Pre-made HM chips

craftdaft

We have large bag of potatoes and am wanting to use them before they sprout. I am planning to make shepherds pie, fishcakes, etc but got thinking about the pre-made chips, roast potatoes, etc that can be bought and thought I'd try to do the same. Should I par-boil the potatoes then freeze? If so, could I cook from them frozen?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

kippers

I seem to remember over christmas 'pink-winged' made a post saying you can cook roast potatoes as normal but take out 30 mins before they are normally cooked, then cool and freeze. Then you can cook from frozen for the remaining time when required.

I was going to try it but didn't for one reason or another. Hope this helps.

ubamother

Mash freezes well, just give it a good beating once defrosted
I par-boil then par-roast potatoes and freeze, then cook from frozen. It is important that all potoatoes are cooked through before freezing otherwise they have a bizarre texture and go black in the middle!
You could even bake potatoes, half them, take out insides, mix with cheese/onion etc. and freeze the halves.
I also cut chip shapes, boil for about 5 mins, dry, toss in a little oil and cook in the oven then freeze.

nopot2pin

Potato wedges freeze well too.
I dont par boil... but toss in oil, then bake them until they are almost done...
Sometimes, I add spices, garlic or whatever I fancy, when they are cooking
Then cool, and freeze on a tray.
Once frozen, they can be bagged

narabanekeater

Ive a housefull on Saturday of hungry people all requesting deep fried home made chips
Am I able to cut the pots tommorow then bung them in the freezer bagged up then just fry from frozen?
I was thinking if you buy a bag of frozen frying chips from Asda surley thats all they are?
Also if anyone can tell me how to cook the chips in thr deep fat frier that would be great
Ive never owned one before
Thanks in advance

jexygirl

hey Nara
We only use fresh proper chips here, not frozen, We cut , then blanch at 140 degrees.
We then reffry when needed at 170. I would deffo say to blanch off, otherwise you would end with browned crisp6y chips that arent cooked in the middle. Also try and get maris pipers for chips, They are less starchy and yes it makes a difference!
proper potato chips own!
Jex

JayJay14

If you bag and freeze home made chips they will probably end up frozen as a lump so you wouldn't be able to fry them until they were defrosted and then they would be mush.

The best way would be to fry off as the previous poster suggested. Many catering establishments do this, keeping almost cooked chips in a fridge until needed and then they just take a quick fry when required.

funfairprincess

When doing 'real' chips I always make too many. I just put the left overs in a bowl of cold water in the fridge and use them the next day and they are fine. Don't know that I'd go to the hassle of blanching and freezing.
When cooking them in the fryer I fill the basket, make sure the oil is really hot then drop them in. Perfect chips everytime and I should know I'm Scottish! *insert winking smilie*

Minihauk

I second the keeping them in water in the fridge. Change the water daily and they will last a couple of days. Make sure they are dried off properly on kitchen roll before putting into hot oil though, or they will spit everywhere.

babyshoes

I have frozen chipped raw potatoes when we had a glut of potatoes from the lotty during the summer, and they were fine. Spread them out on a baking tray and freeze them like that, then bag them up when frozen - that way they won't stick together. If you really wanted to, you could coat in butter/marg/oil and roll in flour to make sure they don't stick together, but it isn't really necessary.

However, since you only need to keep them a day or so, they should be fine in water in the fridge as others have said.

[Deleted User]

I always peel my spuds once a week(usually on a Sunday morning) and keep them in water in the fridge which I change daily.I have done this for over 40 years and it saves time when you want some tatties they are there ready for you to cook either boiled,mashed, roast or chips.Its just a habit I got into to cut back on boring jobs.I also used to use a corrigated cutter to give the kids crinkly chips.Rarely eat chip nowadays though although I have a small chip fat fryer sitting in the cupboard. I always dried off as much water as I could with a tea towel when I cut them as it means less mess in the oil