Canning russet potatoes

quarts - potatoes

Until recently, I never gave canning potatoes a thought. My grandparents always stored potatoes in the cellar, tucked safely in insulating straw. Modern life being what it is, if I needed potatoes I stopped by the grocery and got a bag. 

Fast forward to 2020 and Covid 19, and suddenly canning potatoes becomes a really good idea. 

The process is simple, identical, in fact, to canning sweet potatoes. Peel the potatoes and cut into approximately one-inch squares, parboil, hot pack, process for ninety minutes. Even if it never reaches the point where I can’t purchase potatoes at the grocery, I will continue to jar potatoes.

How much easier is it going to be to open a quart of pre-cooked potatoes, heat them, mash them, and serve? For at least the next seven times, the peeling is already done. I’m sure the spousal unit will appreciate that. 

It’s also a way to avoid wasting food. I shudder to think how many hundreds of pounds of potatoes I’ve tossed into the woods for the critters because they sprouted, got soft, or actually rotted. 

pints - potatoes

Even in a land of plenty, waste is not a good thing. 

My world is changing, becoming more and more linked to the past. I thank God every day for the life and times of my grandparents and the things they taught me. I do believe those lessons will save my life. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor