I know, the first thing flying through the minds of avid homemakers is, “why would you want to make instant mashed potatoes?” First, when potatoes go on a ridiculous sale, this is another way to preserve them. It’s very hard not to buy an absurd amount of potatoes when they are 10 cents a pound. Second, this is great emergency food. And the most fun reason is, this instant potato powder is great for backpacking and camping!
Just cook potatoes until soft. Puree in the food processor, using fat-free chicken broth to thin out the potatoes. (Don’t let them get watery, just thinned out enough where the potatoes can be spread in a thin layer.) You don’t want to use milk or butter for shelf-stable instant potatoes. After potatoes are a thin consistency, spread thinly on dehydrating sheets. At 135, dehydrate your potatoes until crisp. After potato bark is cool, make into a powder using a food grinder, like a Ninja blender. I do mine in small batches using the individual cup option, which makes for a finer grind.
To rehydrate, take ½ cup water, ½ cup milk (which you can make from powdered milk), 2 tablespoons of butter (can use powdered butter) and ½ tsp. salt. Boil. Remove from heat, and whisk in ⅓ cup plus 1 tsp. powdered potato. You now have instant mashed potatoes. After you add the potatoes to the liquid mixture, it all comes together very quickly. It’s like watching a magic trick – – super fun!
Wow, I would never have guessed. I’ll have to try this.
What a cool trick without having to consume all that sodium in the ones purchased in the grocery store.