How to cook dried potatoes at home

One tourist song contains the words: "People walk around the world ... They seem to need a little", to which I would like to add: "There would be dry potatoes, and the way would be easier." Dried potatoes are a product that retains useful properties for years. It will save energy on trips, feed it at any time, and it will not be difficult to cook it at home.

In this article, we will tell you how to quickly dry potatoes in different ways: in the fresh air, in the oven, in an electric dryer, in a microwave oven, and also on how to do it correctly.

Why dry potatoes

There are many reasons for preparing for future use:

1. Drying increases the shelf life of the potatoes. In the absence of a good-quality cellar, saving the harvest is a big problem. There is usually little space in the refrigerator, and the taste of the vegetable deteriorates. At a temperature of 2-4 ° C, the sugar content in the tubers rises to 8-10%, and starch is "saccharified". And, being in the warmth, it quickly sprouts and rots.
2. Dried potatoes are stored for 3-5 years.
3. Dried tubers are easier to carry in a backpack or bag, which is especially important for tourists when every gram of luggage counts. The weight of raw potatoes after drying is reduced by 5 times.
4. Food is always available.
5. Reduces cooking time. Once you spent your free time preparing a semi-finished product, and in the future, cooking a dish with dry potatoes will take much less time than with raw ones. In this case, vitamins of group B, PP, as well as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron are not lost. Amino acids in dried potatoes are well absorbed by the human body.
6. The taste of potatoes is also preserved.

Optimum drying conditions

Boil the potatoes a little before drying. If this is not done, raw cut slices will quickly darken and take on an unappetizing appearance:

1. Rinse the tubers, remove the peel.
2. Cut into thin slices up to 3 cm long and 3-4 mm wide - this will dry faster.
3. Rinse the sliced ​​potatoes well and soak in water for 10-15 minutes. This will remove some of the starch and speed up drying.
4. Dip in boiling water, after salting it. After boiling, cook for 5 minutes. The main thing is that the slices remain strong.
5. Pour the contents of the saucepan into a colander, cool under running water.
6. Let the water drain and start drying.

How to dry potatoes at home

All kitchen appliances that produce heat are used to dry potatoes: oven, microwave, fruit and vegetable dryers.

Drying time depends on the equipment and ranges from three to ten hours. The moisture content of dried potatoes is about 12%.

Important! To determine if it's done, fold the dried slice. It must break.

In the oven

The most successful drying unit. Allows you to arrange products on multiple trays. Here's how to make dried potatoes in the oven:

1. Set the temperature to 80-100 ° C.
2. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place the potatoes prepared for drying in 1 layer.
3. Turn the slices over after 30-40 minutes.
4. Drying takes 3-6 hours.

To prevent the temperature from rising above 100 ° C and for better ventilation (if the oven is without convection), open the oven door slightly. You can insert a pencil.

In an electric dryer

The yield of finished products in this case is lower, and the process is longer than in the oven. Here's how to dry potatoes in an electric dryer:

1. Put the potatoes prepared for drying on pallets in 1 layer.
2. Dry first on the minimum setting for 2-3 hours, then switch to the maximum setting.
3. The total drying time is 8-10 hours.

Outdoors

At a temperature of + 30 ° C, sunny weather and low humidity, potatoes are dried in natural conditions:

1. Cover the baking sheet, tray or tray with gauze or thick paper.
2. Arrange the chopped blanched potatoes on the prepared places in one layer and dry in the sun until tender.
3. Invert periodically to speed up the process.
4. Drying time is 2-4 days. At night and during the rain, the workpieces are taken indoors.

In the microwave

Microwaves instantly penetrate the food, heat and vaporize the water. Drying is fast:

1. Rinse the potatoes, peel, cut into thin slices 3-4 mm thick.
2. Fill with cold water and stand for 10-15 minutes to partially remove the starch.
3. Place slices on a tray in one layer.
4. Bake at maximum power for 7 to 15 minutes, depending on the type of oven.

Turn the slices at least once while drying.

The small volume of the microwave oven does not allow to prepare many products at one time, but the process can be repeated many times.

other methods

Freeze drying is the evaporation of ice on frozen potatoes. For this method, use a freezer without the "No frost" mode:

1. Cut the potatoes into thin slices.
2. Arrange in one row on a tray.
3. Place it in a freezer, free of other food.
4. Leave on for 1-2 weeks.
5. Check if the product is dry: if it has not turned black after thawing, then drying is complete.

Drying with silica gel is also practiced - a granular mineral gel based on silica. It does not pose a danger to living organisms. Silica gel is used in floristry for fast volumetric drying of flowers. Theoretically suitable for drying potatoes.

How long to dry

Drying potatoes is a time-consuming process; each method has its own standards:

• in the oven - at a temperature of 80-90 ° C for 3-6 hours;
• in an electric dryer - at 65-80 ° C for about 8-10 hours;
• in a microwave oven at maximum power - 12-15 minutes;
• outdoors - 2-4 days;
• in the freezer - 1-2 weeks.

How to store dried potatoes

Dried potato pieces keep in a dark place, avoiding moisture ingress:

• in jars with well-lapped or screw caps;
• in plastic, tightly closed bags.

Storage period - 1-2 years from the date of procurement, in vacuum packing - more than three years.

It is not recommended to store all products in one place. Arrange dried potatoes in small jars, bags, so as not to lose all the workpieces due to ingestion of a raw piece.

Read also:

Storage rules for seed potatoes.

How to properly store potatoes without a cellar in the ground until spring.

The nuances of storing potatoes in a vegetable store.

Conclusion

Dried potatoes are a complete substitute for fresh vegetables in terms of their composition and taste. It is popular due to its long shelf life, ease of use, and significantly lower weight. Store it in a dark place in hermetically sealed containers for two years.