At the Food Network, we're always interested in trying new methods of cooking old favorites, so I tested this out. I'll cut right to the chase: Chef Sin is right, freezing your sweet potatoes for 2-3 hours then baking them results in a sweeter, fluffier potato. The overall texture is great!
Potatoes need to be pre-cooked before freezing or the texture and flavor will degrade, and the cold temperature will turn the potato black when thawed. Blanching potatoes stops enzyme actions, which can cause loss of flavor, color and texture.
Cubed potatoes can be tossed into dishes straight from frozen. However, frozen whole potatoes are the only kind that needs to be thawed before cooking: to do this, use your microwave's defrost cycle, or bake in the oven at 175°C for 30 minutes or until piping hot throughout.
Cooking potatoes from frozen
There is no need to defrost potatoes before cooking them. If you would prefer to defrost the mash, just pop it into the fridge overnight.
You absolutely can freeze potatoes, and you should if you have an excess of spuds. But there's one important thing to remember: You should really only freeze cooked or partially cooked potatoes, as raw potatoes contain a lot of water. This water freezes and, when thawed, makes the potatoes mushy and grainy.
Freezing potatoes that you plan to roast not only saves time but can actually make for extra crunchy spuds. Peel potatoes, if desired, then cut into wedges, cubes or chunks and blanch in boiling water until they are tender but still have some bite.
The reason behind this is that potatoes have a very high water content which means they don't freeze well and can turn soggy, watery, and potentially gritty once thawed. In fact, if you freeze raw potatoes, each drop of water will crystallize.
If you want to get ahead, why not boil them in advance, then toss in a little oil and store in the fridge until you're ready to roast them. There's no need to bring them back up to room temperature, just toss them into hot fat straight from the fridge.
FAQs. Can you parboil potatoes the day before roasting? Yes, to parboil the day before roasting, parboil, drain, rough the outside, and coat with oil the day before. Then cover them with plastic wrap and store them in the fridge until needed.
Freezing (if done correctly) simply places the food and its nutrients in “suspended animation,” so nutrient loss is minimal. similar nutrients as their fresh counterparts, but at slightly lower levels. vitamin C and 738 milligrams of potassium.
To bake and serve directly from the freezer, remove the foil and plastic wrap and rewrap each potato with foil. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes or until thawed.
Oven: Reheat the potatoes, thawed or straight from the freezer, in a covered dish at 350°F for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely heated through.
Remove the desired number of potatoes from the freezer and allow them to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. If you're in a hurry, you can thaw the potatoes in the microwave from frozen, rather than in the refrigerator. When thawed, reheat the potatoes in a 350F oven or in the microwave until heated through.
Blanching is a must for most vegetables to be frozen. It slows or stops the enzyme action which can cause loss of flavor, color and texture. The blanching time is very important and varies with the vegetable and size.
Why use salt water for soaking potatoes? There's moisture naturally found in potatoes, and moisture is drawn to higher concentrations of salt. (This is a process called osmosis.) So, if you put the potatoes in a salt water bath, that will help draw out some of their moisture, resulting in crispier fries.
The best way to freeze potatoes is to cut and cook them first. Because potatoes are up to 80% water, parboiling helps them maintain their flavor and texture once frozen.
Blanching is used to firm the flesh, to loosen skins (as with peaches and tomatoes) and to heighten and set color and flavor... Parboil:To partially cook food by boiling it briefly in water. This timesaving technique is used in particular for dense foods such as carrots.
To make crispy roast potatoes, the temperature of the oven needs to be hot 220°C or 425°F - but if the oven is too hot the potatoes will burn before they crisp up. If the oven temperature is too cold your potatoes will not be crispy.
To parboil your potatoes to perfection, cut them into large chunks and put them in a pot of boiling water for around ten minutes, depending on the size. Once the outside is soft but the inside still raw and firm, you're ready to roast!
Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.
Cubed peeled potatoes can sit in water overnight, but they need to be refrigerated. Cut the potatoes into equal size chunks so that when you decide to boil them they will cook at the same time, usually 1 1/2 to 2 inch chunks.
Toss the potatoes in the fat (you could get the potatoes up to this stage the day before, simply cover them with clingfilm or tin foil and pop in the fridge or in a cool place until needed), then roast for 30 minutes, or until lightly golden and three quarters cooked.
This process, which is called oxidation, happens because potatoes are a naturally starchy vegetable. And when exposed to oxygen, starches turn gray, brown, or even black. An oxidized potato is completely safe to eat. The process doesn't affect the flavor or texture of the vegetable.
Roasted potatoes can become soggy if the water content in the potato isn't fully cooked. Different potatoes have different water content percentages. Also, be mindful of the oil. Potatoes can react like sponges; too much oil can make your potatoes appear to be soggy.