Canning: Pressure Canning Potatoes

I grow potatoes in a hillside potato patch created from compost. I also grow potatoes in containers on the deck. I harvest in August or early September then store my crop in open plastic trays under the guest bed downstairs.

This year I got four trays of potatoes. We've eaten one and one I'm saving for seed potatoes.

Rather than letting them all sprout, I decided to preserve one tray full in my pressure canner.

I follow a Safe Canning Recipes Facebook page. They have a blog with links to safe tested canning recipes.

I've had a Presto pressure canner for months but have been afraid to use it. I was recently inspired to try canning potatoes. 

I used a recipe from National Center for Home Food Preservation and a link to basic safe canning procedures. Refer to them for full directions.

Canning White Potatoes

Procedure:

Wash, peel, place in ascorbic acid solution

Wash and peel potatoes. Place in ascorbic acid solution to prevent darkening. If desired, cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Drain. Cook 2 minutes in boiling water and drain again. For whole potatoes, boil 10 minutes and drain.

Cook and rinse.

Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jar, if desired. Fill jars with hot prepared potatoes, leaving no more than 1-inch headspace.

Place potatoes in sterilized jars.

Cover hot potatoes with FRESH boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace and covering all pieces of potato. (Do not use the water you cooked the potatoes in; it contains too much starch.)

My float cabin is less than 1000' in elevation so I processed the jars for 35 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure. Follow this link for detailed processing times.

I got eight pints from my tray of Yukon Gold potatoes. We'll keep these on the shelf to eat after the remaining basket of fresh potatoes is finished.

These will get us through several months while waiting for a new crop.

Do you use a pressure canner? What kinds of foods do you put up for your pantry? What are some of your family's favourites. -- Margy