Preparing potatoes a day early
Can I peel and cut up my potatoes for a recipe I’m using tomorrow?
When we are in a hurry or we just need to save time, it’s very convenient to peel potatoes the night before cooking. If we have relatives or friends coming over, and many times that means we want to cook a special meal for them, it is really an advantage to do all we can ahead of time(at least the day or night before) so the next day we don’t have to spend the entire day cleaning, organizing or cooking.
You can actually peel and cut potatoes the day before using them. That will definitely save you a lot of time and you can focus on other tasks you may have to do.
I will give you some tips to keep the potatoes fresh until they are ready to be used.
How to keep potatoes from going bad
Remember to wash the potatoes completely. Also, cut off any visible dark or green spots. Remove sprouts, too.
Many people love to clean their vegetables using soap and water, which is optional, but I wouldn’t use soap or any dishwashing liquid for the purpose of washing them. Instead you could use a little bit of white vinegar (or plain lemon juice) and water in your rinsing process along with a veggie brush; at the end rinse well with just water.
After that, as soon as you peel and cut the potatoes, be sure to place them in a bowl and cover them with cold water; that will prevent them from turning dark.
The potatoes should be always covered by water completely. This is very important. Leaving some areas of the potatoes uncovered will cause them to turn dark and that is exactly what you are trying to avoid.
You could add a few drops of lemon or a little bit of salt to the water. Using lemon or salt will help to keep them fresh a little longer until they are ready to use. Then, put the bowl in the refrigerator until is time to cook the potatoes.
The next day just remove the potatoes from the container. Rinse under the faucet with running water (you can use a pasta strainer), season them and cook as desired. Having the potatoes ready to cook is definitely a great time saver.
Did you know that it is possible to cook mashed potatoes and put them in the refrigerator?
The next day, you will just need to warm them up (adding a tiny bit of milk is a good idea) and use the masher or fork again so that they look good before serving.