# Canning potatoes today



## rkunsaw (Oct 1, 2013)

We are canning the potatoes from the garden today. 7 quarts in the canner now, waiting for the pressure to go down so we can put in another load.


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## nan (Oct 1, 2013)

Do you can potatoes for your own use rKunsaw? I have not heard of anyone here canning potatoes.


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## rkunsaw (Oct 2, 2013)

nan said:


> Do you can potatoes for your own use rKunsaw? I have not heard of anyone here canning potatoes.



Yes,nan,  canning is another way we preserve them. Peeled and cut into chunks the canned potatoes are ready as is for potato salad or heated with butter and parsley, or for mashed potatoes.


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## Diwundrin (Oct 2, 2013)

nan said:


> Do you can potatoes for your own use rKunsaw? I have not heard of anyone here canning potatoes.



New to me too Nan.


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## rkunsaw (Oct 2, 2013)

I find it hard to believe none of you gardeners never canned potatoes. I didn't grow a lot of potatoes this year. Some times we can potatoes and green beans together. Earlier this year we used potatoes in the veggie soup we canned.


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## slobee (Oct 3, 2013)

How long do you cook the quarts?  We can a lot & have found that having 2 pressure cookers saves a lot of time.    I have to admit I have never thought of canning potatoes but it is a great idea.  thanks.


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## rkunsaw (Oct 4, 2013)

slobee said:


> How long do you cook the quarts?  We can a lot & have found that having 2 pressure cookers saves a lot of time.    I have to admit I have never thought of canning potatoes but it is a great idea.  thanks.



Welcome to the forum slobe. We use the ball blue book.  Cut potatoes into quarters or smaller. Boil them for ten minutes then pour into hot jars. Process quarts foe 40 minutes at 10 pounds pressure.

It would be nice to use two pressure canners but our stove just wouldn't accommodate them.

We can most things in pints since there is just the two of us, but quarts seem more suitable for potatoes.


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## slobee (Oct 4, 2013)

Thanks!  I have ball blue book.   We don't use both canners at the same time.  Usually, while one is cooking I am preparing food/jars for the second cooker.   Then when first canner is finished we immediately set it aside & start the second one.  It just saves time in waiting for the pressure to lower & cool when you have a lot to can.


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## seabreezy (Oct 7, 2013)

I'm new here but had to comment on the canning. I also can potatoes, and love them. My husband and I grow most of our own veggies, what we don't eat fresh, gets canned or frozen. I didn't can potatoes this year because they just didn't do well. Our gardening weather this year really made it hard to have a garden, but we did pretty well in most other veggies we grew.  The potatoes are super easy to can, and come in handy for so many things.


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## Katybug (Oct 7, 2013)

Potatoes are awful frozen, even the french fries, but JMO!  I've never tasted a canned potato.  I see them on the grocery shelves, but I'm sure the home done ones are far better.  I'm amazed at how resourceful some of our members are and, RK, you certainly are one more talented gardener.  

My mom loved to can and whatever she did was the best I've ever had. particularly tomatoes.  For some reason, at least in the area of the south I'm from, potatoes aren't something you hear of preserved that way often.  Our loss, I'm sure.


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## rkunsaw (Oct 8, 2013)

Thanks for the undeserved compliment Katybug. I freeze potatoes and they are great.

I get as many large potatoes as will fit in the oven and bake until done. After they cool cut a slice off the top and spoon out the insides, add butter and whatever you like, mix it together well and spoon back into shells.Freeze on a tray until frozen solid then you can put them in large freezer bags. 

A minute or so in the microwave and they are ready to eat. I sometimes top them with cheese as I nuke them.

t A lot of trouble to make but hey are so handy.


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## TICA (Oct 8, 2013)

I like the frozen idea rkunsaw!   I'm going to try that.


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## Katybug (Oct 8, 2013)

rkunsaw said:


> Thanks for the undeserved compliment Katybug. I freeze potatoes and they are great.
> 
> I get as many large potatoes as will fit in the oven and bake until done. After they cool cut a slice off the top and spoon out the insides, add butter and whatever you like, mix it together well and spoon back into shells.Freeze on a tray until frozen solid then you can put them in large freezer bags.
> 
> ...


*
I've never had too many potatoes I didn't like, it's one of my favorite things.  And you're right, your frozen method sounds like a lot of trouble, RK, but it's what I would call good and inexpensive eating.  Never heard of the frozen method either and I don't know much about food preservation, tho I grew up with it.  I've lived in the city too long.  The people I know have so little land, they can't raise anything other very minimal at best.  When I was growing up, my dad rented space in the country for a huge garden, but for some reason they didn't raise potatoes.  *


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## rkunsaw (Oct 9, 2013)

I didn't grow any of the Idaho type potatoes but when they are in season I've bought them at the store for 20 cents a pound. You can buy a lot while they are cheap and the twice baked potatoes will keep all year in the freezer.


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