Can you freeze sweet potatoes?
If you’re a fan of sweet potatoes, you might be wondering if it’s possible to freeze them. The answer is yes!
Sweet potatoes are actually a type of tuber, which means they’re root vegetables that grow underground and store energy in the form of starch. They can be eaten raw or cooked, and they are often used as an ingredient in soups and stews.
In this article, we’ll discuss what sweet potatoes are, how to freeze them, and why you should consider adding them to your freezer food storage plan.
Benefits of Freezing Sweet Potatoes
Freezing sweet potatoes is a great way to preserve them so that you can enjoy them all year long. In addition to being able to use your frozen sweet potatoes in recipes, there are several other benefits of freezing sweet potatoes.
Longer Shelf Life
One of the greatest benefits of freezing sweet potatoes is that it will extend their shelf life. Frozen sweet potatoes will keep for up to six months, whereas fresh ones only last about one week. If you want to store your sweet potatoes for longer than six months, then you should consider air drying or dehydrating them.
Ease of Preparation
The second benefit of freezing sweet potatoes is that they are easier to prepare once they’ve been thawed out and reheated in the microwave or oven (if desired). Freezing sweet potatoes also makes them less prone to bruising so they’ll look just as good as when you first purchased them!
Cost Savings
Finally, another great benefit of freezing sweet potatoes is that it can save you money in the long run because it allows you to buy larger quantities at once without having to worry about spoilage before they can be consumed by everyone in your household or workplace. If you’re looking for a great way to save money on your grocery bill, freezing sweet potatoes is definitely something you should consider!
How to Freeze Sweet Potatoes?
Preparing Sweet Potatoes for Freezing
Cleaning and peeling: Wash the sweet potatoes thoroughly with warm water and a vegetable brush. Remove any dirt or debris from the surface of the potato with a vegetable brush or cloth. Peel the skin off using a paring knife or vegetable peeler, then cut off any brown spots on the potato’s surface with a paring knife or vegetable peeler.
Chopping into the desired size: You can choose to slice your sweet potatoes into 1/4-inch pieces or leave them as large chunks, depending on how you plan on cooking them when you use them later on in recipes such as soups, stews, casseroles, etc…
Blanching Sweet Potatoes
Blanching sweet potatoes is a simple process that will help you preserve them for later use.
What is blanching? Blanching is a way of preserving food by plunging it into boiling water for a short amount of time, and then immediately cooling it with ice water. This process helps to kill any bacteria that might be present in the food and also keeps its color bright and fresh-looking.
The blanching process works especially well with sweet potatoes because they tend to get mushy if they’re cooked too long or at too high a temperature. By blanching them first, you can give them just enough heat to cook them through without making them soft and soggy—but not so much that they begin to lose their shape or texture.
Freezing Sweet Potatoes
Choosing a storage container
Sweet potatoes are best stored in a container that is specifically made for freezing vegetables. These containers are usually thick and have an air-tight lid to keep the vegetables from getting freezer burn. However, you can also use zip-lock bags or any other freezer-safe containers as long as they seal well and do not break when exposed to cold temperatures.
Storing sweet potatoes
Next, you’ll want to choose how long you’d like to store your sweet potatoes. If you’re going to be using them within a month or so, you can freeze them in their original packaging. If they’ll be used later on, it’s best to remove them from the packaging and place them in freezer-safe containers, which will protect them and make storage easier.
Once your sweet potatoes are stored, they can last for about six months in a freezer that is kept at 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees Celsius). If your freezer does not reach this temperature consistently, less time will be required for the sweet potatoes to stay fresh and tasty.
Tips for Freezing Sweet Potatoes
1. Don’t put uncooked sweet potatoes in the freezer.
Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamins and minerals, but they’re not a great source of flavor. If you freeze them raw, they’ll lose their taste and texture when you try to cook them later on. Instead, boil or bake your sweet potatoes before freezing to preserve their taste and quality.
2. In order to reduce the time spent on preparation, try blanching your potatoes.
Blanching is a process where you boil food for a short period of time in heavily salted water and then plunge it immediately into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Blanching helps preserve the color and texture of your sweet potato while also making it easier to peel once thawed out later on.
3. Microwave is the quickest way to defrost frozen sweet potatoes.
If you’re trying to find a way to defrost frozen sweet potatoes, there are a few options.
One of the easiest ways is by using the defrost function on your microwave. Just set them on a plate and set it on high for 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of your sweet potatoes.
You can also use cold water to defrost them: place them in a basin of cold water for about 2 hours, then drain off the water before cooking them. This method is less convenient than microwaving them but will still work well if you don’t have access to a microwave.
Finally, you can leave your sweet potatoes out overnight in the fridge as well—this is one of our favorite methods because it takes only a few seconds of active work (just put them in a dish), and then everything else happens while you sleep!
Conclusion
In conclusion, frozen sweet potatoes can be a great addition to your pantry. They’re convenient, healthy, and delicious—and they’re easy to prepare and cook. You can use them in place of regular potatoes in many recipes and even enjoy them as a healthy snack on their own.
There are some disadvantages to freezing sweet potatoes, but if you follow our recommendations for how to freeze them properly, you’ll find that the benefits far outweigh any negatives. It’s also important to remember that not all sweet potatoes are created equal—some varieties are better suited for freezing than others.
So make sure you know what kind of sweet potato you’re buying before deciding whether or not it makes sense for your family.