Dehydrating Potatoes

I chanced into a bunch of potatoes (30 lbs), and so I decided to dehydrate them instead of putting them in cold storage.  My reasons are varied, but basically I got tired of watching my spuds sprout and turn to mush.  So, I tried dehydrating potatoes.  It went remarkably well.

One thing I learned about dehydrating spuds is that you must blanch them before putting them in the dehydrator.  This is because potatoes turn a nasty black otherwise.  Blanching is easy but a bit time consuming.  You need to slice the spuds into half inch slices and then throw them in a pot with 1 inch of boiling water.  When the potatoes are heated through (not cooked), they're ready for the dehydrator.

I put them in the dehydrator at 145 degrees Fahrenheit and let them dry for about a day.  (Your mileage may vary).  Basically, you want them crisp and without any dampness.  They turned out amazing.  I put them in quart mason jars and put them in the refrigerator for maximum freshness.

One thing I didn't do was peel my potatoes, even though I read several places which said to peel them.  I wonder what the rationale is, other than removing the peel for people who don't like peels.  My thought?  A good portion of the nutrition is in the peel, hence, I keep them on.  It doesn't seem to ruin the end result at all.

Now, when I want potatoes au gratin, scalloped potatoes, or potatoes to go into a casserole, all I have to do is reach for my dehydrated potatoes.  They're ready for me.