Ultimate Guide to Raw Pack Canning Potatoes: For Beginners

Learn how to preserve the freshness and nutritional value of potatoes through raw pack canning, ensuring your pantry is stocked with versatile ingredients.

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Disclaimer: This is a “rebel” canning method meaning it is not approved by the USDA or National Center for Home Food Preservation. You will not find the raw pack method such as this in the Ball Blue book or any other canning book. If you try this recipe you are doing it at your own risk.

Raw pack canning is a popular method for preserving potatoes, it is very similar to canning green beans, as it allows them to retain their natural texture and flavor. Whether you have an abundance of fresh potatoes from your garden or want to stock up on this versatile vegetable, raw pack canning ensures that you always have convenient access to perfectly preserved spuds. In this guide, we will take you through the step-by-step process of raw pack canning potatoes, highlighting its benefits and sharing some valuable tips along the way.

Benefits of Raw Pack Canning Potatoes

1. Preserves Freshness: By canning potatoes in their raw state, you lock in their freshness and ensure they taste just as good when opened months later.
2. Retains Texture: Unlike cooked-pack methods where potatoes may become mushy during processing, raw pack canning maintains the desirable firmness and texture of the vegetable.
3. Versatility: Canned raw potatoes are incredibly versatile; they can be used in various recipes like stews, soups, casseroles, or simply enjoyed boiled or fried after opening.
4. Convenience: Having canned potatoes readily available saves time during meal preparation since they don’t require peeling or chopping before use.

Choosing Potatoes

When you are choosing potatoes it is important to realize that every potato is different and when canning you will get a different result. We prefer to use Kennebec potatoes. They are a white potato with a thin skin, hard inside, and low sugar content. Other potatoes like Yukon Gold potatoes have a higher sugar content and softer inside so when they are pressure canned they typically get mushy. So when choosing potatoes it is important to choose a variety that has a hard inside with a low sugar content.

Equipment

• Pressure canner – You can use a gauge pressure canner or a weighted gauge. It cannot be a water bath canner. Potatoes are a low acidic food so they need to be pressure canned. 
• Stock pot
• Quart canning jars – You can use any size of jars. We prefer to use quart jars simply because you can fit about 1 pound of potatoes per quart jar. 
• Funnel
• Lids
• Rings
• Vinegar
• Rag
• Jar lifter
• Debubbler
• Magnetic lid wand

Ingredients

• Potatoes
• Salt (optional)
• Water

Pressure-canning potatoes can be very versatile. You can add various flavorings, onions, or even meat. You will have to adjust your processing time based on what you add to the jars. 

Step-by-Step Process for Raw Pack Canning Potatoes

1. Selecting Potatoes: Choose freshly harvested or store-bought potatoes with no signs of decay or disease.
2. Preparing Jars and Lids: Clean jars thoroughly add jar lids to a pot of boiling water so they can begin to sanitize.
3. In a large stockpot add water and bring to a boil. Once it boils set aside.
4. Cleaning and Peeling Potatoes: Wash potatoes to remove any dirt. If desired peel the skin off the potatoes. (I prefer to leave the skins on) Leaving them unpeeled adds extra nutrients and texture to your final product. It is important to note that it is recommended by the USDA to only can potatoes that have been peeled. Botulism spores are in the ground so any vegetable that grows in the ground is at risk of botulism.
5. Cutting Potatoes: Cut potatoes into uniform pieces, typically 1 to 2 inches in size. If you have new potatoes that are small enough you can leave them as whole potatoes and can them as is. 
6. Packing Jars: Pack the prepared potato chunks tightly into the sterilized jars, leaving a 1-inch head space.
7. Add 1 tsp of salt to each quart jar or 1/2 tsp to each pint jar. (This is optional.)
8. Pour the hot water over the potatoes leaving 1 inch headspace and debubble.
9. Wipe rims of the jars with vinegar to remove any starch that may be on the rings.
10. Add lids and rings to the jars finger tight.
11. Place jars in your pressure canner and process quarts for 40 minutes or 35 minutes for pints at 10 PSI. (You will need to check the elevation in your area to find out what PSI to use.)

How to Use Potatoes Canned

Canned potatoes are very versatile you can simply heat them up and eat them as diced potatoes. Drain the water off and make mashed potatoes, fry them and make fried potatoes, or use them in soups or stews. 

In conclusion, raw pack canning potatoes is a convenient and efficient method for preserving this versatile vegetable. By following the proper steps and guidelines, home cooks can ensure that their canned potatoes retain their flavor, texture, and nutritional value. With a pantry stocked with these flavorful potatoes, meal planning becomes easier while reducing food waste. Whether used in stews, soups, or side dishes, canned potatoes offer a quick and easy solution for adding wholesome ingredients to any recipe.

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