stored potatoes sprouting

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al78

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stored potatoes sprouting
« on: January 03, 2015, 21:11 »
I have a couple of hessian sacks full of potatoes harvested last August (Cara maincrop) and a lot of them are sprouting. They are stored in a wardrobe in a spare bedroom, room temperature around 12C. Is this a sign that they are not going to store for much longer and I will end up throwing most of them out, or can I continue removing the sprouts and use them as normal for a good while longer? If they are coming to the end of their storage life is there a way of freezing them by, say, parboiling or making into mash prior to freezing?

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Kristen

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Re: stored potatoes sprouting
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2015, 21:22 »
That's been my experience too, main crop spuds are sprouting by Christmas or shortly thereafter.  Some varieties perform better for me (particularly Pink Fir Apple), and I try to get the temperature as low as I can - typically 8C.  Putting them in the fridge may help?

In the end I gave up on Main Crop, other than Pink Fir Apple (not bit enough for Roasting / Baking) and rely on farmers with decent cool storage to look after them for me!

But ... we would prefer to grow our own to know that no chemicals had been used on them, so I'm having a look at installing my own cool storage (to also be used for Onions and the like, not to mention short term storage of fresh veg in Summer)

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Yorkie

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Re: stored potatoes sprouting
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2015, 21:31 »
They will start going soft once they sprout.

Yes, you can freeze frozen mash.  I've frozen it in an open tray bake tin, marked into portions before freezing, and then broken the bits up into portions for bagging afterwards.  Or you could simply freeze portions in boxes, so long as you split it into the sizes you'll want to use it up in before you do the freezing.

It's not as tasty as freshly made mash but it's better than throwing it away, I feel.

Or, I think, you can freeze them as wedges for roasting - not sure if they should be parboiled and/or part roasted first.
« Last Edit: January 03, 2015, 21:31 by Yorkie »
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Beetroot Queen

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Re: stored potatoes sprouting
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2015, 21:45 »
My last few few started to sprout over the hols but we were on the last few so I was happy, kept mine in the porch which is freezing as it has quarry tiles on the floor, sets jelly on the window sill so it must be cold, we call it the second fridge.

Maybe run up some freezer bits, cottage pie etc

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mumofstig

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Re: stored potatoes sprouting
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2015, 22:30 »
My daughter cooks and mashes them with milk & butter as normal. They are then portioned in the large size potato scoops and frozen on a tray. Once frozen they can be bagged up to save on space.

A couple at a time, per plate, can be easily defrosted in the microwave ; )


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madcat

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Re: stored potatoes sprouting
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2015, 09:42 »
If you could find somewhere cooler to keep them - above freezing but not by a lot - they will keep longer.  I usually dont have the sprouting problem till early spring, when I become a one woman potato cake factory.

This year even my cool store under the house isn't, because the day temps have just been too high.  Double figures in December ...   :wacko:  So they are starting to shoot, which really isnt good.  There isnt the space in the freezers yet for them - we have to eat a lot of beans first!  :ohmy:
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sunshineband

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Re: stored potatoes sprouting
« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2015, 09:51 »
My maincrops usually last until March before beginning to sprout -- stored in cold garage -- and second earlies until early February at least. This year the seconds have shoots on already, and I expect the mains to follow suit fairly soon unless we get a long cold spell.

Potato wedges freeze well -- parboil and spray with a small amount of oil, open freeze on a tray so they don't all stick together in a lump, then bag up. They cook from frozen in the oven.

We don't eat much mashed potato, but have mixed veg mash, which I freeze in flat bits the shape and size of the top of the dish I use for shepherd's pie etc and then I just put it on the top frozen, let it thaw and then cook the shepherd's pie as usual

I can see I shall be pretty busy and am clearing space in the freezer by preserving most of the frozen soft fruits I put in there in the Autumn.
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jaydig

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Re: stored potatoes sprouting
« Reply #7 on: January 04, 2015, 09:59 »
I've had the same problem this winter, probably because it's been so mild. I usually do the same as everyone else: either cook, mash and freeze, make potato cakes, or rosti and freeze. The mash is handy for making a super quick cottage pie if it's defrosted in the freezer, given another quick mashing, and used on top of already cooked and frozen mince and onions.    If the onions start to shoot, I either chop them and freeze them raw (packing individual bags together into several other bags because they smell quite strong, even when frozen, or I chop them and then sweat them in oil until not quite cooked through, and then freeze them in portions. I find the almost cooked ones don't smell so strong and they're useful for adding to quiches, or using for hot dogs etc.



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