Jacket potatoes are so versatile. You can have them as a side dish, or you can make a meal out of them. You can add numerous fillings, such as cheese and baked beans, tuna mayonnaise, egg mayonnaise, creamed garlic mushrooms, smoked haddock and cheddar, chili, curry, or cheese, bacon, and sour cream.
Jacket potatoes can be prepared either in the microwave or the oven. It takes much longer to cook a jacket potato in the oven. However, you can compromise and start the jacket potato in the microwave and then put it in the oven to crisp the skin up. There’s nothing better than a crisp skin on a jacket potato. You won’t get this if you only cook it in a microwave.
In this article, we will be taking a look at freezing jacket potatoes so that you can have them on hand for quick meals throughout the year.
How To Freeze Jacket Potatoes
It’s not difficult to freeze jacket potatoes. It’s a good idea to cook them in bulk and then freeze them. Freeze fillings separately. Make a big batch of chili or curry and freeze it in meal-size portions. You will then have a quick and easy meal after a hard day at work.
This is the way to freeze jacket potatoes:
1. Cool down the jacket potatoes.
Once the potatoes are cooked through, cool them down. Put them on a cold tray and cover them with a paper towel to speed things up. You don’t want to leave the potatoes out at room temperature for longer than two hours as, after this time, bacteria can start to develop. You also don’t want to put the potatoes in the freezer while they are still warm as this can bring up the temperature. Other food may start to defrost and when it refreezes, the taste and texture may be compromised.
2. Flash freeze the jacket potatoes.
Put the jacket potatoes on a tray, making sure that they are not touching. This means that the potatoes won’t stick together and you can remove as many or as few as you want. Put the tray in the freezer and freeze until the potatoes are solid. This should take around two hours.
3. Wrap the jacket potatoes in aluminum foil.
It is a good idea to double wrap them to prevent freezer burn. Freezer burn ruins your food’s taste and texture and takes away some of the nutrients.
4. Put the jacket potatoes in an airtight container.
Put a label on the container stating what is in the box and the date you put it in the freezer.
5. Put the container in the freezer.
Tips For Freezing Jacket Potatoes
- Flash freeze your jacket potatoes so that they don’t stick together.
- Double wrap the potatoes in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn from occurring.
- Don’t freeze fillings with the jacket potatoes as they can ruin the texture of the potatoes. If frozen with something like chili, the potatoes can go mushy. Freeze fillings separately or add fillings like cheese and baked beans after you have defrosted the potatoes. It will only take a few minutes to heat things like beans and to melt the cheese.
- If you want a crispy skin, reheat your jacket potatoes in the oven. As the jacket potatoes have already been cooked, it will only take 15 to 20 minutes to get that delicious crispy skin. Reheating them in the microwave will make the skins soft.
- Cooked jacket potatoes keep for almost a week in the fridge so if you intend to use them within this time, put them in the fridge rather than freeze them.
For How Long Can You Freeze Jacket Potatoes?
You can freeze cooked jacket potatoes for up to six months. If you wrap them securely in aluminum foil, they will easily last for six months. After this time, they will lose taste, texture, and color. They may also lose their nutrients.
How Do You Defrost Jacket Potatoes?
The best way to defrost jacket potatoes is slow and steady. Put them in the fridge and leave them to thaw overnight. This helps them to retain taste and texture. However, you can cook them from frozen either in the microwave or oven. The only disadvantage is that they will take longer to cook if they are still frozen. If you decide to use the microwave to speed things up, remember that the potato skins will end up soft. Only go this route if you just enjoy eating the flesh of the potato and aren’t bothered about the skin.
Can You Refreeze Jacket Potatoes?
We don’t recommend that you refreeze jacket potatoes as it will ruin their texture. Every time you defrost and refreeze, ice crystals are formed producing moisture. You will find that your potatoes will become mushy. There should be no reason to refreeze your jacket potatoes if you remove only as many or as few as you need for one meal.
Is It a Good Idea To Freeze Jacket Potatoes?
Yes, it’s a great idea to freeze jacket potatoes. They freeze very well and for a long time without losing any taste or texture. Just remember not to freeze the fillings with them as they can ruin the texture of the potatoes. Also, remember to wrap them up tightly to avoid freezer burn. The best way to reheat them is in the oven as this will give you a delicious crispy skin.
