So most often I only cut the seed potato into 2 pieces. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 62,163 times. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Slice or mash the sweet potatoes. If you have already cooked the sweet potatoes, the storage process is going to be a little bit different than storing raw sweet potatoes. Baking Kneads, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Sweet potatoes take about five to six hours to fully freeze through. Make sure that you remove all of the skin from the potatoes before you freeze them, as any bacteria that is on the skin could transfer onto the potato itself during the defrosting process. This skin can be as thick and as dramatic as the skin of a pineapple or of a watermelon, or it could be like the skin of the grape and be a thin covering that holds all of the moist fruit inside. Wash fresh sweet potatoes with running water and a vegetable brush. Of course, you are always going to want to make sure you have all of the equipment necessary to cut, bake, season, and prepare your food. Now that you have broken the skin of the potatoes and the insides are exposed, you are going to have to take special care when storing them before you cook the potatoes so that you can prevent anything unsavory from happening to the potatoes in question. The potatoes should remain in the ice water for another two to three minutes. By using our site, you agree to our. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Next, you will want to make sure that you cover the sweet potatoes with cold water in the bowl. We do not recommend storing both sweet potatoes and potatoes, along with other vegetables. At the time of harvest, sweet potatoes from one plant will range in size from very small (a couple inches) to very large (a foot or more). Even though they will last slightly longer in the fridge than on the counter after they are cut, you should not keep cut potatoes in the fridge for more than 24 hours. If you have mistakenly pierced any of your potatoes while harvesting, do not fret. Storing and Using Leftover Sweet Potatoes . Some methods of storing potatoes will only last you about one day, while other methods can easily last you about a year’s worth of time. Something that you will quickly learn as you become more experienced in cooking is that there are some foods that require certain kinds of storage depending on its condition. Storing raw cut sweet potatoes is a great idea for when you’re left with a portion or two after preparing a meal or simply wish to save them for future use. You can store your cut potatoes in the fridge for a short amount of time. You can either squeeze the air out of the bag or you can use a vacuum seal to make sure that there is no excess air in the sweet potato bag. Cutting sweet potatoes in advance is a great way to meal-prep your way to an easier weeknight dinner. When you are ready to eat your cooked sweet potatoes after freezing them, you will need to remember to defrost them before trying to cook them. When you put them in the freezer, you should avoid putting anything on top of them for the next five to six hours, as you may accidentally mash the potatoes. For example, if you are planning on adding potatoes to a slow roast, you may want to wait before adding the potatoes so that they do not dissolve while they cook. This can be particularly helpful if you are planning on making a dish with the potatoes within a day’s time, but you aren’t quite ready to add the potatoes into the dish yet. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This concept of a more open surface area means that the food will spoil faster and it is present in a lot of different foods, especially with produce. Doing this ensures that the potatoes’ texture is not lost or ruined because of a hasty reheating process. Sweet potatoes will keep 3-5 months under most circumstances and there are so many uses for them: casseroles, pies, mashed, french fries, baked, fried, boiled, breakfast casseroles, soups,…oh my the list goes on and on. However, you can also prep them ahead of … That way they won’t go to waste. After the six-month period that sweet potatoes can remain safe, they will begin losing their taste and texture, making them not optimal for eating. If you want to make sure that the water stays as cold as possible, which will help keep the potatoes in the best condition for a longer period of time, you can add some ice to the bowl as well to lower the overall temperature of the water. Otherwise, they’ll dry out pretty quickly after they’re cut. The next, about how to time the blanching of potatoes before freezing, may be slightly related but does not really address this question. It’s important to remove the skin from the potato when you are freezing them diced so that when they defrost, bacteria from the skin doesn’t transfer onto the potato. Start by scrubbing potatoes under cool running water to remove dirt; dice, slice, or chop as directed in recipe. Cutting them ahead of time before storage can also save you time on your next meal-prepping adventure or quick weeknight dinner. This fact emphasizes the importance of careful harvesting and handling techniques to minimize bruising, skinning, and cutting. This is because ground beef has a lot more area exposed to the air, where bacteria can find its home in the meat. You can put them in the fridge immediately after being cooked as well, if you want to get as much time as possible out of your potatoes. And I wouldn't have expected the OP to look at either of those questions based on their title. If you store your cooked sweet potatoes in the freezer and notice they have freezer burn when you take them out to defrost, it’s up to you whether you still want to eat them or not. If you don’t have the time to let them thaw in the fridge, try using your microwave’s. Finding out the best way for you will depend on what exactly you are planning to do with your potatoes. You will want to peel and dice your sweet potatoes as you otherwise would. If you want your potatoes to last a little bit longer, you can store them in the freezer. Storing in the Freezer 1. Storing Potatoes – Options. After the curing process is done, then you store your sweet potatoes in an area that is kept around 55-60°F for about 6-8 more weeks. Temperatures should be maintained around 55 degrees if possible. It will depend on whether the potato has been cooked and it will depend on when you plan on cooking the potatoes. With the proper methods, you can slice and store the potatoes for later, whether you need them in an hour or in several months. If you have some sweet potatoes that are on the verge of going bad, cut them up and freeze them! You can get about 24 hours, refrigerated, in this manner. Label the resealable bag with a permanent marker before you put it in the freezer. Diffusions from other vegetables can affect the state of sweet potatoes and cause them to spoil faster. More often than not, foods are going to last far longer in the freezer than they would if you stored them in the fridge or on the counter. Press Esc to cancel. have plenty of air circulation. To properly store your raw but cut sweet potatoes in the fridge, you will first want to find a bowl that is large enough to hold all of the cut potatoes. It just so happens that right around the time you might be craving a slice of sweet potato pie or a steaming hot baked sweet potato, or need to make your signature sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving dinner, a new crop of sweet Southern-grown tubers are in season. The amount of time and the method that you can use to store your potatoes is going to depend on two factors. Place the potatoes in a bowl or airtight container and cover completely with cold water, then store in the refrigerator. If not, clear out some space so it will fit. When cutting seed potatoes I like to try and keep the pieces big and chunky. "Let the vines die all the way back before you harvest them." While it is not fully necessary, a vacuum sealer will help preserve the freshness of the potatoes while they sit in the freezer. Slicing potatoes and preserving them for later use saves you time when you need it, but the slices tend to oxidize and brown soon after cutting. Well cured and stored potatoes will keep at least until the next seasons potatoes are dug if they are stored properly and not allowed to freeze. If you are using cardboard boxes for storage then cut some holes in them to allow excess moisture to escape. 6 months is the maximum for raw sweet potatoes. When it comes to the plethora of different foods out there that you can prepare, you are always going to have to think about many different factors to ensure that the food you prepare is perfect. There are a lot of options and ideas out there for storing potatoes. 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