Help with my potatoes and onions

[Kevin86]

Hey everyone,

I have a bag of potatoes and a bag of onions that froze on me. Frozen solid right through.

Is there anything I can do with them so they don't just go to waste?

Thanks

 

[Dawgluver]

I think your onions should be fine. Freezing sort of "pre-cooks" them, they'll work in soups and stews and such. Not so sure about your potatoes. Sometimes freezing makes potatoes sort of sweet, though frozen twice-baked and mashed are sold in grocery stores, as are frozen hash browns and tater tots.

 

[GotGarlic]

I would take a couple of the potatoes and make a baked potato with one and a mashed potato with the other, to see how they come out. I've never tried it, so I can't say how they would be.

Dawg, frozen potato products are generally cooked, or at least blanched, before freezing, which changes the chemical structure. It would be interesting to know how these are different.

 

[Dawgluver]

True, GG. I agree with experimenting with the potatoes.

 

[Kayelle]

Hey everyone,

I have a bag of potatoes and a bag of onions that froze on me. Frozen solid right through.

Is there anything I can do with them so they don't just go to waste?

Thanks

Kevin, are you talking about whole potatoes and whole onions? This California girl was trying to imagine that happening, and then I looked to see where you live.
I don't have a clue but I'm interested to hear the results.

 

[GotGarlic]

Kevin, are you talking about whole potatoes and whole onions? This California girl was trying to imagine that happening, and then I looked to see where you live.
I don't have a clue but I'm interested to hear the results.

Some people "up north" use the great outdoors as a freezer in the winter

 

[Dawgluver]

Some people "up north" use the great outdoors as a freezer in the winter

Hey, it works!

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Right, Dawg. We sometimes refer to our attached garage as our walk-in freezer.

Kevin, I suggest that if you want to try and save the potatoes, you do something right away. I had a pound of fingerlings in the trunk of our car when we drove back home from spending the holidays with our kids - Akron OH to central MA, with an overnight in PA. When I took the potatoes out of the bag the first full day we were home, I noticed that a couple of them were a bit spongy. Figured no big deal. But three days later, they were busy composting inside their skins, making all kinds of interesting bubbling and squeaking noises. I tossed them. Should have made Vodka instead.

Hopefully, after checking out their health using Got Garlic's suggestions, you'll find out they're usable. Then process them up and freeze. I don't know if mashed potatoes are freezable, but sliced, parboiled, and lightly oiled should work. Freeze them on a tray, then toss into a freezer bag. You can then use them for fried potatoes or baked scalloped down the road.

 

[Kevin86]

Yes almost a 10 lb bag of onions and the last 3 pounds of potatoes in the bag.

I had them in the garage which had normally was OK but then we hit a cold snap and I have some solid veg.

I think sliced one today as a hashbrown put mozzarella and an over easy egg on top that was OK I think roasting them thaws and dries but in soup it may work to

 

[rodentraiser]

Mashed potatoes are freezable. To save work, sometimes I make meatloaf and mashed potatoes and separate them into three or four servings each, freezing all but one. To reheat, I just thaw, then wrap both the meatloaf and potatoes in non-stick foil, stick them in an oven and bake on 350° for about a half hour or so. I suppose I could put them frozen straight into the oven. They would just take a little longer to cook, is all.


The only thing I question is if the potatoes have been frozen once, will they still taste good after being mashed and frozen again?

 

[GotGarlic]

When foods are frozen properly, their flavor doesn't deteriorate, although the texture can if it's frozen for too long. So if these potatoes make good mashers, it will be fine to freeze them.

 

[GotGarlic]

Some people "up north" use the great outdoors as a freezer in the winter

Oh, I know. I grew up in Michigan

 

[Dawgluver]

When foods are frozen properly, their flavor doesn't deteriorate, although the texture can if it's frozen for too long. So if these potatoes make good mashers, it will be fine to freeze them.

Kevin will be our potato guinea pig. We expect a full report!

 

[GotGarlic]

Can't wait to hear how it turns out!

 

[Kayelle]

The only thing I know for sure, is trying to freeze cooked stews or soups with potato chunks in it turns out terrible. For that reason I sub white beans for potatoes if I know I'll be freezing it.

 

[Dawgluver]

I agree, Kay. I don't freeze stews et al with potato chunks either.

 

[Addie]

I agree, Kay. I don't freeze stews et al with potato chunks either.

That's why I prefer barley in soups and stews with meats.

 

[Cheryl J]

I'd just toss the potatoes, and try to salvage some of the onions by chopping them up and freezing them. The onions should be fine in soups and stews, but I'm with the others that potatoes frozen whole wouldn't be a good thing, even in soups or stews.

 

[Kevin86]

Lol, I would not say this was done carefully. They just froze from being outside, I'm hoping that they've only frozen once.

 

[Kevin86]

So the potatoes thawed out and were very spongy and gross beyond repair so to the compost they went. But the onions seem ok, harder to peel but ok.

Thanks for the help just picked up a fresh 10 lbs today