need help w/ my potato kugel

watergirl

Sun, Aug 15 2010, 7:32 pm

ok, I need help (in more ways than one!)!!!!! I love that soft, moist potato kugel that is a bit gooey and a bit oily. Not just grated, blended as well. You know the kind I mean. But mine is always dark, ugly grey, dry like sand paper, and heavy as anything!

So here are a few questions.
1)do you squuze out the excess water from the potatos?
2)how to keep it from turning?

HELP PLEASE!

mammele26

Sun, Aug 15 2010, 8:33 pm

I think my potato kuget fits what you described you're looking for (my dh is a caterer and he LOVES my kugel!).

First of all, I do NOT squeeze out the liquid from the potatoes. Secondly, I first peel the potatoes and place in water. Then I open and check the eggs, measure the oil in the mixing bowl and mix it. Then I grate the potatoes and RIGHT AWAY pour it into the egg mixture. Quickly mix, mix, mix. I oil the foil pans in advance too, so I just have to pour the mixture into the pans and into the hot oven. There is no time for the potatoes to turn brown. Btw, about how much do you make (how many pounds of potatoes)? I can give you my recipe, but I first want to know about how much you're making.

Grandmama

Sun, Aug 15 2010, 9:33 pm

Different kinds of potatoes will yield different results.
Idaho potatoes work great. I put zuchini squash (peeled) to give it a softer texture,and no one sees it.
I use only olive oil, and lots of eggs.
If I use Yukon gold potatoes, the kugel is more yellow.
If I use Idaho, the kugel is whiter.
Other types can give different results.
Doing it very fast, as per the above instructions is the key. Prepare everything before hand and add the salt at the very last minute.
I also bake it at 550 for an hour, to an hour and a half, before it is almost done, I pour a cup of water right on top of the kugel (a secret I learned from a caterer)
My kugels are delicious.

momaholic

Sun, Aug 15 2010, 9:43 pm

the way to keep potatoes from not turning gray is to never keep them unpeeled without water or something. I put my potatoes into water as I finish peeling them. also, I first mix up the eggs, salt and pepper and then I add the potatoes to that.
the more eggs you use, the more fluffy it is. I use about 1 egg per potato (the single potatoes).
good luck!

bobeli

Sun, Aug 15 2010, 10:06 pm

please someone post a recipe for dummies (me) I had to throw out my kugel 2 weeks in a row.
(I make a small one, like 4 to 5 potatoes)
TIA

shanie5

Sun, Aug 15 2010, 11:07 pm

I grate my potatoes alternately with my onions-that helps keep it from discoloring too.

I also prepare all other ingredients to add to the grated potatoes as soon as they are ready.

mimishkl

Sun, Aug 15 2010, 11:35 pm

My kugel is heaven and moist!
6 potatos
3 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup oil
3/4 tbl. spoon black pepper
1 1/2 table spoon salt

first make oven on 450 then put in a bowl egg, water and oil. then peel and blend in a braun mixer ( it has special kugel blade, I find this did the trick by my kugel. I had a different processor and it never came out good) once blended pour into bowl and mix together with eggs mixture once you mixed it well add the salt and pepper then put in bekelle not covered place in oven for an hr on 450 then 350for another hr.

Enjoy!

mammele26

Mon, Aug 16 2010, 12:49 am

My recipe:

4 pounds of potatoes (about 8 big ones) - use only Idaho
6 eggs
about 5 ounces of oil (mabe 4.5 oz- a good half cup, not quite a full 3/4)
a tablespoon of salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven (I bake on 450 f. for about an hour, then 350 for another hour). Peel potatoes and place in water. Combine eggs and oil in mixing bowl. Oil the pan(s). I find that the kugel crust around and around tastes MUCH better when I use oil to grease the pans instead of cooking/baking spray. Grate potatoes (I use the kugel blade on the Bosch food processor). Pour into eggs and oil mixture IMMEDIATELY. Add salt and pepper. Mix, mix, mix. Quickly pour into pan(s), and straight into the hot oven.

P.S. After you make the kugel once, you will know if you want to adjust the salt and pepper.

Last edited by mammele26 on Mon, Aug 16 2010, 1:01 am; edited 1 time in total

mammele26

Mon, Aug 16 2010, 12:58 am

bobeli wrote:

please someone post a recipe for dummies (me) I had to throw out my kugel 2 weeks in a row.
(I make a small one, like 4 to 5 potatoes)
TIA

Sometimes I make a small one, like yours. Just make half a recipe of what I posted above. Don't half the oil, though. Put in about 3.5 ounces.

Hashemlovesme

Mon, Aug 16 2010, 2:08 am

I basically stopped making potato kugel b/c it never came out good! My dh recently mentioned that "Rebitsin _____ (the rebitsin of our community) makes a really good potato kugel" (He learned here as a bochur, so knows her food) So guess what I did? I called her up, repeated what he said & asked for her recipe! (she laughed, then gave it to me). I 1/2 this recipe.

6 potatos-grated
1 large onion-grated
2 eggs
1 1/4 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1/3 c oil

(she says she squeezes out the extra liquid if there's a lot) pour some oil on the bottom & bake 'till really brown. Enjoy!

Aidelmom

Mon, Aug 16 2010, 3:25 am

This is what I do - and it comes out moist and white

I make my potato kugel like the above recipe but with another egg. To have it stay white have the potatoes peeled and the eggs oil and spices beaten together before you grate the potatoes. Also preheat the oven and get the pan ready before you start grating. Then I grind the onion and then grate the potatoes in the food processor and add them to the egg mixture and mix and bake it.

btw it sounds like the above recipe was already halved. Do not halve it again - you'll get like only 2 peices of kugel.

watergirl

Mon, Aug 16 2010, 8:08 am

thank you all! However... I dont have a kugel blade, and also, when you all said grate potatos, doesnt that leave them in long slivers?

Aidelmom

Mon, Aug 16 2010, 8:46 am

I don't have a special kugel blade - the regular shredding disc works fine. Yes it does make long strips but they dissapear when baked - also if you leave the potatoes in the feeding chute without pushing them down hard, the shreds will be smaller.

mammele26

Mon, Aug 16 2010, 9:17 am

watergirl wrote:

thank you all! However... I dont have a kugel blade, and also, when you all said grate potatos, doesnt that leave them in long slivers?

I do think it pays to invest in a 'kugel blade'. I think it affects the texture of the kugel.

DefyGravity

Mon, Aug 16 2010, 9:50 am

My potato kugel is incredible!

I make a very small one every week, it fits into an 8x8 pan.

2 potatoes
1 zucchini
1 onion
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil
onion salt
few tablespoons flour
1 tsp baking powder

I put some oil in the pan, put it into an oven that's been preheated to 350, let it heat up, then take it out and then put the kugel mixture into it.

None of it sits around nearly long enough to become brown. I put peel all the veggies, shred them in the food processor, mix all the ingredients together, let the oil heat, and then it goes in the oven.

Mommastuff

Mon, Aug 16 2010, 10:11 am

watergirl wrote:

thank you all! However... I dont have a kugel blade, and also, when you all said grate potatos, doesnt that leave them in long slivers?

I don't have a kugel blade either. I first shred and the use the puree blade for a few seconds to chop up the long strips. When I change the blades, I do it quickly so the potatoes dont turn brown. My dh looooves gooey kugel!
I also:

-shred a little peeled zucchini into the mixture
-keep the peeled potatoes in water, mix the rest of the mixture and shred the potatoes last
-heat oil in the pan in the oven before I put the mix in the pan
-cook @ 450 for an hour uncovered so it's cooked but not dried out, gooey buy I can still cut it without it falling apart.

Henna12

Mon, Aug 16 2010, 11:31 am

This is seriously a NO fail AMAZING Recipe- everyone raves about it:
It makes one 8x8 or round pan
Cover bottom of pan with thin layer of oil and put in preheated oven
Prepare one medium onion and 5-6 potatoes
I use the s blade in my food processor- put in the onion first, then quickly add the potatoes
Pour mixture into a bowl, add 3 eggs, 1-2 tsp salt, pepper to taste
take oil out of oven and pour over mixture, add 1/4 c Cold water
Pour back into pan and bake for about 2 hours
Heaven!