We usually don’t give enough credit to boiled potatoes being one of those foods that can be used to do so many things. They go beyond just being mashed potatoes, you can flavor them delicious being boiled and seasoned.
One of the best ways to save cooking time, most especially on days when you will be too tired to cook after a long day at work is to cook your food ahead of time whereby you can store them and then use them later. Boiled Potato can also be done this way where you can boil them and then easily store them for quick meal options later. Boiled potatoes can also be canned and stowed for the option to store for a long time.
The thing we want to find out through this article is how you can reheat boiled potatoes. The concern most people have is if the potatoes will become mushy and then fall apart. If the potatoes are boiled and stored properly, there is no reason not to reheat them and it is quite easy. At a temperature of 300°F, you can reheat boiled potatoes very well in an oven.
What we have for you in this article is to show you how to reheat boiled potatoes by following the proper storage and reheating procedures. You are encouraged to continue reading to see to all we have for you.
Your Guide to Reheating Boiled Potatoes
Typically, boiled potatoes are categorized as a meal to be mashed, but the can be used for much more than only mashing. Your boiled potatoes could be flavorful, most especially after adding some seasoning and butter. Because boiled potatoes are usually super soft, they are easily eaten and they must not be over-boiled so that they will not turn to mush. With boiled potatoes, there are a lot of things that can be done with them because they are quite versatile. Check out some of those things below:
- They can be canned for storage
- Breakfast potatoes
- Potato casseroles
- Potato salad
- Mashed potatoes
- Boiled potatoes together with chives
- Boiled potatoes together with garlic and butter.
The listed above are just a few of the ideas of things that boiled potatoes can be used for, there are several other things that can be done with them.
The Process of Boiling Potatoes
You have to boil your potatoes properly from the start if want to reheat them. Boiling could be different depending on the purpose of why you are boiling them. You will have to allow it to boil longer if want to turn them to mash.
Please take note that white potatoes, red potatoes, and the new potatoes are the best set of potatoes to boil. It is not as if you cannot boil some other potatoes, but these ones give the best possible results. If you are going to reheat your boiled potatoes, then the boiling from the start must be done the right way. You must not overcook the boiled potatoes because they can turn mushy through this process.
It is not so difficult to boil potatoes as long as you are certain not to allow them to over boil. All you have to do is know the appropriate time frame and you should monitor them through the process. We will like to share with you a normal recipe that you can use to boil potatoes. Note that the recipe doesn’t include any type of seasoning or any of its alternatives. It is just a simple guide of how you can basically boil your potatoes.
It doesn’t take too much time to boil your potatoes and that makes them cook evenly well in no time. It is either you boil them directly with their skins or you first peel them. If you cook them with the skins, it is likely they peel off after boiling them. You can also either boil the potatoes whole or cube them. Cubing will make their storage simpler but you could do them whichever way you want, it will still work perfectly fine. Follow the steps below for a simple recipe of how you can boil your potatoes.
- You need to first clean the potatoes. You might need to rinse or scrub them if the peels are still on them.
- You can cut your potatoes into shapes of cubes. (This is clearly optional)
- Put the potatoes inside a pot that can contain them. Then pour water on them.
- Pour cold water to cover them and you can also add some extra inch of water.
- Proceed to add salt and stir your salt so that they can dissolve. (The use of salt is also optional)
- Allow that water to boil.
- Lower the heat to simmer and don’t cover your simmering pot, this is important.
- Endeavor to check your potatoes at intervals of five minutes. Normally, your potatoes should get done between 10 and 20 minutes. The small or cubed potatoes get cooked faster.
- Check the potatoes and you will know if they are well cooked when they are tender. Use any thin utensil or fork to poke them. Once the utensil slides inside to the center, then your boiled potatoes are ready.
Don’t forget that we did not include seasoning in the recipe and neither did we use any specific process. It was just to share a very simple method to boil your potatoes. You can now use the potatoes for whatever you like. You can get them canned, mashed, or seasoned.
Storing Boiled Potatoes
To reheat boiled potatoes, you must ensure that you have stored them properly. It is either you store your potatoes by canning, refrigerating, or freezing them. What we will share with you here is how you can best freeze or refrigerate them. In case what you will wish to do is to can them, then you have to ensure that you properly follow all the instructions though we will not be sharing those instructions right here, you can do well to find them and strictly follow it.
Storing Boiled Potatoes inside the Fridge
Storing your potatoes in your fridge is quite easy, follow the instructions below:
- Immediately after boiling, allow your potatoes to become cool at room temperature but don’t leave them out for more than one to two hours.
- Put the potatoes inside a plastic bag or a small airtight container that can be well sealed.
- Put them inside the refrigerator.
- You can allow the potatoes to store for up to three to five days before you use it,
Storing Boiled Potatoes inside the Freezer
If you plan to take a very long time before you eat your potatoes, you can freeze them. What we recommend is to first pre-freeze them, check out the instructions below:
- To pre-freeze your potatoes lay them on a parchment paper that has been placed over your baking sheet. Ensure you do this properly.
- Allow the boiled potatoes to freeze for up to two to four hours.
- Pack them into a heavy-duty freezer bag or an airtight container.
- You can then freeze your potatoes for up to six months in the freezer.
Reheating the Boiled Potatoes
You will not have any problem concerning the reheating of the boiled potatoes if you have properly followed all the discussed procedures. You will not have to thaw the boiled potatoes if you cubed them before boiling. If, however, you froze them whole, then you can move the potatoes to your refrigerator and allow it to defrost overnight.
Generally, reheating boiled potatoes does not take too long and the best way to reheat them will depend on how you want to use them. You can add the potatoes to a meal when it is almost cooked if you are eating it with a meal so that the potatoes will not turn soggy or mushy. It is best for you to reheat boiled potatoes in an oven, follow the steps below:
- Use a parchment paper to line your baking sheet or you can use your glass baking pan.
- Use a small quantity of cooking spray or olive oil to line the pan.
- Allow the oven to heat up to 300°F.
- Put your potatoes inside an oven and allow it to bake for up to 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, taste them to check if they have been heated through. You can then add two to four more minutes until you are satisfied.
- Serve and enjoy the reheated potatoes.
You can see that it is quite simple to reheat your boiled potatoes and the reason why we recommend an oven is because the potatoes will be kept intact in order for them not to turn mushy or fall apart. The texture of the boiled potatoes will also not be compromised by the oven.
Though we do not recommend it, you can also reheat the potatoes inside a microwave. This may, however, turn the potatoes to become mushy or soggy. Use a paper towel to cover your potatoes so that some moisture naturally exhibited by potatoes will be soaked up.
Related Questions
How Do I Know if My Potatoes Are Good for Boiling?
Any potato can be boiled, though when it comes to freezing, storing, or reheating them, some of them work better than the others. You are recommended to use new, yellow, and red potatoes. Generally, potatoes that have waxy finishes work well.
Are There Any Alternative Baking Methods for Reheating?
You can also try baking your potatoes by wrapping them in aluminum foil and allowing it to bake at a temperature of 400°F for up to 10 to 15 minutes and you will still get the same result.
