Canning potatoes?

A reader posted a question as follows: “Patrice, we’re growing lots of potatoes and thought I might try canning some. I see lots of internet recipes but thought I’d ask you if you’d canned potatoes – and if your family liked them. Thanks.”

Short answer: No, I’ve never canned potatoes. It always seemed easier to store them whole. Root cellars are the ideal storage method, obviously, but for those of us without a root cellar (or any cellar, for that matter), then keeping them anywhere cool and dark works for a few months.

But canning potatoes is fairly straightforward, according to my canning book. The following is  advice I’m relating from this book.

This book says small (new) potatoes are actually better canned than stored in a root cellar, because they’re more likely to spoil in storage. Larger potatoes can be diced, though diced potatoes are processed for five minutes longer than whole potatoes because they’re more dense in the jars. If you’re cutting up larger potatoes into smaller chunks (but not diced), the chunks shouldn’t be any bigger than 1.5 inches across.

Raw packing potatoes (whole or diced) are packed in jars with a little salt added (1/2 teaspoon for points, 1 teaspoon for quarts), topped with boiling water, and pressure canned at 15 lbs. pressure for 40 minutes (for both pints and quarts) OR 45 minutes for diced potatoes (for both pints and quarts).

Hot-packing potatoes is preferred. Potato chunks should be boiled for 10 minutes; diced potatoes should be boiled for two minutes. In both instances, boil the water first, then add the potatoes (as opposed to adding the potatoes to cold water and bringing it to a boil).

Drain the potatoes and pack them in canning jars. They’ll be more fragile than cold-packed potatoes, so don’t “squish” them down in the jars. Add salt (1/2 teaspoon for points, 1 teaspoon for quarts), top with boiling water, and pressure can at 15 lbs. pressure. For whole potatoes or chunks, process for 30 minutes (pints) or 40 minutes (quarts).  For diced potatoes, process for 35 minutes (pints) or 40 minutes (quarts).

Now understand, this is all “book learning” since I haven’t canned potatoes myself. However if anyone has, please chime in and give your experiences. Did you like them? Would you can potatoes again? Let’s help this reader out.