# How far in advance can I cut my potatoes?



## DebBrown

Yes... I need cooking advice. I seem to remember that you can cut potatoes and keep them in cold water so that they don't darken. Can I do that for 24 hours? I don't want to spend Christmas morning chopping potatoes and carrots for dinner. If I can get them ready today, it would make me happy.

Deb


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## wackymother

Here's advice on that very subject.

http://askville.amazon.com/potatoes-turning-brown-peel/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=5210531


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## DebBrown

Thanks!  I'm still wondering if it is good for overnight but it seems there is no time limit.

Deb


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## irish

i peel and cut the potatoes the night before and put them in a pot with cold water to cover them  and leave overnight. never had a problem.

also this is a suggestion i picked up form some cooking website that i have never tried but will in the future.. it says that you can actually mash the potatoes up to 2 hours before the dinner is ready and keep them in a slow cooker on either warm or low setting. like i said i have NOT tried this yet but will in the future.


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## Emily

I usually put a plate in the top of the bowl to hold the potatoes under the water or some will float and turn brown.


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## DeniseM

I peel and cut mine the night before, cover with water, cover the pot, and refrigerate, and they come out great - no problem with discoloring.  I also get them ready an hour or 2 before dinner and keep them warm in a crockpot on low - just stir before serving.


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## KCI

has anyone heard of already mashed, ready to eat potatoes?  They are marvelous without any of the work!


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## pjrose

KCI said:


> has anyone heard of already mashed, ready to eat potatoes?  They are marvelous without any of the work!



They definitely get my vote!

And if I were going to make homemade ones, I'd make them a day or so  before and reheat them in the microwave, perhaps adding a bit of chicken broth or water and some butter and fluffing them with a fork.


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## Karen G

DeniseM said:


> I also get them ready an hour or 2 before dinner and keep them warm in a crockpot on low - just stir before serving.


I did this at Thanksgiving and it's a great idea!


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## bigrick

Mine are ready to eat but in the crockpot usually 4 hours before serving.  

On Thanksgiving, the potatoes are the very first thing I complete once the bird is in the oven.  Keeping them in the crockpot saves a lot of effort and timing hassles at serving time.  The spuds are ready any time you are.


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## MuranoJo

You can actually cook & mash your potatoes *the day before*, put them in the frig, bring them out to warm to room temp a bit, put them in the crockpot on low for up to 8 hours and they will be great.  Be sure to allow enough time for them to warm up before dinner.  I'd say several hours in the crockpot, stirring once in a while.

This has been one of the best time-saving secrets I've discovered over the years.


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## GrayFal

Thanks for the crock pot tip...I will do that today!


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## AwayWeGo

*Christmas Spuds.*

I just now peeled & eyed 10 lbs. of potatoes, which are now sitting in 2 large pots of cold water waiting for the actual _cooking_ portion of Christmas dinner preparation to begin later on today. 

I could have peeled'm last night, but that would have been showing off. 

Merry Christmas, everybody. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## AwayWeGo

*Christmas Mashed Potatoes -- Same As Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes.*

The Chief Of Staff boiled the bejabbers out of'm, then ran'm through her outstanding Kitchen Aid mixer, adding plenty of hot evaporated milk & softened butter to make'm come out nice & creamy, plus a little salt & pepper to bring out the flavor. 

Yum. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## GrayFal

Mine were in the crock pot for 3 hours before we ate - turned out great.
Thanks for the tip!


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