Saturday 6 June 2009

Freezing potatoes

Last year I experimented freezing potatoes and I've been meaning to post the results. I tried two different systems and both have worked well:

1) Mash potato: I cooked and mashed as normal and then bagged cold mash potatoe, about 500gms per bag. To reheat I thaw and then heat the mash gently in a saucepan allowing the water to evaporate. If it then gets too dry I add either water or milk (I know, a bit silly allowing it to evaporate first but that seems to be the only way). The important thing is to mix it really well.

2) Roasting potatoes: Couldn't be easier. Peel the potatoes and parboil them. Then put them into bags and freeze. Roast them from frozen. The only thing you have to deal with is the fact that in the freezer they will stick together and so you have to separate them as soon as possible once they've started cooking. Also remember that the water on the outside of the frozen potatoes will make the hot (really hot) fat spit more so be careful.

I will be repeating this again this year - honestly, you can't tell the mash potato has been frozen and the roast potatoes are crunchier.

3 comments:

A Green and Rosie Life said...

I always say I am ging to freeze spuds but never get round to it and I also wonder if the results will be less than appealing. Now I know otherwise I shall give freezing them a go. (if I ever get round to it!!)

Rosie x

Court said...

Have you tried freezing the potatoes in a single layer on wax paper first and then putting them in the freezer bags to avoid them sticking together? I do that with some of my freezing (like berries) and it works well. Looking forward to trying to freeze some potatoes myself this year for the first time!

Unknown said...

Reheating frozen mashed potatoes in the microwave works well. I use an ice cream scoop to portion the potatoes on to waxed paper on a cookie sheet, freeze until solid, then bag them. I microwave them from the frozen state (takes about twice as long as you would expect, but goes faster if I break up the scoop midway).