You should never throw away surplus uncooked potatoes!
In fact, freezing them is a more suitable option and it’s also economical and practical. This allows you to prolong their safety and quality and preserve them for a meal in the future.
And, the news is getting even better: it’s not at all complicated to freeze the potatoes perfectly. What you need are the right instructions that are very simple.
So, whether you have cubed, mashed, shredded, French-fried, or whole uncooked potatoes, you can store them in the freezer. Goodbye food waste!
Keep reading to learn everything about freezing uncooked potatoes.
Table of Contents
Won’t Uncooked Potatoes Become Mushy & Grainy After Being Frozen?
If you freeze raw potatoes without cooking or blanching them, they may become grainy and mushy. This happens because raw potatoes are abundant in water and starch.
When the water inside them freezes and then thaws, the potatoes develop an unpleasant texture and won’t be as yummy as if this water content has been reduced.
What’s more, if the potato is high in starch, the freezing may contribute to the grainy structure later. This is why you should avoid keeping raw potatoes in the freezer.
In terms of how long you can store them in the freezer, this depends on the storage option you’ve chosen.
Generally speaking, they will last up to two weeks when stored at room temperature (avoid the fridge because it will mess up their texture) whereas the cooked ones last around four days in the fridge.
On the other hand, frozen cooked potatoes may remain good for up to 12 months.
How to Freeze Uncooked Potatoes?
The best option for freezing potatoes depends on the type of potato. Below, check out how to freeze the most common potato types:
- To freeze whole or cubed potatoes, it’s recommendable to peel them because the blanching will work optimally without the skin.
If you plan to mash the potatoes when they thaw, cube them now. Next, it’s time to blanch them. Fill one pot with water and add salt. Bring it to high heat and once the water begins boiling, add the potatoes.
The blanching time varies and it’s conditioned by how big the pieces or the potatoes are. It usually ranges from three minutes for small potatoes to ten minutes for the bigger types of potatoes.
Take out the potatoes from the water and set them into a pot of cold water to cease the cooking process. Drain them in a colander once they’ve cooled down and spread them on a clean kitchen towel.
Pat them dry to remove the surplus moisture. First, flash-freeze the potatoes by setting them on a sheet and spreading them so that they don’t stick to each other. Freeze them for a couple of hours or overnight.
Once this step is done, you can put them in freezer-safe bags or containers. Write the date on top and they’re ready for the freezer.
- To freeze uncooked potato wedges or French fries, it’s best to blanch them first. Follow the same process explained above and freeze them.
If they’re already cooked, the process is much simpler. Make sure you flash-freeze them first, for at least a couple of hours or overnight.
Once this step is done, you can transfer them to the freezer-safe bags or containers and label them with the date.
- If you need to freeze hash browns, it depends on whether they’ve been cooked or not. If they’re the latter, shred them with the large side of a grater before blanching them.
You need to blanch them shortly- a minute or two is enough. If they’re the former, freeze them like you would freeze French fries.
Scoop the cooked and cooled hash browns on a baking tray and flash-freeze them for several hours or overnight.
Afterward, you can transfer them into freezer-safe bags or containers and label them with the date of freezing.
- Mashed potatoes are the most freezer-friendly type. This is because the fat from butter and the cream help the potatoes preserve their texture better.
The first thing is to ensure the mashed potatoes are entirely cool before you freeze them. Scoop the portions directly onto a baking tray lined with parchment. Freeze them for a couple of hours or overnight.
Once this step is done, you can put them in freezer-safe bags or containers, label them with the date, and set them in the freezer.
How Long Will the Potatoes Last in the Freezer?
Cooked potatoes do better than raw potatoes in the freezer. This is why it’s highly recommendable to blanch or cook them before putting them in the freezer.
Properly stored and prepared potatoes stay safe for consumption and in good shape for 10 to 12 months. However, the frozen mashed potatoes should be consumed within a month or two.
You can easily recognize if a potato has spoiled by its increase in softness or its shriveling. Moreover, the potato may also release an odd and musty odor and this is usually a sign that the potato has gone bad and isn’t safe for consumption!
On the other hand, green sprouts aren’t indicators of spoilage, but they do mean that the nutrients are leaving the potatoes.
So, their quality has probably started to decline. Still, you needn’t just throw them right away because cutting off the sprouts may be sufficient.
Final Thoughts
Blanched and cooked potatoes freeze pretty well. And, knowing how to freeze them optimally is a great method you can use to plan meals in advance or store surplus food for rainy days.
You can freeze potatoes in different shapes, although mashed potatoes tend to freeze the best. These potatoes are best to be consumed within a month or two whereas other types can be stored for up to 12 months.
Yukon Golds and red potatoes are lower in starch and therefore freeze pretty well. On the other hand, potatoes that have higher levels of starch like baking potatoes or russets may become grainy once thawed and cooked.
All in all, there are three main steps you need to follow. That is, cook or blanch the potatoes, flash-freeze them, and then transfer them to freezer-safe bags and set them away in the freezer.
How cool, right? -What’s your favorite way to freeze uncooked potatoes?
