Potatoes - one of the most sought-after products in the kitchen, loved by housewives for their versatility and ease of preparation. On the basis of this vegetable are created recipes for tasty and healthy dishes. Sometimes it happens that the peeled potatoes turned out to be more than it took when cooking, and it's a pity to throw out the product. Only one thing remains - leave it until next time. But not every housewife knows how to properly store this vegetable, without letting it spoil. Knowing the rules and periods of storage of peeled potatoes, one can significantly reduce the time spent at the stove by making a harvest from the evening the next morning or even a couple of days ahead. Let us tell you how much you can store peeled potatoes and how.
Why does the potato darken and deteriorate after cleaning?
The cause is the tyrosinase and tyrosine substances found in the tubers of this product. Upon contact with air, tyrosine, initially colorless, is oxidized, creating a substance of a black-brown shade. Vegetables treated with nitrogenous fertilizers lose their appearance more quickly., rather than those that are grown at home without the use of chemicals.
You should not worry that the process of darkening can harm the health - the negative consequences affect only the appearance of the potato. During heat treatment, tyrosinase is destroyed. This explains why a boiled vegetable, unlike a raw one, does not darken.
General storage guidelines
First you need to wash the product and peel it off with a knife or potato peeler. Carefully removed eyes and various damages. Older potatoes should be given more attention when cleaning - along with the shell should remove the upper part of the root.
Green potatoes can not be eaten. It contains substances dangerous to the body. From such a vegetable should immediately get rid of.
Tuber cannot be cut into small pieces in advance. It would be more correct to do this immediately before starting the culinary activity. Compliance with this rule will preserve most of the useful properties.
There are several ways to store raw, peeled potatoes, helping to preserve both the appearance and taste of the product from 2 hours to several days.
Ways to save a vegetable for a period of from a couple of hours to several days
- Several hours. Purified tubers are placed in cold water. It is important that the water completely covers the product. This method will help to preserve the original look and taste of potatoes for no more than 3-4 hours. Further useful organic acids, microelements, vitamins will be lost. You can also subject the product to heat treatment by scalding it with boiling water. The method allows you to save the necessary properties for 5-6 hours.
- Till morning (all night). If cooking is delayed until tomorrow, then potatoes soaked in cold water are removed until the morning in the refrigerator. This will allow you to enjoy the taste of dishes from your favorite vegetable even 12 hours after cleaning.
- Day. If you need potatoes in a day, then you should use the fridge freezer. The blank should be wrapped with cling film or placed in a plastic bag, then put into the freezer. Potatoes for cooking or roasting should not be thawed. It is recommended to immediately dip the potatoes in boiling water, or place in a preheated pan.
- More than a day (as long as possible). Some prefer to make blanks for a long time. In this case, it is necessary to resort to deep freezing (up to -30 degrees). Potato tubers should be cleaned, rinsed under cold water, cut and dried thoroughly. Then wrap the film and put it in the freezer. This storage method has almost no time limit. Even a few days later, the harvest will be the same in taste and beneficial properties as freshly peeled potatoes.
