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Dehydrating potatoes

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Red Lake, Ontario
I have attempted to dehydrate some shredded potatoes and they are turning black. How do I prevent this? Should I have par-boiled them?

I just had this image of them turning mushy precooking them.

Any tis or tricks anybody can pass on?
 
Mr Google suggested this. It seems you do cook them for five -8 minutes. I have never tried doing it as I have liked Baulys Hash Browns a lot.

http://arewecrazyorwhat.net/dehydrating-potatoes-plus-a-secret-reveale/

Mr Google is adaptable. It seems you could take the approach of shred then add lemon juice and parboil for a few minutes

http://tpass.org/forums/index.php?topic=892.0

You have inspired me to try. I think I will use this approach

http://preparedness365.blogspot.com/2011/05/dehydrating-hash-browns.html
 
Hash browns around here have always been a pan fried/roasted potato thing. It wasn’t until McD’s came out with their greasy hockey puck version did I realize hash browns are not created equal.
On our trip State side this summer, I eyed hash browns with deep suspicion. The restaurant promised to make them fresh, and to custom order. I added jalapeños, onions…
WOW. Not equal indeed. Mr. Google can’t find Bauly’s. Are they dehydrated? The recipe for shredding before dehydrating looks like the route I’ll follow. Thanks Yellow Canoe. Till now I’d given up on taking potatoes on trips, and relied on rice, pasta and quinoa. I can taste those hash browns now.
 
I dehydrate pre-made cooked hash browns. Like bricks of hash browns you get at McDonald's and the like. I buy them frozen in packages of 20 at Aldi's for the best deal, probably available at Walmart also. It works best to break them up in pieces prior to dehydrating, then crumble after dry. They rehydrate perfectly in just 5 minutes with boiling water.

I use McCormick's Country Gravy http://www.mccormick.com/Spices-and...Gravies-and-Sauces/Original-Country-Gravy-Mix with them, and add rehydrated ground beef or dry chipped beef (desalt in water first) or something similar to round out the meal. It is one of my favorite breakfasts, and doesn't have to be just for breakfast. Delicious.
 
That sounds really good YKNPDLR, thanks for that. I think I’ve got some experimenting to do over the winter. I haven’t dehydrated beef or potatoes before, so it’ll be interesting.
Gravy sounds good, for a warm and filling morning meal.
I’m always the breakfast “chef”, so a change from eggs, bannock, and oatmeal would be welcome.
 
Our marriage is a democratic one. I cast a vote, and she casts the deciding one. It seems the hash browns have been vetoed.
I might dehydrate them for my own home enjoyment, but bringing them as part of our joint menu might start a revolt.
Instead, this winter I’ll try this:
http://www.backpackingchef.com/food-dehydrator-recipes.html
Wish me luck.
 
Dehydrated Hash Brown Potatoes


  • Place a good sized pot of water on the stove to boil.
  • Peel and then shred or grate one large potato per person per meal.
  • Rinse grated potatoes with cold water to remove excess starch.
  • When water is boiling, add the grated potatoes and bring back to a boil.
  • Boil for 30 seconds longer. This blanches the potatoes, kills the enzymes and prevents them from going brown.
  • Drain the water and quickly rinse the potatoes in cold water to stop the cooking process.
  • Place the potatoes in your dehydrator and leave until well dried. Don't worry about over drying.
  • After drying, let the potatoes cool and sweat. Once cooled the potatoes will not give off any more moisture.
  • When dried and cooled, bag in freezer bags and store in the freezer until your next trip.

Dehydrating Tip

To prevent the potatoes from falling through the slots in the trays of my dehydrator, I bought some nylon door screening and cut it to fit my trays. Works great for peas and corn too. And it's easily hand washable.

To Rehydrate and Use

I place the dehydrated hash browns in a 1.5 litre Nalgene jug with plenty water the night before and let them rehydrate. But a freezer bag will work just as well. The next morning I drain off the water and pat the potatoes dry. Fry them up as you would with any hash brown recipe.

Additional Recipe Ideas

Try adding some pepper or other spices, dehydrated onions or other ingredients to the potatoes when you rehydrate them. Whatever suits your taste. The spice flavours will get soaked up in the potatoes so try not to over do it.

Makes a great breakfast when served on top of a plate of rehydrated baked beans. (If you don't mind baked beans in the morning.)

Dave
 
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