They will have a better texture if you let them dry a bit after harvesting. All potatoes need to be peeled to prevent possible botulism. The botulism spores are mostly in the peel and just scrubbing is not enough. The varieties you have are good for canning. Potatoes are hot packed, not raw packed. Dry pack ? Do you mean raw pack ? No, not raw packed. Here is a link that might be useful: How to can potatoes.

Packing things hot (pre-cooked and using hot water or hot syrup) isn't the same thing as the term "Hot-pack" (direct from the pot into the jar) as used in NCHFP canning instructions. "Hot-pack" is stipulated only when "Raw-pack" is available as an approved alternative. Many things which are packed hot may be, and often are, cooled over night in the fridge for various purposes and then re-heated before putting in the jars and processed. It is often done with meats, meat broths and stocks, tomato sauces, etc. In the case of sweet potatoes they are packed hot. They just don't need to be peeled hot. Not to mention that you don't burn your hands and that they peel much easier when cooled first. :) But you are right that sometimes the instructions are not really detailed and left to interpretation. It just comes with experience. The water vs. syrup choice is yours. We do some both ways since it depends on how you plan to use them after opening. Dave

I'm still curious about why the meat needed to be sanitized. This reminds me of my dearly departed aunt who was so worried about "germs" that she used to wash her chicken with "just a little" Clorox in the water. We were all scared to death to eat her chicken! Here is what the USDA has to say about washing meat and poultry: Washing Meat and Poultry Washing raw poultry, beef, pork, lamb, or veal before cooking it is not recommended. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry juices can be spread to other foods, utensils, and surfaces. We call this cross-contamination. Some consumers think they are removing bacteria and making their meat or poultry safe. However, some of the bacteria are so tightly attached that you could not remove them no matter how many times you washed. But there are other types of bacteria that can be easily washed off and splashed on the surfaces of your kitchen. Failure to clean these contaminated areas can lead to foodborne illness. Cooking (baking, broiling, boiling, and grilling) to the right temperature kills the bacteria, so washing food is not necessary. Using a food thermometer is the only sure way of knowing if your food has reached a high enough temperature to destroy foodborne bacteria. Cook all raw beef and veal steaks, roasts, and chops to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook meat to higher temperatures. Here is a link that might be useful: USDA food safety

Just an update to let you know, a dog forum friend has a Vitamix and she generously put a sweet potato in hers and sent me a video of the output. It's good, better than my +30 year old 4.2 amp GE can do. But not around $500 worth better. It's not completely mushed up either, certainly not what you'd called pureed. I tested mine again, food processor and then on the dog and got acceptable output so I'm saving my money till mine breaks and I have to get a new one. Oh, I did buy a juicer to try as well, on Halloween. A Salton VitaPro. Same output on the sweet potato as the very, very much more expensive Vitamix. However the juice pulp is very wet so it's ok for the dog but not a good juicer. It's going back. Thanks everyone for all your help and suggestions.