Pressure Canning Potatoes! — Grandma Bea's (2024)

FAQs

How long do you pressure cook potatoes for canning? ›

The potatoes need to be processed in a weighted pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure for 35 minutes for pint jars and 40 minutes of quart jars if you live at an altitude of 1,000 feet above sea level or less (Image 3).

Prepping the potatoes for canning

Put 2 quarts of cool water in a large bowl and stir in 2 teaspoons of sea salt. Stir it up until it dissolves. This will keep the potatoes from turning brown as you cut them and it will also pull out some of the starch. Scrub your spuds with a stiff brush under running cold water.

Disclaimer: some instructions say you must peel potatoes to be safe. I choose not to peel, and it's your choice as to what you feel comfortable doing. Always follow the instructions for the pressure canner you're using.

Place the jars in a pressure canner and lock the canner lid and bring to a boil on high heat. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and process quarts for 90 minutes and pints for 65 minutes at 10 PSI for a weighted gauge canner/11 PSI for a dial gauge canner according to your canner type and your elevation.

With bacteria spoilage, liquid is usually murky and food is soft. If there is microbiological spoilage, destroy food. Cloudiness from starch cannot be prevented. If this is cause, the starch will generally settle with time.

Fill jars with hot prepared potatoes, leaving no more than 1-inch headspace. Cover hot potatoes with FRESH boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace and covering all pieces of potato.

Most red-skin potatoes are suitable, and many white or gold round new potatoes with thin skins work well, too. Avoid potatoes that are typically used for baking, such as russets—their mealy texture does not result in a good-quality canned product.

Apply an acid to the potatoes.

This process is similar to tossing apples with lemon juice in preparation for apple pie. The lemon juice or vinegar won't make the potatoes taste like lemon, but the acidic liquid will alter the pH of the potatoes to stop oxidation.

Tubers stored below 45ºF may discolor when canned. Treat with ascorbic acid to prevent surface darkening (3000 mg or 1 teaspoon to 1 gallon of water). Potatoes need to be firm enough that they do not become mushy when placed into the jars.

Potato Prep

For canning diced potatoes – cut into 1/2 inch cubes and rinse. Cook in boiling water for 2 minutes and drain. For canning whole (baby) potatoes – choose potatoes that are 1-2 inches in diameter. Cook in boiling water for 10 minutes and drain.

How long do canned potatoes last? ›

Nevertheless, even disregarding their pre-prepped status, canned potatoes boast a significant advantage in terms of shelf life. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, unopened cans remain edible for up to five years, far outlasting a bag of fresh potatoes.

According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation , dry canning vegetables without water or liquid may be extremely hazardous.

This process, which is called oxidation, happens because potatoes are a naturally starchy vegetable. And when exposed to oxygen, starches turn gray, brown, or even black. An oxidized potato is completely safe to eat. The process doesn't affect the flavor or texture of the vegetable.

It is okay to keep our canner 2 or 3 PSI higher than the required temperature, but do not let the pressure exceed 4 PSI above what is required or the jars may result in liquid loss from syphoning once you bring the temperature back down to correct the increase.

For example, most pickles and relishes are processed in a boiling water bath (212°F) for 10 to 20 minutes, but canned meat is processed for 75 (pints) to 90 (quarts) minutes in a pressure canner (240°F). High-acid fruits take longer than pickles but less time and heat than meats.

After digging them up, put the potatoes in a dark location and allow them to cure for at least ten days. After this curing, store the potatoes in a cool, dry location.

Generally potatoes that are small in size or cut into pieces take about 10-15 minutes to boil in a pressure cooker, when we allow it to boil with 2 whistles. However, if the size of the potatoes is too large it may even take about 20-25 minutes for them to boil and cool down.