This year we had one great potato harvest! Our garden did well and our friend's garden did VERY well. They are still trying to get us to take a couple more bushels off their hands, but we're just about through with the whole canning scene. We're ready to pack up the canners and concentrate on this next school year.
We prefer red potatoes to the white or golden because they're healthier
The biggest chore is washing them up ...
I enjoyed spending the evening with my brothers around the galvanized tub. It's the evenings like these that become the most significant and cherished. I love working together as a family--those are probably my most favorite memories.
Next we cut them into bite size chunks. Some people peel their potatoes before canning them, but we leave the peel on because (like your mother always told you) that's where the vitamins are ... and really, we don't mind the peelings so why not?
Next we boil the potatoes to soften them and to create a juice to cann them in. We pressure cann our potatoes (managing the pressure canner is something I don't think I'll ever feel completely comfortable with) so the process takes a bit longer.
I don't have a picture of the final product, but these are the potatoes ready to be ladled into jars. In the winter it' so convenient to pull out a can of these chunked potatoes to add to a soup, fry as hash-browns, or whip into mashed potatoes. It's a good thing we love them because we've got plenty!
