Funeral potatoes

{{short description|Potato dish}}{{Infobox food

| name = Funeral potatoes

| image = Funeralpotatoesserving.JPG

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| country = United States

| region = Intermountain West, Midwest

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| type = Hotdish or casserole

| served =

| main_ingredient = Hash browns or cubed potatoes, cheese (cheddar or Parmesan), onions, cream soup (chicken, mushroom, or celery) or cream sauce, sour cream, butter, corn flakes or crushed potato chips

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Funeral potatoes is a potato-based hotdish or casserole, similar to au gratin potatoes, popular in the American Intermountain West and Midwest. It is called "funeral" potatoes because it is commonly served as a side dish during traditional after-funeral dinners, but it is also served at potlucks and other social gatherings, sometimes under different names.

The dish has been associated with members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) because of its popularity among members of the church.

History

According to Epicurious, the dish "emerged in Utah’s Mormon community during the late 19th century". According to NPR, the LDS Relief Society served the dish for organization functions, and it spread within the community.{{Cite web |last=Sanders |first=Ash |date=30 May 2018 |title=Mormon Funeral Potatoes: The Carb-Heavy Meal For The End of The World |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/05/30/613017175/if-it-s-the-end-of-the-world-make-sure-funeral-potatoes-are-on-the-table |website=NPR}} Recipes can be found in multiple Relief Society cookbooks dating to the early 20th century.{{Cite web |last=Stein |first=Joshua David |date=23 November 2017 |title=Utah’s Funeral Potatoes: A Classic Cheesy Casserole to Enjoy While You’re Still Alive |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/utahs-funeral-potatoes-a-classic-cheesy-casserole-to-enjoy-while-youre-still-alive-1511361725 |website=Wall Street Journal}} By the mid-20th century recipes called for convenience foods.{{Cite web |last=Seariac |first=Hanna |date=2022-10-20 |title=Funeral potatoes made it into an Iowa museum |url=https://www.deseret.com/2022/10/20/23413492/funeral-potatoes-recipe/ |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}

Because of its reliance on calorie-laden inexpensive convenience foods often stored by members of the church, the dish could be produced quickly, cheaply, and in large amounts, making it a common choice for occasions where large numbers were expected.{{Cite web |last=Seariac |first=Hanna |date=2023-01-31 |title=Funeral potatoes: A history of the Latter-day Saint staple |url=https://www.deseret.com/faith/2022/5/24/23139784/funeral-potatoes-a-history-of-the-latter-day-saint-staple-utah-food-recipes-cheese-cornflakes/ |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=Deseret News |language=en}} It is common for families to store a casserole dish of funeral potatoes in order to have it on hand if needed.

Ingredients

File:Funeral potatoes after baking.jpg

The dish is similar to potatoes gratin or au gratin potatoes.{{Cite web |last=Pugh |first=Jeremy |date=2024-10-17 |title=Utah Lore: Funeral Potatoes |url=https://www.saltlakemagazine.com/utah-funeral-potatoes/ |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=Salt Lake Magazine |language=en-US}}

The dish usually consists of hash browns or cubed potatoes, cheese (cheddar or Parmesan), onions, cream soup (chicken, mushroom, or celery) or a cream sauce, sour cream, and a topping of butter with corn flakes or crushed crackers or potato chips.{{cite book | last = Schechter | first = Harold | title = The Whole Death Catalog: A Lively Guide to the Bitter End | year = 2009 | publisher = Random House, Inc | isbn = 978-0-345-49964-6 | page = [https://archive.org/details/wholedeathcatalo0000sche/page/131 131] | url = https://archive.org/details/wholedeathcatalo0000sche/page/131 }}{{citation |last=Cannon |first=Ann |title=Funeral foods should feature spuds, please |date=January 11, 2009 |newspaper=Deseret News |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705276685,00.html |access-date=October 29, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212200742/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705276685,00.html |archive-date=February 12, 2009 |url-status=dead}} Ingredients in some variations include cubed baked ham, frozen peas, or broccoli florets.{{Citation needed|date=February 2012}}

Popularity

The dish is commonly served at social occasions and potlucks and in certain areas is an expected inclusion at funeral receptions in the Jell-O Belt.{{cite book |last1=Prues |first1=Don |title=Writer's Guide to Places |last2=Heffron |first2=Jack |publisher=Writer's Digest Books |year=2003 |isbn=978-1-58297-169-8 |location=Cincinnati |page=325}}{{cite book |last=Thursby |first=Jacqueline S. |url=https://archive.org/details/funeralfestivals00thur/page/81 |title=Funeral Festivals in America: rituals for the living |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |year=2006 |isbn=0-8131-2380-1 |page=[https://archive.org/details/funeralfestivals00thur/page/81 81] |url-access=registration}} It is also popular as a side dish at other holiday gatherings in certain areas. The dish is most commonly known in the American Intermountain West and Midwest.{{Cite web |last=Rice |first=Jenn |date=27 September 2022 |title=The Best Places to Eat 'Mormon Funeral Potatoes,' One of the Greatest American Triumphs |url=https://www.foodandwine.com/travel/mormon-funeral-potatoes-where-to-eat |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=Food & Wine |language=en}} A similar dish is known in the American South.

The dish has sometimes been associated with the LDS Church, and with the state of Utah in general, because of its popularity among members of the church.{{cite news |last=Ravitz |first=Jessica |date=February 5, 2012 |title=Crossing the plains and kicking up dirt, a new LDS pioneer |url=http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/05/crossing-the-plains-and-kicking-up-dirt-a-new-mormon-pioneer/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190510143056/http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/05/crossing-the-plains-and-kicking-up-dirt-a-new-mormon-pioneer/ |archive-date=May 10, 2019 |access-date=February 6, 2012 |website=CNN.com}} During the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, one of the souvenir collector pins featured a depiction of funeral potatoes.{{citation |first= Valerie |last= Phillips |url= https://www.deseret.com/2002/2/6/20704070/there-s-green-jell-o-on-your-lapel/ |title= There's green Jell-O on your lapel... | newspaper= Deseret News |date= February 6, 2002 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20031006033040/http://deseretnews.com/oly/view/0,3949,70000029,00.html| archive-date= 2003-10-06 |url-status= live }}{{cite book|last1=Wilkinson|first1=Daniel|title=PIN, FUNERAL POTATOES|url=https://dp.la/item/fca081a2cbab34f5699ede8068361a9d?q=funeral%20potatoes|website=Digital Public Library of America|access-date=17 January 2016|archive-date=25 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181025032002/https://dp.la/item/fca081a2cbab34f5699ede8068361a9d?q=funeral%20potatoes|url-status=live}}

Other names

In Texas the dish is known as Texas potatoes.{{Cite web |last=Stewart |first=Kayla |date=2023-11-06 |title=It’s Not Thanksgiving in Texas Without Funeral Potatoes |url=https://www.epicurious.com/recipes-menus/thanksgiving-needs-texas-potatoes?utm_term=recipe-lead&noapp=true&utm_source=nl&utm_brand=epi&utm_mailing=EPI_CTN_110424&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&bxid=644939f429ec2f012f025c63&cndid=73692771&hasha=83ca7c5a35c6f999e636cee11c09df0c&hashb=2b6033ed7f6b678ac4a6d4c59157a19fd1536a87&hashc=9aa116bf95240d8e6c60bcbdab2b8787fcc5cc287c199901728a6c1cb7419197&esrc=MARTECH_ORDERFORM |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=Epicurious |language=en-US}} It is also known as Mormon funeral potatoes, or Relief Society Potatoes.{{Cite web |title=Relief Society Potatoes |url=https://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/804/Relief-Society-Potatoes84708.shtml}} The dish, or similar casseroles, is also known by other names.{{citation |title=Easter dinner planned in Iron River |date=April 7, 2018 |newspaper=Iron Mountain Daily News |url=http://www.ironmountaindailynews.com/lifestyles/life/2018/03/easter-dinner-planned-in-iron-river/ |access-date=April 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727024453/http://www.ironmountaindailynews.com/lifestyles/life/2018/03/easter-dinner-planned-in-iron-river/ |archive-date=July 27, 2018 |url-status=live}} In Iowa they are known as party potatoes.