The perfect mashed potatoes?

[ElizabethB]

I have not made mashed or creamed potatoes in ages. We both like garlic smashed potatoes. Skin on red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into uniform cubes, boiled in salted water with a couple of cloves of smashed garlic, drain. While draining I melt butter in the pot and cook minced garlic just until fragrant, potatoes back in the pot with more butter, cream, Parm R, salt and fresh ground pepper. Stir. Some of the potatoes break up but there are still chunks. Toss in thinly sliced scallions.
G likes it.

 

[ElizabethB]

When one of my nieces was attending the university she and her fiance (now husband) rented a house together. She did not have much experience cooking. For a family gathering she brought a cheesey mashed potato casserole. I did not even have to ask. I knew she had used a mixer. The potatoes were like glue.
She has learned better.

 

[TastyReuben]

If I didn't make mashed potatoes every 10 days or so, I think I'd find myself homeless. That's easily, without even having to consider it, MrsTasty's favorite side dish (or co-main dish .

We had mashed potatoes the night before, and last night. Even though I knew the answer, I asked her, "Hey, I want to use up the rest of that gravy from last night. Are you ok with having mashed po-"

"YES!!!"

 

[Backbay]

If I didn't make mashed potatoes every 10 days or so, I think I'd find myself homeless. That's easily, without even having to consider it, MrsTasty's favorite side dish (or co-main dish .

We had mashed potatoes the night before, and last night. Even though I knew the answer, I asked her, "Hey, I want to use up the rest of that gravy from last night. Are you ok with having mashed po-"

"YES!!!"

Similar to our house - mashed / smashed potatoes could be served every other day and family would not complain. I will admit I have sometimes grabbed the package of Bob Evans mashed potatoes from the refrigerated section at the grocery store as a quick fix for dinner at the end of a work day. While they like homemade better, there really aren't complaints.

 

[TastyReuben]

Similar to our house - mashed / smashed potatoes could be served every other day and family would not complain. I will admit I have sometimes grabbed the package of Bob Evans mashed potatoes from the refrigerated section at the grocery store as a quick fix for dinner at the end of a work day. While they like homemade better, there really aren't complaints.

Instant potato flakes...IDK, maybe they're good for something, like thickening a soup, but that's about it.

The Bob Evans ones you get, I have no problem with those at all, but there's definitely a difference. I also used to buy frozen potato discs, I guess, and just nuke those with milk and they were fine, and I liked the idea that four discs was a serving, so it was easy to count out portions.

 

[medtran49]

You can use instant potato flakes in potato latkes supposedly per a Jewish lady I know (I've never had them though, just talked about making them).

 

[Yorky]

Yep - but I know you normally eat very light during the day and have one main meal. At least, I seem to recall you saying that.

Yes, that is the case now. I blame the heat.

But that hasn't always been the case. When I worked for a living, specifically in UK, it would be a fry up for breakfast (between 09:00 and 10:00) and meat and two veg for dinner (16:00 - 17:00). The working day was usually 06:00 - 19:00.

 

[caseydog]

Uh oh...I probably use more butter than that. As a result, I don't have to use much cream, though. So there's that.


Growing up, we always ate raw potatoes, like a snack food, just a bit of salt. I've never understood why some people think that's strange. Common as muck around here.

My wife loves raw potato as much as cooked, and whenever I'm making potatoes, I have to leave a couple of big slices out for her to munch on. When she has an upset stomach, her go-to home remedy is raw potato.

As to "perfect" mashed potatoes, there are probably as many definitions of that as there are people. I, for one, like very, very lumpy mashed potatoes. I like the difference in texture. Most people would probably taste them, smile politely, then talk about them behind my back!

I also like "rustic" mashed potatoes, with the skins mashed with them. I like the dual textures, too. They are a good side to a rustic protein, like chicken fried steak. I use lots of butter, and a little milk. Gravy if you got it!

I do also like creamy mashed potatoes, they are more of a "fine dining" side. The right mash for the right meal.

CD

 

[rascal]

I mash potatoes after draining then putting pot back on oven to dry any excess water. Then for 4 ppl, I put 150 Gm butter, 100 Gm cheese, 10 ml cream, lots of white pepper. They are delicious. Just like whipped potatoes. morning glory wouldn't eat these. They are good!!

Russ

 

[rascal]

When one of my nieces was attending the university she and her fiance (now husband) rented a house together. She did not have much experience cooking. For a family gathering she brought a cheesey mashed potato casserole. I did not even have to ask. I knew she had used a mixer. The potatoes were like glue.
She has learned better.

I know someone who serves mashed potatoes that are still chunks of dry potato. Yuck.

Russ

 

[Morning Glory]

Instant potato flakes...IDK, maybe they're good for something, like thickening a soup, but that's about it.

You can make gnocchi with instant mash too. Nigella does this. You can also use instant mash in crab cakes and other 'patties'.

 

[Morning Glory]

Judging from the potatoes I weighed last night, that's less than half a russet.

Its the peeled weight, which does make a difference.

 

[CraigC]

I've decided that the perfect mashed potatoes are the ones on my plate within forks reach!

 

[TastyReuben]

Growing up, we didn't have mashed potatoes. We had mashed potatoes and gravy. Always. Always gravy. You just didn't make mashed potatoes and not make gravy. It's one thing, not two things.

After I'd left home and ate at a couple of "nice" restaurants, I learned to never order mashed potatoes in those places without clarifying whether they came with gravy or not.

Mashed potatoes without gravy =
Mashed potatoes with gravy =

Remember when school cafeterias used to serve up instant mashed potatoes with an ice cream scoop, then smash middle in with the back of the scoop to make a little reservoir for the gravy?

 

[MrsDangermouse]

Growing up, we didn't have mashed potatoes. We had mashed potatoes and gravy. Always. Always gravy. You just didn't make mashed potatoes and not make gravy. It's one thing, not two things.

Urgh....I can't stand gravy with mashed potatoes.....they get all sloppy and horrible

I do two types of mash......rustic mash and proper mash.

Rustic mash is skin-on potaoes which are roughly broken down (with either a masher or just the side of a wooden spoon or fork), lots of butter is added, plus salt and pepper. Its nice to mix in chives too. I would probably describe them more as crushed potatoes rather than mashed potatoes.

Proper mash should be as lump free as possible, without going to the extreme of using a sieve or anything! I use an electric masher attachment on my stick blender - its so much easier to get consistent results. Once the potato is mashed I add 10% butter and warm milk (so if you use 450g of raw potatoes you add 45ml of milk and 45g of butter), and of course salt and pepper (preferably white pepper). If I'm feeling particularly luxurious I'll also add 10% cream or creme fraiche too.

The 10% ratio came about following much experimentation trying to balance taste, texture and calories. Also I've found its definitely worth heating the milk slightly because it makes a big difference to the texture: warm milk blends in much more easily and gives a lighter texture.