How to store peeled potatoes - methods and timing

A real housewife must be able to solve a variety of culinary problems. Storing peeled potatoes is not easy. In air in a plate, the tubers darken, harden and subsequently do not boil. Therefore, it is correct to immerse them in cold water after cleaning - this will slow down the spoilage process. Besides water, there are 4 other ways to store peeled potatoes. We suggest you study them carefully.

How long is it permissible to store peeled potatoes in water?

Many housewives, out of habit, put peeled tubers in a saucepan filled with water. If you are one of them, you don't need to do anything more. Potatoes do not darken in water and do not spoil for a long time. How long can it be stored?

• At room temperature – 3–4 hours.
• At a temperature of +3–5 degrees (in the refrigerator) – a day.

Nuances:

• The water should not be dirty.
• You can use any water: tap, spring, boiled.
• She should be cold.
• You need to make sure that the potatoes are completely covered with water.
• It is better to boil it in the same water in which it was stored.
• Whole tubers retain more nutrients than chopped ones.

If you decide to leave the potatoes in water on the table, make sure that they are not exposed to direct sunlight. Choose a dark and cool place.

Long-term storage in the freezer

If you have some peeled potatoes left over, you can freeze them. It will keep in the freezer for up to 5 months.

To prevent the tubers from turning black and becoming sweet, you need to pre-treat them:

1. Bring water to boil in a saucepan with the addition of 1 teaspoon of salt and 0.5 teaspoon of sugar per 1 liter.
2. Cut the potatoes into strips or slices.
3. Place in boiling water for 3 minutes.
4. Pour off the boiling water and replace it with cold water to stop the cooking process.
5. After 5 minutes, drain the potatoes in a colander.
6. Dry on a towel.
7. Place in a bag and place in the freezer (fast freeze zone).

Frozen potatoes are cooked without defrosting. It is usually baked or fried. The potatoes turn out very soft and tender inside. And a delicious crispy crust forms on the outside. Freezing allows you to make French fries at home, just like at McDonald's.

All methods for storing peeled potatoes

The skin protects potatoes from loss of moisture and nutrients. After cleaning it, the tubers react with air, quickly dry out and darken. In particular, the darkening is caused by the amino acid tyrosine. It oxidizes and forms a pigment.

All home and industrial methods of storing peeled potatoes are based on limiting the access of oxygen. In production, peeled potatoes are treated with sulfur dioxide and vacuum packed. After this, the product can be stored in a cold place for up to 20 days.

Home storage methods:

• Cold water. After cleaning, the tubers are immersed in cold water. Shelf life - up to a day.
• Cling film (bags). After peeling, potatoes are washed, moisture is removed and wrapped in 2-3 layers of cling film. Each tuber needs to be wrapped separately. If there is no film, you can use thick plastic bags. The potatoes are placed inside and try to remove all the air from the bag.The package is then placed on a shelf in the refrigerator. Shelf life - up to a day.
• Vacuum packaging. If you have a set of vacuum bags and a pump, that's even better. Wash the potatoes, pat dry and pack. It will keep in the refrigerator in the fresh zone for up to 5 days.
• Blanching. If you immerse the peeled tubers in boiling water for 3-4 minutes and then cool quickly, they will not darken. These potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator on a plate for about a day.
• Freezing. Allows you to store peeled potatoes for a long time - 5 months. But it must be blanched. Otherwise, the workpiece will deteriorate and become unsuitable for food. In addition, it cannot be defrosted. Semi-finished products are prepared as soon as they are taken out of the freezer.

Before you cook potatoes, you need to peel them. Sometimes housewives don't have time to cook.In this case, it is important to protect the tubers from darkening and spoilage. Calculate how long it will take you to start cooking. If you need to keep it for less than 4 hours, cold water will help. If you plan for longer storage, you will have to empty the shelf in the refrigerator. Well, in the case when the potatoes have been peeled too much, freezing is the best solution.