Potato kugel HELP | Imamother

amother

Mintcream

Fri, Feb 16 2024, 1:59 pm

So… I’m sure I’m not the only one who has been reading this thread and made some kugel changes this week.
I’ve been sick and had almost no appetite. As I’m reading this thread- slowly, very slowly… I became in the mood of kugel. I was especially imagining how op’s house smelled yesterday 😊.
So I usually make a good kugel… even though I’ve been under the weather I still managed to make a small kugel. I knew it wasn’t really enough so when I made my grocery order, I ordered a kugel from the store- something I never do.
But after reading this I decided there was NO WAY I was serving the grocery store kugel. I put it in the freezer this morning and started to peel potatoes. I have a 9x13 in the oven now. Inspired by a recipe here and a few small adjustments there’s a hot, fresh kugel baking and the house smells so nice.
So thank you for this thread, op and for everyone who shared their recipes. I’m sure I’m not the only one with a kugel for this shabbos that I didn’t plan on having.

amother

Fri, Feb 16 2024, 2:46 pm

amother Mintcream wrote:

This was the best response yet!
Thank you everyone for inspiring us to do this in such a helpful way. We now have another family enjoying the fresh shabbos food.

amother

Fri, Feb 16 2024, 2:49 pm

amother Lily wrote:

I love the way you write and I’m sure you’re a balabusta!
To answer your question, you don’t have to make two separate kugels if you want one overnight and one regular. The recipe I gave you is perfect for both. I would use two pans though. You don’t want to serve fresh kugel and then turn the half empty pan into overnight. It might work but it won’t be as good. You want the kugel to fill the whole pan with no big gaps anywhere.
Something else I’ve noticed is that kugel texture gets ruined from being in the fridge. If you want to make it in advance, let it cool off for a few minutes, cover very tightly and freeze. Remove from freezer, pick up the foil and pour a half cup of water on top then recover and put directly in oven preheated to 425. Bake covered for an hour then uncovered for 20 minutes if you want to crisp up the top. Just as good as fresh.

I need to come back to this post after shabbos and understand it better.
You’re saying the overnight needs a full kugel?

First I printed it, and I’ll read it again to make sure I understand.
I’ll check back with you though.
Appreciate it.

amother

Ecru

Fri, Feb 16 2024, 2:51 pm

I was also inspired to make kugel this week. I made a huge batch of 5 kugels to stock my freezer. I usually make simpler, easier, roasted potatoes but now I will have lots of kugel for the next few weeks.

amother

Lily

Fri, Feb 16 2024, 2:55 pm

amother OP wrote:

It needs a full pan.
It can be a smaller kugel in a smaller pan, but not a half empty 9 X 13.

amother

Fri, Feb 16 2024, 2:56 pm

amother Ecru wrote:

Whoa! This thread is starting to affect my ego.
As if I was the kugel maven here.
But if I inspired people to Make kugel , in your case 5!! I think it was worth driving all the imas crazy.
You’ll thank your productive self for the next couple of weeks.

amother

Fri, Feb 16 2024, 2:58 pm

amother Lily wrote:

It needs a full pan.
It can be a smaller kugel in a smaller pan, but not a half empty 9 X 13.

Oh I got it.
Thanks for clarifying. I think it was clear, but my comprehension was lacking a bit.

My first language isn’t English, it’s German. (Not Yiddish , real German)

amother

Lily

Fri, Feb 16 2024, 3:01 pm

amother OP wrote:

Oh I got it.
Thanks for clarifying. I think it was clear, but my comprehension was lacking a bit.

My first language isn’t English, it’s German. (Not Yiddish , real German)

That’s actually quite impressive. From the way you write I’d never have guessed English isn’t your first language.

amother

Fri, Feb 16 2024, 3:06 pm

amother Lily wrote:

That’s actually quite impressive. From the way you write I’d never have guessed English isn’t your first language.

Really? I’m always second guessing my writing(and speaking) since I know I will indefinitely mess up somehow.

Also, English has many weird rules which confuses me a lot.
But thank you !
This gives me much confidence.

amother

Mintcream

Fri, Feb 16 2024, 3:10 pm

My trick for overnight is using the Yukon gold potatoes.
They are moist and don’t really have to be peeled well because the peels are very thin. I don’t like peeling potatoes!
For overnight I just remove bad spots with a knife from the Yukon gold potatoes and wash them off.
I make it in an 8x8 pan and keep it in the crockpot wrapped up very well to be served with the Chulent.
(I usually put 2 Chulent bags in the crockpot. I fold one bag full of Chulent and put the 8x8 pan over the Chulent bag . Then cover the pot.)
I first bake it in the oven for an hour. Then it slow cooks overnight in the crockpot. Everyone seems to be very excited about this overnight kugel. And it’s so easy because it’s a small recipe plus no peeling potatoes.

In food processor-
3 eggs
1 onion
1/2 cup oil
1 tbsp salt
Sprinkle of black pepper
3 very large potatoes or a 5-6 small ones (it’s about 2-2.5 lbs of potatoes)

Blend and pour into an 8 x 8 pan. Pour 1/2 cup of boiling water on top.

Bake at 400 for around an hour.
Before shabbos- wrap well and place in Chulent pot.

amother

White

Fri, Feb 16 2024, 3:24 pm

My kugel comes out amazing - I’ve made it for other people and there’s never leftovers. I won’t touch heated oil had a bad experience as a child - skip heating the oil- no point to it. Do not use water makes it bland and GOOEY the trick is to USE SELTZER. I beat the eggs in the pan with a fork- I do 5 eggs and 4 potatoes. If you need for larger amount do in 2 pans not 1. u get the perfect amount of crust with the kugel. Blend the potatoes with one smaller onion alternating. Kugel blade. NO IDAHO used here.

Pour into the pan. Add half cup SELTZER and half cup OLIVE OIL. The canola makes me feel ill. Sprinkle abt half teaspoon fancy black pepper I don’t measure. A drop less then 1 T of SEA SALT.

BAKE 500 45 min
Turn to 400 for 45 min. It’ll be perfect. I make it every single week it has never failed me. When reheating it leftovers for Sunday on 350 it starts becoming like overnight.

Edited to add I use 9 by 13 for one recipe.
And seltzer needs to be room temperature not out of the fridge.

amother

Springgreen

Fri, Feb 16 2024, 3:29 pm

amother OP wrote:

Oh I got it.
Thanks for clarifying. I think it was clear, but my comprehension was lacking a bit.

My first language isn’t English, it’s German. (Not Yiddish , real German)

I feel like I know you. Are you swiss? Is your oldest a boy?
I live in BP. Could we have been colleagues about 2 years ago?

amother

Lily

Fri, Feb 16 2024, 3:33 pm

amother OP wrote:

Oil? I keep reading water
Maybe you mean both?

It’s because you’re mixing up my posts and hers. I use water, she uses oil. Try both and let us know which you liked better. Very Happy

amother

Fri, Feb 16 2024, 3:35 pm

amother Springgreen wrote:

I feel like I know you. Are you swiss? Is your oldest a boy?
I live in BP. Could we have been colleagues about 2 years ago?

I’m Austrian.
I don’t live in BP but my oldest is a boy.

I own my own business, so I don’t think that’s me.
But hey- I’m open to saying hi anyway.

amother

Lily

Fri, Feb 16 2024, 3:37 pm

Einikel wrote:

I do it all the time in a 9x13. It comes out delicious

I think I’m not writing clearly (and my first language is English) because I managed to confuse both you and op.
A 9 X 13 pan of kugel can be overnighted. It’ll be delicious. If you serve some of the kugel fresh and then want to overnight whatever kugel is left, it’s better to put it into a smaller pan, the same size as the leftover kugel, than to overnight the leftover kugel in a pan that’s half empty.

amother

Fri, Feb 16 2024, 3:37 pm

amother White wrote:

Seltzer vs water , ok, there were some recipes with selzter which I will now have to try.
And Yukon. So I will def try your recipe because it has a few components I need to try. Thank you.