Q. Is it possible to buy frozen sliced potatoes in larger quantities (like potato chips sold in bags but cut thicker) which I can fry finish at my café?
A. Good news! All three major potato processors have this kind of product. You can choose product with the skin left on or cut to different thicknesses. Here are some examples:
Q. I own a fast food franchise and straight-cut potato chips are our biggest seller. With the price of chips extremely high, I decided to make my own. How do I maximize the volume of chips out of a 10kg bag? Also, is there any natural chemical I can use to store the chips?
A. To maximize the yield this year, because of the low price of both No. 1 and No. 2 potatoes, I would suggest ordering a No. 1 80- or 90-count carton (the approximate number of potatoes in each 50-pound box) and leaving the skin on so that there is little trimming cost.
This worksheet, developed by Lamb Weston, might prove helpful in comparing costs. Making chips from scratch requires a lot more labor in order to make them properly. http://www.lambweston.com/support/profit_calculators/fresh_vs_frozen_calculator.jsp
Regarding preservatives, the only ones I would recommend using are concentrated lemon juice or white wine vinegar. Add 1 tablespoon per gallon of water to prevent oxidation of the potatoes.
Q. What’s the best way to cook frozen, par-fried potatoes? Should I defrost them first before refrying?
A. It’s okay to keep the potatoes frozen or you can let them thaw until they are still chilled. Place them on an oiled, flat-top grill or skillet that’s heated to 350 degrees F. Cook for 4 minutes on each side, turning once.
Q. Could you please tell me why when I thaw out last year’s bag of frozen potatoes they are holding a lot of water and are very soggy? We blanch, cool on a baking sheet and then freeze in bags but they are sooo soggy. Please advise.
A. It is hard to get all of the water out of a potato as one potato normally has over 80% water to begin with. Processors flash freeze the potatoes as individual pieces, not possible at home, although you could try to separate the cooked potatoes on sheets for the first attempt at freezing next time and then combine and freeze for an extended period.
Q. Can you tell me about the history of French fries in Idaho?
A. French fries, though named for their country of origin, were transformed in the 1950s into the world-famous fries that put Idaho potatoes on the map. A couple of enterprising Idahoans discovered that Idaho potatoes were perfectly suited to create the ultimate French fry, so they set out to bring Idaho potatoes to kitchens across America. It wasn’t without some trial and error, though.
If you’ve tried to make French fries in your own kitchen at home, you may have discovered that you can’t turn fresh potatoes into the ones you find in the frozen aisle at your local grocery store. If you try to freeze fresh potatoes, they’ll eventually turn black. Many an unhappy cook has learned this lesson the hard way. In order to prevent potatoes from turning black, you need to place them in water with some lemon juice or vinegar added. Then, you need to partially cook the potatoes, a process called blanching, before you freeze or refrigerate them. This was how the Simplot Company, founded in 1923 by a World War II veteran from a small town in Idaho named J.R. Simplot, revolutionized the frozen French fried potato industry. Ray Dunlap, a young chemist, figured out that by partially cooking the potatoes, they could then be air dried and frozen for frying later.
Q: We forgot a bag of raw potatoes on our deck and now they’re frozen. They are not rotten, just frozen. Can I still use them in any fashion, i.e., mashed, etc.
A: The short answer is no. Once frozen the cell structure changes as well as the taste. They will turn black when cooked. Sorry, I am sure you were hoping for a different answer.
Q. Our church group made a potato and ham casserole with a cheese sauce. This consisted of cubed ham, sliced potatoes (raw), some milk and cheese. The casseroles were placed in aluminum baking pans, covered with foil and frozen (about 1 ½ to 2 weeks), then thawed in the refrigerator and baked. The potatoes turned dark (almost) black. Obviously, they were not able to be eaten. What did we do wrong?
A. So sorry to hear the plans for a casserole dinner were ruined. What an expensive result…
Potatoes turning black, good question, here is the short answer… raw potatoes can’t be frozen. There is an enzyme reaction that has to take place to keep the potatoes from turning black. In the future, you’ll need to cut the potatoes, placing them into water with a little lemon juice or white wine vinegar (something acidic) and then you need to blanch them by heating in water till mostly done. Then drain and layer your casserole as usual.
You hit upon the scientist’s discovery of how to do frozen French fries. Ray Dunlap of Simplot found that if he partially cooked the potatoes they could be air dried and frozen for frying later. Thus, McDonald’s switched over to the crispy shoestring potatoes they still use today.
Q. With the rising cost of frozen French fries we are exploring doing more potatoes from scratch, your thoughts? At our school we have moved more towards using fresh potatoes, any tips on washing them?
A. Ah, the perils of trying to do things from scratch… the old fashioned way. One operator told me recently, “Way too much of my menu was outsourced. I wanted to get back to basics”. Interestingly, I have two different opinions on doing this…
When it comes to French fries, hash browns, and scalloped potatoes I think it’s pretty hard to beat the skills of having the volume, consistency in shape and color and flavor and texture of frozen or dehydrated potatoes. Personally, I would make the proteins (pork, beef, chicken, and fish) from scratch and save the labor costs on side preparation. It comes down to “what can I charge if I make this from scratch instead of buying it already cut up. If it’s the same, you probably won’t save that much.
Unless fries are in the name of your place, or part of the overall concept you may be better off to just pay the few cents extra for the increase, rather than switch the labor over to hand cutting fries, blanching, etc. Do you make your own bread for sandwiches? Same general principal.
With mashed potatoes, I could go either way. The dehydrated potatoes available today are amazing. Frozen mashed are also wonderful, but typically two to three times more expensive per ounce. What I would do if using convenience potatoes is buy the basic brands and then fold in spices or flavorings. If looking for distinctive potatoes that your competitor down the street may not have or be able to easily duplicate, fresh is the way to go. If you are mostly trying to save money be sure to pencil out all the costs before making the switch to fresh.
As far as washing potatoes… They are washed when sorted for shipping. However the water may still contain some sand that dries on the potatoes or any deep eyes may still have some soil. So, do wash them in cold clear water. Soaps or antiseptic sprays are not necessary. Wash before service, too much in advance and the potatoes may start to turn moldy or have a musty smell.
