Dehydrating Your Own Potatoes

From 'Gifts and Mixes'

For many various reasons, folks are becoming more interested in how to prese
rve food for later use. One of my favorite methods of food preservation is dehyd
ration or drying. Potatoes are a main- stay of many families, and are a food whi
ch most folks are uncertain about drying themselves. Can this be done? Of course
! The difference you will see in your home dried potatoes and the ones you purch
ase in the stores, is in color. This is due to the fact that the commercial dehy
dration process also bleaches the potatoes in order to make them appear more app
etizing to the public. I suggest that you store your dried foods in jars or bags
, in a cool, dry place just as you would any other home preserved food. I save m
ayonnaise and applesauce jars for this purpose because they are a great size, an
d of course, recycling is cheaper than purchasing new jars.
Home Dried Potatoes
Potatoes (an amount you find manageable)
Metal vegetable blanching basket, or French fry basket
Colander & Mixing Bowl which is larger than your colander
Paper towels
Several cookie sheets OR Food Dehydrator & trays or racks
Vegetable Oil Cooking Spray
Peel desired amount of potatoes and slice into rounds 1/8 inch thick. (Peeli
ng is optional- there are important vitamins and minerals stored in the potato s
kins, but they look nicer peeled, so choose according to your personal preferenc
e.) This can be done quickly with a food processor or slicer. Bring a large pot
of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Put potato slices into a vegetable ba
sket and plunge the basket into the boiling water and wait for the water to retu
rn to a boil. Once the water is boiling, start counting off 8 minutes of blanchi
ng time. While potatoes are blanching, set up a large mixing bowl in your sink a
nd fill it with ice water. When the potatoes have blanched for 8 minutes, plunge
the basketful of potatoes immediately into the ice water and let them sit there
for 15 minutes. Spread the blanched potato slices in a single layer between pap
er towels and blot them dry.
If you are not using a dehydrator, spray cookie sheets with vegetable oil sp
ray (do not use regular cooking oil); if you are using rimmed baking pans, spray
and use only the upside down bottoms of these pans to prevent scorching near th
e pan's raised rim; if you are using Teflon cookie sheets, there is no need for
spray. Spread potato slices on the prepared sheets or pans as close together as
possible but in a single layer. Place cookie sheets on oven racks and turn the o
ven on to its very lowest temperature. (between low and off) Keep the oven door
ajar so that the air can circulate freely and let moisture escape. Make sure tha
t the temperature never gets so hot that your hand feels uncomfortable when held
in the oven. This is necessary for thorough drying.
If you are using a dehydrator, place potato slices on racks which have been
prepared with vegetable oil spray, placing potatoes close together, but not touc
hing, so air is allowed to circulate between them. Turning is not necessary on v
ented racks. Dry according to manufacturer s instructions, or until potatoes are b
rittle, somewhat translucent and are not at all pliable. If you have solid racks
, follow the same directions as for turning potatoes dried in an oven:
After 1 hour, turn all the slices over; then turn the slices over every 30 m
inutes. Drying time will depend largely on your own oven, but you should begin c
hecking for doneness at 3 hours. The potatoes are done when they become brittle,
somewhat translucent, and are not at all pliable. Their color should be pale wh
ite with a tinge of yellow; do not let them become brown or even dark amber in c
olor. Some potato slices will dry faster than others, so check every 15 - 30 min
utes for slices which are done.
Let the dried potatoes cool thoroughly, then store for up to a year in glass
or plastic jars OR plastic bags at room temperature in a cool, dry place.
**You can use the instructions from your favorite pre-packaged potato mixes
to cook or reconstitute your dried potatoes, or you can use the recipes below t
o put together your own mixes for your home-dried potatoes.
Basic Sauce Mix
2 Tbsp. Nonfat Dry Milk
2 Tbsp. Flour
2 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1 tsp. Onion Powder or 1 Tbsp. Crushed Dried Onions
1/8 tsp. Black Pepper
Combine the above ingredients to make 1 package of sauce mix and seal it in
a small zip baggie, removing as much air as possible. When making several mixes
to store or give as gifts, multiply this sauce mix recipe and store in a jar unt
il ready for use. 6 Tbsp. Sauce Mix is equal to 1 x the above recipe.
Yield: 3 cups or four 3/4 cups servings
Scalloped Potato Mix in a Jar
3 cups dehydrated Potatoes
1 package (6 Tbsp.) Sauce Mix
1/3 cup Nonfat Dry Milk
Place these ingredients into a one quart jar, making certain the sauce mix a
nd dry milk are first placed into small zip baggies, then sealed with the air re
moved. Place the potatoes into the bottom of the jar, then add the baggie of mix
on top. Place lid on jar and store in a cool dry place until ready to use. Atta
ch the following instructions for later use, or for gift giving:
Scalloped Potatoes
3 Tbsp. Butter or Margarine
2-3/4 cups boiling Water
Pour the potatoes into a medium size ungreased casserole and sprinkle the sa
uce mix on top. Dot with butter; stir in the boiling water. Bake at 400 degrees
F for 30 to 35 minutes or until tender. If you are cooking something else at a l
ower temperature in your oven, adjust the baking time; at 350 degrees bake 40 to
 45 minutes; at 325 degrees bake 50 to 55 minutes.

Skillet Meat and Potatoes Casserole Mix in a Jar

3 cups dehydrated Potatoes
1/3 cup Nonfat Dry Milk
1 package (6 Tbsp.) Sauce Mix
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Beef Bouillon Granules
Place above ingredients into a quart jar, placing milk, sauce mix, pepper, s
alt & bouillon granules into a small zip baggie, which will be placed on top of
potatoes in the jar. Place lid on jar & store in a cool dry place until ready to
use. Attach the following instructions for later use, or for gift giving:

Skillet Meat & Potatoes Casserole

Brown 1 pound of ground beef in a skillet, and drain off excess fat. Stir in
2 3/4 cups water and the ingredients from the jar. Heat to boiling, reduce heat
, cover and simmer stirring now and then, for about 25 minutes or until the pota
toes are tender.
Yield: 4 one cup servings