Stop my potatoes from turning brown without citrus

[danpeikes]

OK I am making latkes (potato pancakes) for a hannuka party. I have cousin that is allergic to citrus. What else can I use to stop my potatoes from turning brown?

 

[kitchenelf]

You have to make them quickly unless you keep the grated potato in cold water. Grab a handful of the grated potato (or enough potato for a full skillet) out of the water and squeeze it in a dish towel to remove the water and make immediately. Hope that helps. It's the air that reacts with the potato and turns it brown. No citrus needed this way.

 

[danpeikes]

Ya I know if I cook them quickly, I can prevent it but I am looking for a little insurance.

You have to make them quickly unless you keep the grated potato in water. Grab a handful of the grated potato and squeeze it in a dish towel to remove the water and make immediately. Hope that helps. It's the air that reacts with the potato and turns it brown. No citrus needed this way.

 

[Bilby]

Like KitchenElf said. We usually just keep them fully immersed in water until needed. Never put citrus on a raw spud before. Never even thought to do it!

 

[Katie H]

You have to make them quickly unless you keep the grated potato in cold water. Grab a handful of the grated potato (or enough potato for a full skillet) out of the water and squeeze it in a dish towel to remove the water and make immediately. Hope that helps. It's the air that reacts with the potato and turns it brown. No citrus needed this way.

Yep, what she said.

 

[kitchenelf]

Like KitchenElf said. We usually just keep them fully immersed in water until needed. Never put citrus on a raw spud before. Never even thought to do it!

I never heard of it either but I thought it was just me.

Dan - have you ever kept them in cold water after grating? That's your insurance. You don't have to make them so quickly then. You can take your time if they are kept in water.

 

[Michael in FtW]

I'm with kitchenelf - get them into a bowl of cold water as quickly as you can after grating them - and keep it cold until you're ready to use the spuds. A few ice cubes, and insuring the potatoes are kept under water, is about the only insurance you reallyy need.

Now if you feel you just must do something else ... add some white vinegar to the water (2-3 Tablespoons per lemon you are trying to replace) ... it will acidify they water and do the same thing as adding citrus juice.

 

[CharlieD]

Just great some onion as you great the potato. That's one. Second who cares if the potato are dark, nobody will know it after it's fried.

 

[Rom]

I would do the water trick, much like Bilby I have never heard of putting citrus on a potato before...at all. I always peel and put them in a bowl of water.

 

[CharlieD]

I would do the water trick, much like Bilby I have never heard of putting citrus on a potato before...at all. I always peel and put them in a bowl of water.

But the problem is not simple peeled potato, but the greated ones.

 

[danpeikes]

I am actually pureeing the potatoes and mixing them with egg and flour to make a sort of batter. I thoght about using vinegar but won't it ruin the taste???

 

[Rom]

Put them in too and strain them when needed.

oops that in response to CharlieD

 

[Michael in FtW]

I am actually pureeing the potatoes and mixing them with egg and flour to make a sort of batter. I thoght about using vinegar but won't it ruin the taste???

Well .... now you add a new twist to the question ... and, yes, in that case the vinegar would alter the taste.

Make some mashed potatoes ... add your sautéed onions, eggs, flour, etc. ... make patties from them (1/4 - 1/2 inch thick) and fry 'em. This will not be a thin batter, like a pancake batter - they will be firm enough to form into patties.

That's the way my grandma always made them! Well, sometimes she included some sweet pickled red cabbage, sometimes some sauerkraut ...

 

[Bilby]

I can't recall ever having my potatoes discolouring while making potato cakes, latkes or duchess potatoes. I think Charlie is right. Once you stick them in the pan, any discolouration, should it occur, is going to be lost in the colour provided by the pan. But if you are effectively coating the potato in batter, that is protecting the potato from the air anyway.

I think your concerns are not necessary.

 

[CharlieD]

Listen folks, I've been making Latkes, for at least half of my adult life, and before that I was always helping my mother, even as a little kid, when she was making them. So, I’d say on the bad day, I have at least 40 years experience of making latkes (also that makes me old ). Not potato pancakes, but specifically latkes. And not somewhere else, but right in the hart of the birthplace of a latke – Ukraine. Please argue with me about anything else, prove me wrong if you wish, but Please, do not argue with me about latkes. As the matter of fact, I just made a huge badge last night for the First night of Chanukah and I promise you, they were great.

 

[Jeekinz]

You can always use the cirus on a majority of the potatoes and make a seperate batch for the allergic one.

 

[ChefJune]

I can't imagine using citrus on potatoes. Just keep them in cold water until you are ready to use them. That's all you need. Once you start making your pancakes, no, you can't stop and wait until later. That's just the way the latke schmatke's.....

 

[auntdot]

Toss in a bit of a crushed vitamin C tablet dissolved in water.

 

[CharlieD]

Thing is you really should not add any water, as the matter of fact some recipe sugest to strain all the juices after potato is grating. i am against it, but that is already another thread. The thing is when you add water and the drain you will rince out all starches, and starch, IMHO is very important to making a good latke. it is so important that there are recipes out there that calls for adding some starch. i am agains that too, but that is another thread again.
All you need is a greated onion. i greated potato last night left it open seating on the counter, went and made tomato soup and potato barely got light brownish. Really.

And i still did not heare from the original poster, why is it so important for potato not to darken. After you fry the latkes they will be brown anyway. Well, golden brown.

 

[GB]

Charlie and I have not always agreed on everything, but in this case I have to say I agree 100% with everything he has said.