Potatoes all taken care of!

[phylm]

120 plus jars of potatoes canned, 5 gallon pailful of sliced dehydrated. Whew! Hubby managed to put quite a few into the refrigerator crispers drawers and under the sink in baskets. :hurray:

Picked nearly a gallon of dewberries today. Left them until they were almost falling of the vines, and they are edible. had a bowl of them for dessert tonight. Wanted to start picking blackberries today, but decided to let them stand for another day or two. Going to can them as pie filling. I bought 25 lbs. of Clear Jel, which is supposed to prevent the stuff from separating in the jar.

Going to go across the city to buy more jars in the morning before we go to my husband's doctor's appt. Our usual WalMart was completely out of quart jars last week, so we'll see if the one on the east side still has them. I'm going to pick up some cases of pint jars, too. We emptied our two freezers this week, and re-stacked the food. Didn't gain too much room, but at least I know what we have, and where it is. We try to keep extra jars, etc., on hand in case of a bad power failure.

[phylm]

Big PS! I found about 30 pounds of butter stored in one freezer, so plan to can that this week. It is why I bought it all in the first place. Also, quite a stash of hotdogs, so have to experiment to see if I can dehydrate them and have them edible, and also will see if they can well. I love a sliced potato and onion with hotdog pieces fried in butter in the wok now and then. I would miss that when the Schumer hits. I also have a few sticks of pepperoni in my storage. Going to experiment with making mozzarella cheese with dry milk. (My pizza prep.) Guess this covers my June prep, huh?

[Noahs ARK]

Whoa! You've been busy little bees, haven't you?

Now these potatoes you canned - will you use those this Winter or will they sit for several years before you use them?

You're definitely the Queen of Canning. :worshippy:

[phylm]

We use our storage all the time...not just beans and rice, but "normal" meals. Supper tonight was hamburg from our freezer with onions that we've just pulled, plus sweet corn, potatoes and berries from our garden. My dried food recipes taste just like fresh, too.

[Julie]

Phylm,
How do you do your potatoes? How do you dehydrate them without them discoloring and how do you bottle them. Recipes please. This might be just what we need to do here in hot Dixie where storage is almost impossible.

[signseeker]

:svengo:

(Someone revive me when the recipes are posted, please?)

[phylm]

Phylm,
How do you do your potatoes? How do you dehydrate them without them discoloring and how do you bottle them. Recipes please. This might be just what we need to do here in hot Dixie where storage is almost impossible.

We put about a cup of lemon juice to the gallon of water that we drop the sliced or diced potatoes into.

We just place the drained slices in the dehydrator. They aren't perfectly white, but taste good anyway. By the way, we use a big skimming spoon to drain the potatoes, because the lemon water is good for 3 or more batches.

Cut up the potatoes for canning in manageable cubes--don't have to be fussy--then blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water, fill sterilized jars, add 1 tsp salt to each quart,, 1/2 tsp to pints, and fill to 1 inch of the top with the blanching water, wipe jar edges, put on lids, and then rings. Processing times are as
follows:


POUNDS PRESSURE


ELEVATION (ft.) DIAL GAUGE WEIGHTED GAUGE PTS. QTS.

SEA LEVEL 10 10 35 min. 40 min.

1000 10 1/2 15 SAME

2000 11 15 SAME

3000 11 1/2 15 SAME


Good luck! The canned potatoes are all ready for potato salad, or you can heat them in their water, drain and mash, or butter and season the cubes. Love 'em. I try to make my storage as much "fast food" as I can. Guess, after my short "pep prep" talk Sunday, I'll have another class in a week or two to teach it to. Even our Home Teacher and the ward prep specialist want to attend!

[phylm]

Sorry! I lined the pounds and processing times neatly across and down the page, and when I submitted it, it all ended up on the left side. If you have any questions, please let me know.

[Noahs ARK]

We put about a cup of lemon juice to the gallon of water that we drop the sliced or diced potatoes into.

We just place the drained slices in the dehydrator. They aren't perfectly white, but taste good anyway. By the way, we use a big skimming spoon to drain the potatoes, because the lemon water is good for 3 or more batches.

That's how I used to dehydrate my potatoes, too. Sheesh - I've got to get my dehydrator out and start using it again.

I never peeled my potatoes, do you? I just cleaned them really good and sliced them.

I'm amazed that you can use those canned potatoes in potato salad. I'm learning something new every single day.

LOVE this place!

[phylm]

They are new potatoes and don't need peeling. (Thank goodness!)

[Noahs ARK]

They are new potatoes and don't need peeling. (Thank goodness!)

Ahhhhhh - new potatoes. YUM :vork: