Mashed Potato Theory 101

[Grub]

The instant stuff is perfectly fine, if that's what you're used to -- what you grew up with, I mean. You can get used to just about anything... I only make it from scratch now; it's been years since I used the mix. But instant and scratch-made are so different in texture, it's almost as if they are different foods altogether. The instant stuff almost has a porrige-like texture or something...

Speaking of instant mixes and primitive cooking... Before I started taking cooking seriously, I used the instant mashed tater mix all the time... I only recognized two types of mixes: the ones that required milk, and the ones that didn't. I don't drink milk, so I never kept it around except if a recipe speficially required it as an ingredent -- then it would just be left to go bad. So whenever I came across a mix that didn't require milk, that was like SCORE! And I'd stock up big time. Oh man, those were bad days for my cooking...

... Then she topped them with carmelized onions and baked them to brown the top. They were the second best part of the meal ...

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Hey that sounds like a pretty good idea. I'll have to try that.

[Simon_S]

Am I alone in not making mashed potatoes with milk? I generally just throw in a knob of butter, salt and mash them like the dickens. I have been known to leave out the butter altogether if stuck. It's reasonably well-known that Irish people like their potatoes "floury" rather than "soapy", and in truth I quite like a bit of that flouriness to stay in the texture of mashed spuds.

Incidentally, I agree with Jenny -- mashed potatoes were a staple part of growing up for me. I still remember the sound of the potatoes being mashed in the kitchen, and the effect it would have on my brother and I. Once we heard that, dinner was close...!

Si

[prasantrin]

When I was very young, I thought I hated mashed potatoes because the only mashed potatoes I'd ever had were instant (same goes for stuffing, cranberry sauce, and mac and cheese). We very rarely had mashed potatoes--it was strictly a Thanksgiving thing. But I think my dad had fond memories of mashed potatoes from when he lived in Virginia, and instant suited him just fine for that once-a-year craving.

[demiglace]

I've worked in kitchens that had a big ole box of instant mashed for that...OOPS! moment when someone adds too much milk to the mashed. Drys them right up...

[Catriona]

Am I alone in not making mashed potatoes with milk? I generally just throw in a knob of butter, salt and mash them like the dickens. I have been known to leave out the butter altogether if stuck. It's reasonably well-known that Irish people like their potatoes "floury" rather than "soapy", and in truth I quite like a bit of that flouriness to stay in the texture of mashed spuds.

Incidentally, I agree with Jenny -- mashed potatoes were a staple part of growing up for me. I still remember the sound of the potatoes being mashed in the kitchen, and the effect it would have on my brother and I. Once we heard that, dinner was close...!

Si

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Think it must be an Irish thing!

Although French husband is also an expert (one of the very few things he cooks - how did I get the only non-cooking frenchman?)

Mashed potatoes is one of the best cooking smells. And add to that the fact that leftover mash = fish pie for supper the next day (with Prawns for Treats a la Two Fat Ladies)... mmm.

[Jenny McClure]

Am I alone in not making mashed potatoes with milk? I generally just throw in a knob of butter, salt and mash them like the dickens. I have been known to leave out the butter altogether if stuck. It's reasonably well-known that Irish people like their potatoes "floury" rather than "soapy", and in truth I quite like a bit of that flouriness to stay in the texture of mashed spuds.

Incidentally, I agree with Jenny -- mashed potatoes were a staple part of growing up for me. I still remember the sound of the potatoes being mashed in the kitchen, and the effect it would have on my brother and I. Once we heard that, dinner was close...!

Si

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Think it must be an Irish thing!

Although French husband is also an expert (one of the very few things he cooks - how did I get the only non-cooking frenchman?)

Mashed potatoes is one of the best cooking smells. And add to that the fact that leftover mash = fish pie for supper the next day (with Prawns for Treats a la Two Fat Ladies)... mmm.

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Yeap just butter and lots of seasoning. The potatoes are just mashed with a simple potato masher, no ricer, mixer, etc. So simple so good!!

[cakewalk]

Kosher mashed potatoes - scoff all you will, but with  margarine (or schmaltz) and some chicken stock you can enjoy some good fleishig mashed potatoes.

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Duck fat is pretty good, too.

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Oh for sure they're good. (I never met a potato preparation I didn't like.) But I guess I don't consider them "real" mashed potatoes. Well, call them whatever you like, I'll still eat them.

[MissAmy]

We ate lots and lots of mashed potatoes growing up, but they were NEVER peeled. Later on, I found out this was pretty unusual.

My mother always made a "baked potato casserole" that I still love beyond all reason today. It's just potatoes mashed with sour cream, butter, garlic salt, crumbled up bacon, the tops of green onions or chives, and pepper. You put that into a casserole dish, top with lots of grated cheddar cheese and bake until warm and bubbly. It's so simple and home-style but I really love it. I just wish I could serve it and eat it more often without being made fun of.

[patticky]

How about colcannon? But I don't stop with mixing cabbage into mashed potatoes. I also love it with corn and other vegetables. I think it's another great comfort food.

[jgm]

Here are my methods and tips:

Use russet potatoes. Peel and cut into 1" cubes. Water to cover in a saucepan.

You can prepare them to this point early in the day and leave them until nearly ready to eat.

About 15 to 20 minutes after the boiling begins, they're ready. Drain them and put them back into the hot pan; you want as much water to evaporate out of them as possible. Jeffrey Steingarten actually puts them on a baking sheet and puts them in the oven for a few minutes, but I don't go to that much trouble.

I love my ricer. I have arthritis in my wrists and hands, and it's easier for me to use the ricer than a masher. Before I start this process, I put about 3/4 cup of milk in a measuring cup, add about a tablespoon of butter, and nuke that for about a minute and a half; it just needs to be warm. Before adding milk and butter, sprinkle the mound of riced potatoes with salt. Stir in the milk, adding only as much as you need to get the consistency you want. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

[mizducky]

I confess to occasionally making the following late-night bastardized "mashed" potato thang:

--Microwave potatoes (unpeeled, but skins pierced liberally) till well done

--Break open and mash a bit, breaking up the skins but still leaving lots of lumps

--Cover with thin slices of cheddar or similar cheese

--Nuke again till cheese is well melted

--Mash some more until cheese and potatoes are well combined

--Inhale as soon as it's cool enough not to scorch your mouth

Nuked cheese tends to get a bit oily, but the potatoes happily absorb all. This works with most any kind of potatoes, not just the starchy varieties usually recommended for mashing.

[Aileen]

I grew up eating both "real" mashed potatoes and instant. A favorite after-school snack for me was a bowl of instant mashed potatoes, eaten with my fingers (only when my mom wasn't around, she frowned on my eating-with-my-fingers habit). I still love both kinds, although they are very different. The only thing I can't stand is mashed potatoes with the skins - yuck.

[Toliver]

This is familiar ground. Mom loved flakes (remember Potato Buds?)....

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Potato Buds.

Word.

Grew up eating them. Not bad if you've never had the real thing (insert something here about shadows on the cave wall & Plato).

We didn't do real mashed potatoes unless it was a holiday and you were going whole-hog, so to speak, with everything else so why not go through the bother of making real mashed 'taters?

In addition to the milk and butter, I'll sometimes add a bit of sour cream and if Mom isn't looking, a little bit of prepared horseradish.

My sister-in-law goes nuts over real mashed potatoes. She and I could eat the entire pot, they're so good. Turkey? What turkey?

[The Old Foodie]

Who would have thought there could be so much variety in the simple mashed potato!

with and without skins

with or without butter, duck fat, chicken fat

with or without milk or sour cream or chicken stock

with or without cheese, caramelised onions, horseradish ..... (insert all other suggested additions here)

forked, potato mashered, or ricered (with or without lumps)

secondarily oven baked and browned on top (or not)

Just to add to the ideas, my son does a mean job with extra virgin olive oil and roasted garlic.

just give me ABI (Anything But Instant) and I'm happy (must be the North of England upbringing).

Janet

[Dave the Cook]

We ate lots and lots of mashed potatoes growing up, but they were NEVER peeled. Later on, I found out this was pretty unusual.

My mother always made a "baked potato casserole" that I still love beyond all reason today. It's just potatoes mashed with sour cream, butter, garlic salt, crumbled up bacon, the tops of green onions or chives, and pepper. You put that into a casserole dish, top with lots of grated cheddar cheese and bake until warm and bubbly. It's so simple and home-style but I really love it. I just wish I could serve it and eat it more often without being made fun of. 

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Who's going to make fun of you here? I myself made something very similar last night: Yukon golds, boiled, then smashed with a little milk and butter. I folded in blue cheese and chopped scallions, then spread them in a buttered gratin dish. A healthy sprinkling of parmesan over the top (which I sculpted roughly, so as to maximize crisping potential), then into the oven until it browned.

[christine007]

I sometimes boil and mash carrots with my spuds. Really good.

And that casserole sounds awesome, Miss Amy, I'm not laughing, I'm drooling.

Edited September 12, 2006 by christine007 (log)

[Hiroyuki]

So, is this a joke thread?    I search this thread for tips and found none.

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This thread is mostly to say telling someone from Ireland that you dont know how to make mashed potatoes is like if your new neighbor said they didnt eat rice.

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Thanks, I didn't know that they were such a staple in many countries.

I ran across this passage while searching:

Dehydrated instant mashed potato mixes are also available, as well as frozen varieties.

from here.

Anyone familiar with frozen varieties? How good are they?

[snowangel]

As everyone gets all hot about mashed potatoes, here are three topics to further seduce you to get out your mashers, ricers, food mills and put those kids to work!

Mashed Potatoes.

While you're at it, get out some grease, and grease up those madeleine pans and make some Potato Madeleines.

Or, get out the muffin tins, make some gravy and go for Molten Masher Muffins.

Elevate that potato. Hmmm. Madeleines or Moltens in pans brushed with duck fat...

[The Old Foodie]

I ran across this passage while searching:

Dehydrated instant mashed potato mixes are also available, as well as frozen varieties.

from here.

Anyone familiar with frozen varieties? How good are they?

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My immediate thought was "how bad are they"?

[emilyr]

Ahhh, A topic near and dear to my heart. We are most cetainly a mashed potato family, and when we're cooking a lot (which unfortunately we aren't right now), MPs show up at least once a week. We love homemade best of all, of course, but with time constraints, we often use premade or boxed. In order of preference, we like, 1) Frozen, 2) Premade/packaged, 3) Boxed, dried flakes. I have to qualify this by saying that the frozen are best, simply becuase they're just frozen, boiled, mashed potatoes. You just defrost them and add the milk, butter, etc. on your own. They just remove the boiling step. And we never just eat rehydrated potatoes plain. We always buy one of the flavored boxes (garlic, sour cream and onion) and add to it - like sour cream and peas or corn, jalepenos and cheddar.

That beings said, my favorite way to make mashed potatoes is to steam them. After peeling and cubing, I add them to the top of a pasta pot, with water underneath, toss in a couple cloves of garlic (we've always done this, and I don't really get potatoes without them), and once the water's boiling, it only takes about 15 minutes to cook about 5 lbs of potatoes through. Not only is it faster, but the potatoes turn out less glue-y, and you can add more of your liquid of choice (chicken stock, milk, cream - depending how "healthy" we're being that day) without worrying about making them too loose. Fresh herbs get tossed in with a generous knob of butter. Parm on top.

At Thanksgiving and Easter we go whole hog and add tons of whatever dairy yumminess is available: Cheeses galore, cream cheese, sour cream, creme fraiche, milk, cream - whatever! Plus, top them with more cheese and butter and bake til golden and bubbly. This is also the only time when we "whip" the potatoes with a mixer. Most of the time we just go after them with a potato masher or a big wooden spoon.

I haven't had MPs in a few months becasuse they're not really what I crave in the summer, but I have made mashed sweet potatoes several times. Steamed, mixed with butter and apple juice, fresh sage mixed in and topped with carmelized onions! So yummy!

[Anna N]

We ate lots and lots of mashed potatoes growing up, but they were NEVER peeled. Later on, I found out this was pretty unusual.

My mother always made a "baked potato casserole" that I still love beyond all reason today. It's just potatoes mashed with sour cream, butter, garlic salt, crumbled up bacon, the tops of green onions or chives, and pepper. You put that into a casserole dish, top with lots of grated cheddar cheese and bake until warm and bubbly. It's so simple and home-style but I really love it. I just wish I could serve it and eat it more often without being made fun of. 

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Thank you, MissAmy - your potato casserole is on the menu for tonight! I surmised that it could be prepped ahead of time and re-heated at the last minute - exactly what I needed.

[santo_grace]

I flipped out the first Thanksgiving that I spent with my stepmother (she wasn't my stepmother then, but was well on her way). I was about 14 and she was going to make instant mashed potatoes. I whined about it and said I would make them if it was too difficult for her. I'm sure my father stayed out of that conversation, but I know he always liked my mother's cooking, so I am sure he was happy to have real potatoes.

I later realized that my step sister thought the potatoes had to be boiled whole so she would start the potatoes about 1.5 hours before dinner. I explained to her that the potatoes could be cut into smaller pieces to speed up the cooking. I blamed it on her mother.

I also remember the sound of the potatoes being made in the kitchen and knowing that dinner would be ready soon.

[Grub]

I sometimes boil and mash carrots with my spuds. Really good.

And that casserole sounds awesome, Miss Amy, I'm not laughing, I'm drooling.

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Hey, you're on to something there! Potatoes + carrots + onions = the Dutch dish "Hutspot," which can be livened up further with parsnips and turnips. Some kale or cabbage, and smoked sausage or bacon for Stamppot... Hmm, anyone know if there's a link between the Dutch Stamppot and Irish Colcannon? They're awful similar...

[edsel]

As everyone gets all hot about mashed potatoes, here are three topics to further seduce you to get out your mashers, ricers, food mills and put those kids to work!

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Don't forget Jack Lang's (Jackal10) eCGI The Potato Primer. The section on pureed (mashed) potatoes runs down the whole "starch retrogradation" thang. It seems weird to cook the potatoes, then cool them, then heat them again. McGee explains it all in detail, but Jack's strictly practical here. Step by step.

(Yes it's worth it. Just ask Steingarten).

[Paul Stanley]

I don't think there's anything peculiar in wanting to know how to make mashed potatoes. They were one of the first things I learned to make as a child. About eight or nine, and fed up with (a) my mother's approach which involved mashing with a fork so that there were loads of lumps and then putting in too much milk so that it was a weird mixture of glue and ... bits and (b) my grandmother's approach which involved the use of margarine. So I learned to make them myself.

Yet for all that experience of making mashed potatoes, they are such temperamental things! For such a simple dish, so much can go wrong. If the potatoes are too new or too waxy, you can't get fluffy mash, but only a sort of gummy paste (a puree, maybe, but not mash). If the potatoes get too wet when they are cooking, then it's watery. If the potatoes are at that nasty sweet stage they sometimes get to late in the season when they've been stored for too long, it's no good. So really good mashed potatoes are partly down to the season and luck, whatever you do. You have to have the right sort of potatoes: for me, fairly floury maincrop potatoes that are not so floury they disintegrate when cooking. You have to cook them just right: if they are not done enough, you will get lumps. If they are over-cooked, you will get grey watery goop. You have to dry them in the pan before you mash them. Then you have to mash them evenly and incorporate just the right amount of butter and milk, which depends on the potato.

The only things I am sure about: plenty of pepper, plenty of butter, the milk should be hot, dry the potatoes off well after draining them, let them stand for a minute or so after adding the milk so that it absorbs properly. The rest can hardly be taught, it can only be learned, and so much depends on individual taste.