Canned Potatoes Question

[YYY]

Hi Everybody,

 

Last weekend I canned white potatoes for the first time. I followed the instructions in the Ball Blue Book. Everything looked fine when I put them away. The liquid in about half of the jars is now very thick and no liquid moves if I tilt the jars – almost as if it was a gel. Does this always happen or did I do something wrong? Are the potatoes in these jars safe to eat?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

YYY

 

[Cat]

Yup... 'tis the nature of the beast. Lots of starch!

 

Canned potatoes are best used as "frying" potates, or chopped in casseroles. We like them best as hash browns.

 

The texture doesn't lend itself well to a lot of fresh-potato use, like as mashed potatoes or plain "boiled" potatoes in butter. The texture is kind of "chunky", not tender.

 

But they will keep well and not rot like fresh might.

 

 

 

 

[Cricket]

Thank you both for the heads-up on what canned potatoes will look like. I just dug out the taters out of our patch yesterday. When I can stand up straight again I will be canning most of them, probably next weekend. It will be my first time canning potatoes. I have some boxes of Pickle Crisp and intend to add some to each jar, per Violet's suggestion.

[Crazy4Canning]

The Pickle Crisp (calcium chloride) will help with this.

[YYY]

Hi Everybody,

 

Thank you for your replies. I am so happy that I won't have to throw the potatoes out.

 

I fried up a pan of the potatoes with some added onion. They were great. Cat, I'm glad you said that these should be used for frying potatoes because that was what I wanted them for.

 

I think I must have missed something. What will the Pickle Crisp do? I only added salt and water.

 

Thanks,

 

YYY

[Violet]

The calcium chloride aka Pickle Crisp will keep them more firm like store bought canned potatoes. I like mine that way for chicken pot pie, stews, etc.

Just depends upon how you like them and what you want to use them for later.

 

[Amishway Homesteaders]

Sounds like we found a new way of doing the potatoes?

 

So where is the link for how much Pickle Crisp to add to each jar?

 

and do you think it would work with sweet potatoes as well?

 

[YYY]

Hi Everybody,

 

Violet thanks for the info and like Amishway Homesteaders, I'd like to see a link for this. I don't know if I'll use the Pickle Crisp for now because what I canned were great for fried potatoes - which is what I wanted. Maybe at some point in the furture.

 

As always, thanks

 

YYY

[Violet]

I don't have a link, just I know you use 3/4 tsp. per pint or 1 1/2 tsp. per quart.

I actually cut it down to 1/2 tsp. per pint and use 1 tsp. per quart.

 

[TurtleMama]

I didn't even know we could can sweet potatoes! Spiffy!

[Violet]

Sweet potatoes are canned only in chunks, packed lightly, then use a syrup over them and pressure canned.

You can do them in water, too, but the sugar syrup keeps them more firm. Depends upon how you will use them later.

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_04/potato_sweet.html

[YYY]

Hi again Everybody,

 

Violet, thanks for the info on the amounts of Pickle Crisp to use.

 

As soon as i see a good sale on sweet potatoes, I think I'll try canning a jar or 2 to see if I like them.

 

Thanks,

 

YYY

[Robert Z]

a little off topic, but... I bought a 50lb bag of potatos a while back and canned them all up. We have not been eating them because they have taken on a strange flavor. I recognise the flavor as store bought canned potatoes have it as well. Do you guys know what I am talking about? Is there a way to avoid this? The few jars that I canned in beef broth actually taste a lot better.

[Violet]

They just taste different. I agree. Try rinsing them well and use in stews, etc. That is what I have to do with mine.

 

[Robert Z]

They just taste different. I agree. Try rinsing them well and use in stews, etc. That is what I have to do with mine.

 

We have tried them in a few different ways, and decided we just don't like the taste. I have been giving them to my chickens and they LOVE them! They are going to use, but they are VERY labor intensive chicken feed! heh.

[Canned Nerd]

I rinse and dry them, then slice and dice to be used for breakfast hash browns.

 

[Cricket]

Rinse and dry, then slice and fry in bacon grease!!! Yum!