Recently a local store had potatoes on sale: 10 pounds was several dollars off. So I bought two bags.
Jump to RecipeAnd what would I do with 20 pounds of potatoes? There are only two of us after all. I bought them specifically to preserve, by dry canning in a pressure canner. Potatoes should not be processed in a water bath; they are not acidic enough.
The National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) does not approved this method. I have done enough reading and research to know that many people do it, and just because something isn’t approved doesn’t mean it isn’t safe – it just means it hasn’t been tested. So proceed with this method at your own risk and comfort level. There is a risk of botulism, according to the NCHFP. The only “safe” method uses liquid and cubed peeled potatoes (I have also included it below). I may try it with some of the potatoes just to compare taste and texture.
Per The Canning Diva, she processed potatoes using a dry method and then had them tested by a laboratory. The potatoes were deemed safe, so she cautions to scrub and rinse them well, which eliminates the botulism risk.
Prepping the Potatoes
I choose to leave skins on (really not approved). The skins have lots of nutrients and fiber, though. I soaked the whole potatoes and scrubbed them really well with a vegetable brush.
I tried canning the first bag of 10 pounds with three variations:
- Wedges – for steak fries
- Chunks – for frying larger pieces of potato
- Smaller slices – for home fries
I made 8 quarts, with four pints for the home fries.
Cutting up and prep take the most time. After soaking and a good scrub, I sliced and chopped into pieces. Then, to remove extra starch, especially with russet potatoes, the pieces were soaked in clean water again for 1-2 hours.
Once the soaking time was complete, the potatoes needed to be drained, rinsed, and dried thoroughly. I poured them into colanders, let them sit, and shook the colanders every 15 minutes or so, then finally dumped them onto a clean kitchen towel to finish drying. I used another clean towel to pat off any remaining water.
I used a large bowl to oil the potatoes one type at a time. I used a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Melted butter would work as well. I stirred the potatoes until the pieces were evenly coated. Each type was packed into the canning jars, leaving 1″ of head space. As with most canning, I used a funnel to get the potatoes into the jars, and wiped the rim clean so the lids would seal.
The Canning Process
Since this is dry canning, and the potatoes and jars are cold, it’s vital to start the canning process slowly. Load the jars into your pressure canner with COLD water in the bottom, then set it to low heat. This will prevent thermal shock, which can cause jars to crack.
I let the jars and canner warm up over low heat for 10 minutes, then gradually increased the heat to high over the next 20 minutes. Once warmed up, I put the lid on, and waited for the canner to come to pressure. Then processed the quarts for 40 minutes, and the pints for 35 minutes.
Success! No jars broke. And I ended up with 12 jars of lovely potatoes to open and use immediately.
Any herbs or seasonings can be added to the oil when prepping the potatoes.
The dry canned potatoes will fry up great (they’re not wet!) and can be used for potato salad or as an ingredient in casseroles or soups/stews.
Happy canning!
Dry Canned Potatoes
A rebel canning method canning raw potatoes without liquid.
Ingredients
- 10 pounds potatoes washed and well scrubbed
- olive oil or melted butter
- salt, if desired
Instructions
Preparation
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Soak potatoes and scrub well. Peel if desired.
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Cut into wedges, chunks, or home fries
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Soak in clean water 1-2 hours after cutting up
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Drain, and dry well.
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Use 2 -3 tablespoons of melted butter or oil to pour over dry potatoes, and stir to coat pieces. Add a bit of salt if desired.
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Using a canning funnel pack potatoes into jars leaving 1" of head space
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Put into a pressure canner with cold water per manufacturers instructions, usually 2"
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Set the canner on low heat for 10 minutes. Put on the lid, and gradually increase the heat. Once the appropriate pressure is reached for your altitude (10 psi at sea level), process 35 minutes for pints or 40 minutes for quarts.
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Turn off the heat and let the pressure reduce naturally, at least 30 minutes. Remove the canner lid and remove jars to the rest of a towel. Lids should ping and seal as the jars cool.
Safe method: Pressure canning potatoes with liquid
Ingredients
- Potatoes
- boiling water
Instructions
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Preparation: Wash, peel, and cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Keep them in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning.
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Blanch: Place the potato cubes in boiling water for 2 minutes.
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Pack jars: Pack the hot potatoes into sterilized pint or quart jars, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Add 1/2 teaspoon of canning salt to pints or 1 teaspoon to quarts (optional).
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Add liquid: Cover the potatoes with fresh boiling water, maintaining the 1-inch headspace.
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Seal: Remove any air bubbles with a non-metallic spatula. Wipe the jar rims, apply new lids, and secure rings fingertip-tight.
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Process:
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Place jars in a pressure canner with the required amount of water.
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Secure the canner lid, and vent the steam for 10 minutes.
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Bring the canner to 10 pounds of pressure (PSI) for altitudes up to 1,000 feet, or adjust based on your canner type and altitude.
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Process pint jars for 35 minutes and quart jars for 40 minutes.
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Cool: After processing, turn off the heat and allow the canner to depressurize naturally before opening. Remove jars and let them cool on a towel for 12 to 24 hours.
