A documentation of my preservation and preparation of local foods as I work through the seasons. This will serve as a reference tool for me in the future and as a sharing guide for family and friends...and anyone else interested. Hopefully, I can offer some useful methods, tips and recipes to share with everyone--be they novice or pro--and encourage them to join me in the exciting world of preserving and cooking with local foods.



Sunday, October 9, 2011

Canned Potatoes

Canned potatoes are a favorite among my sisters and their families.  My niece, Sally Schmidt, shared with me the easiest way possible to can them successfully:
--Wash and scrub fresh potatoes.  Cut them into half-inch cubes and put in hot canning jars.  Pour boiling water over them to within 1/2" from top of jar.  Add salt--1 tsp per quart, 1/2 tsp per pint.  Process in pressure canner at 10 pounds of pressure; 35 min for pints, 45 min for quarts.
 I'm anxious to taste and compare varieties.

I used four different varieties of potatoes thanks to a friend, Judy Schultz, who provided me with the seed potatoes for my garden last Spring.  Judy buys organic seeds from the best sources available.  The seed potatoes came from Colorado in small mesh bags with fancy names and unique colors of flesh (pink, purple, red, yellow, orange...).  I didn't mix the potatoes, but made four jars of each variety. 
 
Note:  Over time, the potato water will turn a bit cloudy due to the starch.  This is perfectly harmless and does not affect the quality of the potatoes.  To eliminate this though, can new potatoes (usually most available at the beginning of the summer) --the water will stay clear.
 

 


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