Dehydrating Frozen Potatoes (Potatoes O’Brien)
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Dehydrate those bags of frozen potatoes like Potatoes O’Brien and make them shelf stable. This will save room in your freezer for really important things like ice cream!
Frozen potatoes can easily be dehydrated, much like dehydrating frozen hash browns, because all the work has been done for you!
They’ve already been diced and blanched. You don’t even have to thaw them.
But why? I know you’re asking. Here’s the answer:
- Camping/hiking/backpacking meals;
- Save space in the freezer and make food more shelf-stable for frequent power outages.
How to Dehydrate Frozen Potatoes like Potatoes O’Brien
- Pull frozen potatoes out of the freezer. There is no need to thaw. If they are in a clump, just bang the bag on the counter once or twice.
- Open the bag.
- Pour onto dehydrator trays lined with mesh or parchment paper.
- Place into the dehydrator at 125°C/52°C or greater.
- Dehydrate for 8-15 hours until fully dry. They should sound hollow when dropped onto a hard surface and shatter when crushed.
- Condition for 5-7 days. Meaning place into a jar, shake for 5 days or so to make sure potatoes aren’t sticking together or getting soft (if so, throw them back into dehydrator).
- Store in an airtight container for up to 4-5 years.
What types of frozen potatoes shouldn’t be used?
- Those where oil is listed in the first ingredient. A little oil is fine when it’s further down the list and will last quite a while. But if it is a major component, rancidity will happen fairly quickly.
- Tater Tots
- Waffle fries
- Wedge fries
How to Rehydrate
- Soak in a jar of water for 1-2 hours. Rinse, pat dry, and cook as normal.
- Throw into a soup and let simmer for an hour or so.
Once rehydrated, make sure to pat dry if you want to try a breakfast hashbrowns dish in the skillet. But for soups, you can just toss in and let rehydrate and cook while your soup simmers. I’ve also throw them into a casserole with other vegetables for things like Shepherd’s Pie.
More Frozen Foods to Try
Dehydrate Frozen Potatoes (Potatoes O’Brien)
Equipment
- Storage containers
Ingredients
- Frozen Potatoes O'Brien
Instructions
- Pull frozen potatoes out of the freezer. There is no need to thaw. If they are in a clump, just bang the bag on the counter once or twice.
- Open the bag.
- Pour onto dehydrator trays lined with mesh or parchment paper.
- Place into the dehydrator at 125°C/52°C or greater.
- Dehydrate for 8-15 hours until fully dry. They should sound hollow when dropped onto a hard surface and shatter when crushed.
- Condition for 5-7 days. Meaning place into a jar, shake for 5 days or so to make sure potatoes aren’t sticking together or getting soft (if so, throw them back into dehydrator).
- Store in an airtight container for up to 4-5 years.
Rehydrate
- Soak in a jar of water for 1-2 hours. Rinse, pat dry, and cook as normal.Throw into a soup and let simmer for an hour or so.
- Or, throw into a soup and let simmer for an hour or so.
Darcy’s Tips
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only. Nutrient information for dehydrated foods is based on fresh. Use 1/4 of the servicing size for the same nutrient information. Thus 1 Cup of fresh fruit has the same sugars as 1/4 dried.
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