Storing potatoes & onions

waterlilyann

I've got a question (I know it may seem silly......) but can you freeze potatoes? Been thinking about peeling and slicing/chipping them in one go and freezing them (raw) but didn't want to waste a load if it doesn't work! Has anyone tried this? I already do this with my veg - carrots, broccoli and beans and put them in individual bags ready to throw in a pan of boiling water. Would be great to do the same with potatoes!

Chipps

singlehouseholder wrote:

I recently read in a cook book that you shouldnt eat pots that have sprouted, they contain some kind of poison- I usually just peel the pots whether they're sprouted or not. This book was some kind of crazt 60's cookbook. Anyone else heard that sprouted tatties can poison??

I think there was a scare about potatoes years ago, but it was green potatoes. They go green if they get in the light & the green bits are the poisonous thing. They're ok for most people. but can affect anyone who is vulnerable, like the elderly or small children, I seem to remember there was a warning to expectant mums about them. The rest of the potato is ok.

With potatoes that have sprouted, I just pull off the sprouty bits then peel the potato, they are ok.

rabialiones

mine get stored in the cellar where its cool and dark, i just get a cardboard banana box from morrissons and spread them out.
they do tend to last a while.
but eventually do go off if not used

Xbigman

I slice and freeze onions. This is best done in one huge session as you cry for about 10 minutes then you become immune and can happily peel and chop away for as long as it takes. Unfortunately the onion sap really soaks into your hands and there is a faint onion aroma if you sniff your fingers for a couple of days. And I hope whoever you live with likes the smell of onions if you do it in the kitchen. If possible use a shed/greenhouse.

I didn't grow enough potatoes to warrant long term storage but I bought a pack of value potatoes from Tesco 2 days before I harvested my main crop ones. The last two tesco ones are well sprouted 4 weeks later, the homegrown ones still perfect and very firm. It made me wonder just how old they really were.
Regards



X

kittiwoz

Chipps wrote:

I think there was a scare about potatoes years ago, but it was green potatoes. They go green if they get in the light & the green bits are the poisonous thing. They're ok for most people. but can affect anyone who is vulnerable, like the elderly or small children, I seem to remember there was a warning to expectant mums about them. The rest of the potato is ok.

Yes, it's green potatos that contain toxins. I think the scare was caused because a village somewhere which relied on potatos heavily as a staple food was persuaded to change the way they stored them which resulted in them going green. Because they had no other food stocks they ate them anyway and it caused an increase in lukemia in that village. Lukemia tends to affect children so that would tie in with what you remember about it. They were eating a diet consisting of mostly green potatos though.

Cinders2001

I posted my comment on the Other Potato Thread, but it seems relavent here too!

Well I have to say, that I also keep my veg in the fridge.
Its cold and dark and works well.

I have found that if the fridge is over crowded then the air does not circulate very well and THEN I will have problems.

The plastic bags should be removed though, as most has said.
I put mine in a tub with a grille at the bottom to keep them off the base......they last for at least a month ot more in these contitions......Try it!

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I haven't noticed a link between the Potatoes and Onions myself. I will need to take a closer look at what I have in my box when a spud does go off.

Cinders2001

I usually just cut off the green bits too!

bizzylizzy

I am storing my home-grown red onions in old pairs of tights! First cut the legs off, then put an onion in the foot, tie a knot, put in next onion etc till you get to the top of the leg. Tie it off and hang it up - looks a bit strange but I have them hanging on the back of the kitchen door. When you need an onion just cut off the bottom one below the knot which leaves the rest still safely hanging there. This way keeps the onions apart and lets the air circulate.

Also (as I posted on other potato thread) I store potatoes in a large terracotta flowerpot, covered with a tea cloth. Keeps the light out and lets the air in. I only buy what we eat in a week as I don't have the space for a sack, so they don't have a chance to sprout but they never go green.

sparklygirl1

bouth a large bag......... how should I store them they say BB 03 May 08..............?

Magpye

I never pay attention to the best before date on veg (or anything much really) - I just throw them in the veg bowl and use them up as and when - onions never get a chance to go off as they go into everything. However you could always chop and freeze them in containers/freezer bags (recommend bags as the onion may taint plastic tubs).