Potato Gratin Stacks Recipe | Julie Blanner (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between Augratin potatoes and scalloped potatoes? ›

Au Gratin potatoes contain cheese, whereas Scalloped Potatoes do not. Scalloped potatoes typically contain cream but can also contain flavorful stock instead of dairy. Try our Classic Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe or Classic Scalloped Potatoes Recipe.

But it can be frustrating when the creamy sauce and cheese separate or look curdled. The good news is that the dish tastes just fine, even when it looks a little strange. The curdling is caused by high heat, which is hard to avoid in an oven. So to keep the sauce together, tackle it before the dish goes in the oven.

My sauce is watery

If you stored your potatoes in water to prevent discoloring, be sure to drain them well and pat them dry before adding to your casserole. Some of the waxier potatoes can release more water than starchier ones, so look for good baking potatoes like russet or Yukon golds.

Garten recommends letting the gratin sit for 10 minutes before serving it hot. She also notes that the gratin can be cooked a day ahead and reheated at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, a helpful tip if you want to save some time on Thanksgiving or Christmas.

I love cooking these potatoes in a cast-iron skillet because it gives the potatoes a nice crispy edge and it makes the perfect amount of potatoes.

Surprisingly, aluminum foil is his secret weapon. After beautifully shingling the potatoes (he's got a genius trick for doing this quickly, too) he covers the dish in foil before hitting the oven.

You're probably leaving the peeled potatoes exposed for too long before putting them in the pot. Once peeled, a potato, like an apple or banana, begins to turn color, as certain enzymes start to oxidize. So peel them into a bowl of cold water and leave them there until ready to cook.

Potatoes or rice can remain rock-hard after prolonged cooking. Starch will not swell if it is acidic. If you have a lot of sour cream in your scalloped potatoes or add something acidic, your potatoes may not soften. You can cook the potatoes with heavy cream or milk and then, after they soften, stir in sour cream.

If raw, once the potato is cut you can store in the refrigerator, covered with water for 12-24 hours. Be sure to keep submerged in water to prevent slices from turning gray or brown.

Scalloped potatoes at the very least call for milk, but milk can very easily curdle in the oven and render your cream sauce clumpy and unappetizing. In many cases, curdling is the result of your dairy not containing enough fat to keep the protein molecules from binding to each other and creating clumps.

Is it OK to freeze potato gratin? ›

Scalloped potatoes and potato gratins are ideal for freezing, giving you a jump-start on dinner. It's best to cook the dish until the potatoes are getting tender and starting to brown but are not fully cooked. Cool completely, wrap well and freeze for up to two weeks.

DON'T let your potato sit out in the open at room temperature for over four hours regardless of whether or not it is wrapped in aluminum foil.

Au gratin potatoes are best frozen in individual portion sizes for easy reheating. Large portions of au gratin potatoes can also be frozen, to reheat a low temp oven 300-325 F for 75 minutes usually yields great results.

Scalloped potatoes also won't be as crispy in texture as au gratin. Both are golden brown and creamy, but if it's crispiness and crunchiness you're after, au gratin will probably be your best bet. Either one is sure to be a hit with your dinner guests, but it just depends on what sort of vibe you're going for!

Potatoes gratiné

Sliced raw potatoes may also be baked in a liquid or sauce that steams them and forms a golden crust on top. In the US, the dish is referred to variously as funeral potatoes, potatoes au gratin, scalloped potatoes, or au gratin potatoes.

The phrase au gratin literally means "by grating" in French, or "with a crust," from the verb gratter, "to scrape, scratch, or grate." Definitions of au gratin. adjective. cooked while covered with browned breadcrumbs (and sometimes cheese)

A “gratin” is any dish that is topped with cheese or breadcrumbs mixed with butter, then heated in the oven or under the broiler until brown and crispy, according to The Food Lover's Companion. The term “au gratin” or “gratinée” just refers to anything prepared in that manner.