freezing pots and parsnips ready for Xmas day

[nannyL]

im sure this has been here before but i have searched and not found the answer

im sure i can parboil potatoes ready to roast on Xmas day?

what about parsnips (i wouldnt normally boil them)

But HOW do i do it (I have some time this weekend), and are they really as nice and when they are all prepared on Xmas day?

Im doing Xmas Dinner here and would rather not do it of they arnt as nice, but equally it will be 1 less thing to worry about on xmas day

can i cook them 'from forzen' ? or should i defrost on Xmas eve?

Dunno
I would do 'em the night before meself.

You can par boil parsnips to speed up cooking but I'm not sure about freezing. I don't think spuds freeze well. Probably same for parsnips if par boiled. too soggy?

I'm planning to do them on Christmas eve.

Potatoes don't freeze well!

I would parboil them Xmas Eve - parsnips too but for less time - drain well, & keep them in the fridge ready to fire into hot fat on the day.

Parboiling them on Xmas Eve prob no more trouble than defrosting?

(Also keep water for gravy - potato starch helps it thicken).

Actually, if it's too much hassle to prep veg Xmas Eve, there's nothing wrong with Aunt Bessie's roast potatoes....

Better option than trying to resurrect parboiled frozen spuds.

see here

thanks for all your help

oh dear... maybe i cant freeze them parboiled afterall

certainly didnt get the unanimouse 'its fine i do it all the time' that i was hoping for

i wont be using aunt bessys, will use REAL potatoes as they come, and i dont really want to have issues with really gross potatoes on xmas day either!

just to add i assume i can PEEL them xmas eve and leave them in water, ready for parboiling and roasting on the day?

also i guess i could peel parsnips too and leave them in water until time to go in the oven?

i don't think i would be happy with leaving mine in water over night. Doesn't the consistency change, do they absorb the water?
Just wondering.

I'll be doing all mine on xmas day, but then i don't have many to cook for and i quite enjoy the cooking and wine kitchen combo!!

erm

i use the nice old lady who lives in my freezer

aunt bessie

In water overnight is fine. But if you parboil them on Xmas Eve (may as well if you've peeled them), then drain well & stick in the fridge, it helps them crisp up when you chuck the cold potatoes into the hot fat.

Now there's a good tip raven, I'd have left them in water.

Not sure whether there'll be any space in the fridge though...

My SIL has done this in previous years and they have always turned out fine!

so...

i can peel parsnips on Xmas eve and leave in a tightly selaed bag in the fridge...

AND parboil my potatoes, on Xmas eve and store them dry in the fridge and they will be ok? Is that right?

Good Food magazine(last year's one) said prepare all veggies (including parboiling pots) a month in advance and freezing them. I did this last year and they were fine. Haven't been so organised this year though.

I'm sure that parboiling and freezing potatoes was all the rage on here last year, we really need to track down those posters and see if it worked!

i have just done quick search (lots of posts about roasts potatoes in dec last year ) but it seem both BreevandeCamp and anchovies were recommending it last year

Parsnips and potatoes bith freeze fine after par boiling. Make sure you open freeze them on a tray first and then bag them up. It saves on hob space and washing up on xmas day. Also don't spend hours peeling stuff on xmas eve.

My mother has frozen after par boiling for years, works really well, also do all your veggies as that saves huge amounts of time on the day.

ok...

so consenus is now that i can parboil and freeze my potatoes and they will be ok?

i wouldnt normally parboil parsnips... would about 2 mins par-boiling do? or can i just peel and freeze?