making hashed browns

[franksolich]

Somebody--a friend of the neighbor's--brought over nearly a whole bushel basket of clean nice-sized white potatoes, for me.

More potatoes than I can eat in a year, unless they're hashed browns.

Question.

I have a shredder.

I have plenty of unused freezer space.

Can I just shred these up, freeze them, and use them as hashed browns during the cooler seasons?

Or is making and freezed hashed browns more complicated than this?

[Lord Undies]

You are going to have to cook the potatoes to the "brown & serve" stage before freezing.  You can do this by boiling the potatoes until slightly tender.

[franksolich]

You are going to have to cook the potatoes to the "brown & serve" stage before freezing.  You can do this by boiling the potatoes until slightly tender.

Is that before or after shredding?

I'm new to this; never in my life has someone given me not only nearly a bushel of white potatoes, but clean ones, and all of them nice-sized ones.

[Lord Undies]

You can do it after shredding.  Get a big POT in which to boil water.  Put your shredded potatoes in a colander/basket and set into water.  When tender, remove from water and let drain thoroughly before packaging and freezing.

[franksolich]

Thanks, sir.

I did check the internet, but every suggestion I ran into, made it seem like I need sixty or so other ingredients, and to spend weeks doing it.  I thought it might be simpler.

[franksolich]

Okay, I just had a better idea.

You know when people take fully-cooked mashed potatoes, and make them into patties, and then fry them in butter?

Are those freezeable, does one suppose?

[Lord Undies]

Swanson's has been freezing mashed potatoes since 1952. 

[thundley4]

You could do that with no problem.

[Chris]

Potato pancakes?  I would form them into patties, wrap, and freeze them for cooking later.  They're probably good for about three months frozen.

The hash brown thing sounds great as long as you get all the air out of the freezer bags before freezing or they'll rot.  I picked up a neat trick for the large freezer bags... fill your sink up with water and drop the filled bags in the water to push out all the air.  I had frozen fish for nearly a year that way (don't get the water in the bag).

I'll take mine scattered, smothered, and covered with a side of ketchup.

[Chris_]

Potatoes have an unreal amount of water in them.

[vesta111]

Electric vacuum sealers are your best friend when you have a large freezer. I have found that they can be tricky to use.

For potato pancakes I would fry them up. let them cool and freeze for a couple hours in the freezer on a large cookie pans, 2 or 3.

Once they become hard as a rock I remove them and place 4-5 in a small plastic sandwitch bag the kind that just folds over, no zipper.

I then cut off a good amount of plastic sealing material and place all the pancakes in that one bag leaving 4 inches empty at the top.  Place the filled bag into the machine, suck out all the air and seal.  The extra material can then be cut and resealed time after time.

One can buy things at yard sales for next to nothing it is the material that costs so much.
People get discouraged with them because they try to seal fresh or cooked food that has a sauce or blood from meat.  unfrozen food will cause all the juices to be sucked out with the air and the bag will not seal.

Labor day is on the way, watch for local adds for meat and chicken then buy in bulk.  Same as for any cooked vegetables you like.      Cook up everything to about 3/4 cooking time, freeze it, double bag it and seal it.

The best part of the vaccum bags is some can be tossed into boiling water with no defrost time and they come out like the store bought frozen foods but taste much better.

BTW those bags can be placed empty after food is removed and turned inside out. into boiling water for 10 minutes or so, dried off and reused again.

[Ree]

Electric vacuum sealers are your best friend when you have a large freezer. I have found that they can be tricky to use.

For potato pancakes I would fry them up. let them cool and freeze for a couple hours in the freezer on a large cookie pans, 2 or 3.

Once they become hard as a rock I remove them and place 4-5 in a small plastic sandwitch bag the kind that just folds over, no zipper.

I then cut off a good amount of plastic sealing material and place all the pancakes in that one bag leaving 4 inches empty at the top.  Place the filled bag into the machine, suck out all the air and seal.  The extra material can then be cut and resealed time after time.

One can buy things at yard sales for next to nothing it is the material that costs so much.
People get discouraged with them because they try to seal fresh or cooked food that has a sauce or blood from meat.  unfrozen food will cause all the juices to be sucked out with the air and the bag will not seal.

Labor day is on the way, watch for local adds for meat and chicken then buy in bulk.  Same as for any cooked vegetables you like.      Cook up everything to about 3/4 cooking time, freeze it, double bag it and seal it.

The best part of the vaccum bags is some can be tossed into boiling water with no defrost time and they come out like the store bought frozen foods but taste much better.

BTW those bags can be placed empty after food is removed and turned inside out. into boiling water for 10 minutes or so, dried off and reused again.

Don't know what kind of sealer ya have...But the bags for mine are cheap is ya buy ther rolls and make your own...
NEVER reuse bags...great way to kill someone....



Frank...To freeze potatoes for hash browns, shred potatoes; hold in a bowl of cold water until all potatoes are shredded. Drain and blanch in boiling water about 3 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water, drain again and pat dry. Pack into freezer containers or resealable bags. Store in the freezer for up to 1 year. Use frozen in favorite dishes calling for frozen hash brown potatoes. For fries, cut potatoes and hold in cold water until all potatoes are cut. Blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes; plunge into cold water; drain and dry well with paper towels. Fry in hot oil (375°) until very light brown. Drain on paper towels until cool. Pack into freezer containers or bags. Later, fry frozen potatoes in deep fat preheated to 375° until crisp and golden brown.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Cooking-Tips/Potatoes/Freezing-Potatoes-for-Hash-Browns

[NHSparky]

Meh--screw it.  I'll just stick with making O'Brien potatoes.

[vesta111]

Don't know what kind of sealer ya have...But the bags for mine are cheap is ya buy ther rolls and make your own...
NEVER reuse bags...great way to kill someone....



Frank...To freeze potatoes for hash browns, shred potatoes; hold in a bowl of cold water until all potatoes are shredded. Drain and blanch in boiling water about 3 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water, drain again and pat dry. Pack into freezer containers or resealable bags. Store in the freezer for up to 1 year. Use frozen in favorite dishes calling for frozen hash brown potatoes. For fries, cut potatoes and hold in cold water until all potatoes are cut. Blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes; plunge into cold water; drain and dry well with paper towels. Fry in hot oil (375°) until very light brown. Drain on paper towels until cool. Pack into freezer containers or bags. Later, fry frozen potatoes in deep fat preheated to 375° until crisp and golden brown.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Cooking-Tips/Potatoes/Freezing-Potatoes-for-Hash-Browns

It wont kill anyone reusing a bag as I double bag everything.   I also place used bags in the dishwasher after 10 minutes in boiling water.

I tried the blanching of vegetables but was not happy with it.

I now steam, not boil, corn, steam and freeze-----I seldom boil anything anymore. I steam most fresh vegetables and frozen also  the difference in taste is just wonderful.

A quick tip, when one buys frozen vegetables in the bag on sale, before you put it in your freezer, vaccum seal them.    The bags in most products have a small hole in them to allow the air to escape.  Don't place frozen vegtables in boiling water steam them-----

[vesta111]

Meh--screw it.  I'll just stick with making O'Brien potatoes.

If you are speaking of what I think you are, PLEASE, PLEASE how do you make one of my favorite foods,?     

The ultimate is what I am looking for, same as I judge  a food establishment on their Bloody Marys.

[Lord Undies]

If you are speaking of what I think you are, PLEASE, PLEASE how do you make one of my favorite foods,?     

The ultimate is what I am looking for, same as I judge  a food establishment on their Bloody Marys.

You talkin bout Potatoes O'Brien?  Just add chopped onion and bell pepper to hash whites and griddle them til they're brown.

[NHSparky]

Actually, I make them from scratch, so to speak.  No frozen hash browns, if you please.

Start with 1 onion finely chopped.

In a frying pan, melt 1/2 tbsp of butter and 1/2 tbsp olive oil.  Simmer onion for 5-6 minutes over medium heat until onion softens, but do NOT brown onions.  Add one chopped green and one chopped red bell pepper and continue simmering additional 5 minutes.

Transfer to bowl.  In original frying pan, add another 1/2 tbsp olive oil and 1/2 tbsp butter and add in 2 lbs diced potatoes (1/2" cubes or smaller).  Brown on all sides, or about 8-10 minutes.  Combine with onion/peppers, serve.

[debk]

I have a vacuum sealer too....love it!

I only use it for meats....but it does a great job. It lets me buy meat in quantity at Sam's and divide it up for 2.

I buy the rolls of material and make my own bags to fit what I'm packaging.

I don't reuse the bags.



Frank...you can make mashed potatoes the way you normally would, let cool and pack in a plastic freezer container to the top, cover with plastic wrap, then put the lid on.

I thaw mine and use them for potato pancakes or topping Shepherd's Pie.

Frozen cubed potatoes are great for potato soup.

[crockspot]

Electric vacuum sealers are your best friend when you have a large freezer. I have found that they can be tricky to use.

For potato pancakes I would fry them up. let them cool and freeze for a couple hours in the freezer on a large cookie pans, 2 or 3.

Once they become hard as a rock I remove them and place 4-5 in a small plastic sandwitch bag the kind that just folds over, no zipper.

I then cut off a good amount of plastic sealing material and place all the pancakes in that one bag leaving 4 inches empty at the top.  Place the filled bag into the machine, suck out all the air and seal.  The extra material can then be cut and resealed time after time.

One can buy things at yard sales for next to nothing it is the material that costs so much.
People get discouraged with them because they try to seal fresh or cooked food that has a sauce or blood from meat.  unfrozen food will cause all the juices to be sucked out with the air and the bag will not seal.

Labor day is on the way, watch for local adds for meat and chicken then buy in bulk.  Same as for any cooked vegetables you like.      Cook up everything to about 3/4 cooking time, freeze it, double bag it and seal it.

The best part of the vaccum bags is some can be tossed into boiling water with no defrost time and they come out like the store bought frozen foods but taste much better.

BTW those bags can be placed empty after food is removed and turned inside out. into boiling water for 10 minutes or so, dried off and reused again.

I have a Food Saver brand sealer, and I've never had an issue with the juice from raw meat causing a problem with sealing. BUT, I have had a problem with the vacuum in the bag sucking all the juice out of the meat when you thaw it out. So what I do is I break the seal on the bag when i put it in the fridge to thaw overnight.