Potato Pancakes

I'm working on a few different dishes for Oktoberfest and am having some issues with my potato pancakes. Is there a secret on how to hold the batter so it stays light in color and does not turn brown? Any ideas? Thanks.

What is your recipe?

What are you using for Oil?  Butter?  Oil?  Are you frying a bit then baking?

  This thread actually belongs in the recipe section of the forum. Unless we are talking about a specific restaurant's Potato Pancake.

  David O.

I'm guessing that you are referring to the batter turning brown before cooking due to the oxidation of the potatoes.  I would say when you are preparing the batter that either you get everything ready first other than the potatoes or when grating the potatoes make sure they are held in cold water until ready to use then drained and dried.

Tell us what you're doing now then we can better advise you.

  Squeeze all excess water from the potatoes before use!!!

  David O.

I have two tricks that will work for bulk situations...or at home.

My first one is taking boiled potatoes, peel and shred them. Do not cook them too soft, just enough to pierce.
A even easier method that works is taking commercial shredded hash browns, lightly blanch them to wash out starch. Truth be told, it works with fresh spuds too.
I lightly bind either mixture with egg, flour, onion and S&P.
While they may not be true potcakes as Mama made them, the batter will hold for a very long time without turning gray.
Your next trick will be preparing applesauce from 5lb bags of peeled apples.

mark

Thanks for the replies. I've tried a couple of recipes, but think I will use the basic shredded potatoes, onion, eggs, flour, salt and pepper, fried to a crisp in small rounds. I was hoping I could premix and hold, but it looks as if I will need to prep as suggested and mix prior to cooking. One recipe I have suggest using a tart apple instead of onion, so I'm going to give this a try and see how it goes over. Also I will offer an option of Jaeger Gravy for dipping. I don't think I'm quit up to making my own apple sauce this year, maybe next.

You mentioned on an earlier post that you have pictures regarding your exhaust fann mounting .... I would love to see them.  I'm in Detroit, Michigan.     Thanks !!!

a slight spritz of lemon juice will keep the oxidation at bay for some time, i dont think it would impart any flavor to the finished product, but i havent tried this on potato batter, it works great on apples and fruit though