Freezing Potatoes

[Italiancook]

Once a month, I plan to take 4 or 5 meals worth of frozen food to a person shut-in. This week, I'm going to make a pot roast with gravy & freeze part of it for this person. But what to do for mashed potatoes? I don't think they'd fare well frozen then microwaved. Have you ever tried freezing mashed potatoes?

On her website, Martha Stewart has a straight forward-looking recipe for Duchess Potatoes with wells in the center for the gravy. The recipe says they can be frozen for 3 days. The video says a week. The catch is that when you remove them from the freezer, they have to be brushed with egg yolk and cream before baking. It doesn't seem reasonable to ask my friend to do this as she doesn't have the use of one hand. Is there a health reason why I can't brush on the yolk & cream before I freeze them? What else might happen if I do that?

Is there any type of potato I can cook and freeze for later microwaving? Could a twice-baked potato be frozen and microwaved? Or, am I stuck just giving her a clean potato and saying, "Microwave it"?

I don't want to give store-bought mashed potatoes because of the salt content. I also don't want to give fresh mashed potatoes, because the pot roast will be frozen. I have no control over when she'll thaw it for eating.

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• This topic was modified 8 years, 1 month ago by Italiancook.

[BakerAunt]

Italian Cook: Does this help?

How to Freeze Baked Potatoes

Or perhaps this one?

http://www.livestrong.com/article/556745-how-to-freeze-boiled-potatoes/

• This reply was modified 8 years, 1 month ago by BakerAunt.

[Italiancook]

BakerAunt, both articles are helpful. Thanks so much for your research. I guess I should have Googled the question but didn't think of that. The first article says not to freeze sour cream. My twice baked potatoes have sour cream in them, so I won't be doing that. The second article makes it sound like boiled potatoes are the answer. I like that idea, because I can see the gravy being of use. She can thaw the boilers, mash them with a fork and cover in gravy. Probably more healthful, because the skins would be eaten. Not mashed potatoes, but still doable and probably good. I appreciate your help!

• This reply was modified 8 years, 1 month ago by Italiancook.

[Mike Nolan]

I wonder what the egg yolk and cream do, keep the potatoes from drying out when they're reheated maybe?

[Italiancook]

Neither the recipe nor the video stated the purpose of the yolk & cream, Mike. It is a good question. I'm planning on making, freezing, then baking the Duchess Potatoes in the next week or two. Recipe makes 8. I'll brush 6 of them with the liquid but not the other two. I'll let you know the results. I'm curious, too, now.

[BakerAunt]

Two other links to look at, courtesy of the Serious Eats website:

http://www.seriouseats.com/talk/2011/12/freezing-mash-potatoes-1.html

and this mashed potato casserole with bacon, cheese, and scallions looks very good, but I'm not sure it can be frozen:

http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/11/how-to-make-mashed-potato-casserole-baked-potato.html

• This reply was modified 8 years, 1 month ago by BakerAunt.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 1 month ago by BakerAunt.

[Italiancook]

Actually, BakerAunt, that mashed potato casserole looks mighty inviting. Maybe there's enough moisture in it that it could be frozen . . . based on what I read in the first link, I am of the opinion that liquid is probably the key to successful freezing of mashed potatoes. Thanks for the links!

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