REALLY bad idea. Cancer-causing chemicals are released from the plastic into your food. Thanks much for your help!
This information was helpful. Last night I boiled a lot of new potatoes for a potato salad; however, the all-man *cabin/camping* trip my husband was planning has been canceled, twice now. I was wondering if I could freeze some of the potatoes because I can't use them all right now for a household of two. I think I will dice up half of the cooked potatoes for future cottage fries and freeze them. Thanks to all contributors!
What happen to Potato White? We used it for years and froze our potatoes and they turned out great. We never cooked them before freezing them. Is there a substute I cas use instead of potato white?""
I keep mashed sweet potatos in the freezer. I just mash with butter as always. I have a set of the hamburger stack containers and I fill them with the sweet potatoes. As to how long they will keep they never lasted long enough to find out.
Uncooked red, round new potatoes seem to freeze very well. My raw whole russets thawed with moisture release (brown liquid), but cooked, or perhaps semi-cooked froze fine. (Read somewhere else that freezing tea also releases liquid. Ruptured cell walls?) On sale near $2/10 lb hard to beat. Well if you have space in your freezer.
I have frozen potatoes for years in every way you can think of. Mostly to save time,because we have a farm and we always seem to be running.And we have a big family so I buy a lot at one time.But my family likes them frozen or made fresh.As long as they are not completely cooked ,before freezing they taste great. Thanx ! BEE
I just had mashed potatoes that I had frozen from Thanksgiving and they were fine. I put them in the oven with a meatloaf and heated them at the same time. Also Microwaved them after freezing and results were the same. I did thaw them completely in the fridge before heating. good luck, Ceil
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Request: Freezing Potatoes
Archived on 02/22/2006
I was wondering if it is possible to freeze potatoes. Do you have to parboil them, or do any other prep to freeze? I have potatoes that we will not be able to eat before they go bad. I would like to dice them and put them in freezer but need to know how I should go about doing this. Any advice, suggestions, etc. would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!
jmz2005 from illinois
Answers:
Potato Chips
I peel and cut potatoes into chip lengths, place in a colander and rinse quickly in cold water and dry well on paper towel. I then blanch potato chips in really hot vegetable oil until tender not brown, drain well and cool quickly in the fridge (not freezer as this takes a lot of the moisture out of the potato and makes them sloppy/mushy) on a tray with greaseproof paper underneath. Once cool I then place desired amounts into freezer bags or a container depending on how many I make. Just make sure you remove all of the air from your freezer bag before freezing. Enjoy
By Kerry
Boiled Potatoes
I boil potatoes with the skin on, (right after I clean them) let them cool down, and then wrap in saran wrap, place in plastic freezer bag and freeze. When you need them for baked pots, leave the saran wrap on, put a small hole in it, and give them about 6 minutes in the microwave. Heat longer if you like. They taste just like they were baked in the over for an hour or longer. Enjoy
Pat Watson
Mashed Potatoes
I have only experience freezing mashed potatoes. I add butter or margarine and milk as usual and about 2 heaping tbs. of sour cream. I find the sour cream is the secret, you can;t tell the difference between these and freshly mashed potatoes. I hope this helps. (02/21/2006)
By Esther
Mashed Potatoes
I just had mashed potatoes that I had frozen from Thanksgiving and they were fine. I put them in the oven with a meatloaf and heated them at the same time. I also microwave them after freezing and results were the same. I did thaw them completely in the fridge before heating. (02/21/2006)
I make twice-baked potatoes (scoop out baked potatoes and mix with milk, butter, cheese, etc). I bake them, then wrap each half for freezing. I have not seen much difference in the frozen and fresh prepared. After all, there are frozen twice baked in the grocery store. I do think that reheating them after frozen works best in a hot oven, rather than microwave. (02/22/2006)
By dee
Freezing Potatoes
I have frozen my potatoes every year for the past 6 years. The new potatoes work the best. All you have to do is slightly scrub the peel off and then pre boil them until they are almost done. Still firm but not yet done. Then you drain them and lay them out on a dish towel to cool. After they are cool just bag them in zip-locks and throw them in the freezer! To cook them just put them in a pot with water and finish them. You can also cook them in cream and onions at this point instead of water. They taste like they are fresh from the garden! (02/22/2006)
Try freezing mashed potatoes, then when you need them again making potato patties (usually a breakfast food) or to make potato soup. Why waste good mashed potatoes just cause you won't eat all of them right now. (02/22/2006)
