http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x50588Oh my.
wildflower (1000+ posts) Wed Nov-26-08 08:55 PM
Original message
Can we talk about mashed potatoes?
Do you use a masher? A ricer? Beaters? Do you add milk? Butter? How do you like to season it?
I'm always looking for the best mashed potatoes recipe. I've tried doing them several different ways.
Sometimes mine come out too liquidy (too much milk), sometimes gluey (too much beating), and everything in between.
And what's your position on garlic in them, especially for Thanksgiving? Yes or no?
Tomorrow I'm thinking of using less milk than I did last time, a masher, salt and pepper, and a little butter
wakemeupwhenitsover (1000+ posts) Wed Nov-26-08 09:07 PM
Response to Original message
1. I have the best luck when I boil them in their jackets then when they're cool enough to handle put them through the ricer then add butter, then heated milk, salt & pepper. It hurts though, because the potatoes still need to be pretty hot before they're peeled. I usually manage to burn at least one finger.
pengillian101 (350 posts) Wed Nov-26-08 10:36 PM
Response to Reply #1
6. I usually manage to burn at least one finger.
Hey, I forgot about how good a ricer is for making mashed potatoes!
Why can't you rice a boiled potato with skin-on and forget peeling them? That skin ain't going through those itty bitty ricer holes. Just a thought. I've only used a ricer years ago making lefse and occasionally mashed potatos. Wish I could FIND my ricer that my grandmother used. It looked like this except for its color.
after which a photograph of something that looks really stupid
The warped primitive, who's been disappointing lately, doesn't disappoint this time:
Warpy (1000+ posts) Wed Nov-26-08 09:21 PM
Response to Original message
2. I've never owned a ricer and I've tried a food mill with limited success, along with hand mixers, stand mixers, and all sorts of other gadgets.
What I've come back to is an old fashioned heavy wire potato masher. I mash them lightly, then add a little heavy cream and a little sour cream, salt and pepper, and anything else I'm throwing in for that particular dinner. I then use the masher to mash, mix and serve.
Yes, there are a few small lumps that way, but that's how my guests know they're real potatoes, not those crummy dehydrated things.
grasswire (1000+ posts) Wed Nov-26-08 09:24 PM
Response to Original message
3. here is the secret to mashed potatoes
Do not boil your potatoes. Simmer them. Boiling allows them to develop a wet outer layer that sheds into mush. Peel them, put in cold salted water, bring to a boil and then adjust to a simmer.
Next critical thing: as soon as they are fork tender, drain off the hot water and return the pan of potatoes to the burner for a moment or two to dry the potatoes. This makes a huge difference.
Then you can mash them with whatever. Beating makes them gluey, as you say.
I mash them with a lot of butter, some sour cream, some cream.
If I am serving them with beef, I add a spoonful of horseradish. I learned that trick from an airline chef.
wildflower (1000+ posts) Wed Nov-26-08 10:34 PM
Response to Reply #3
5. I heard somewhere that beaters would make them "fluffy as air"
Plus it would remove lumps. Well, it removed the lumps all right. I used the result to put up some lovely wallpaper.
I'm sticking to a masher this year.
On edit: I forgot to thank you for the tip on simmering vs. boiling. And thank you to everyone else for your tips you've posted here.
The warped primitive's good, but as usual, Grandma's even better:
hippywife (1000+ posts) Wed Nov-26-08 09:52 PM
Response to Original message
4. I put the butter in the pan with the drained potatoes and mash with an old heavy wire masher. I add yogurt a little at a time til they are the right consistency, salt and pepper.
If it's not a traditional dinner such as tomorrow, I like to add parmesan cheese and garlic.
wildflower (1000+ posts) Thu Nov-27-08 12:32 AM
Response to Reply #4
9. "til they are the right consistency"
I think that is my problem. I don't know why but I never seem to get the consistency right. I really need to add the other ingredients to the potatoes a little at a time, as you say, instead of eyeballing it and adding a bunch (a method which, oddly enough, serves me quite well in cooking and baking).
shanti (1000+ posts) Wed Nov-26-08 10:53 PM
Response to Original message
7. my garlic mashed potatoes
*only use white or yellow potatoes, russets (brown) are too mealy
- peel and quarter them with about 3 cloves of chopped garlic
- and boil in salted water until fork tender
- drain and throw a chunk of butter in (more is better, lol)
- mash with masher, adding the rest of the evaporated milk from my pumpkin pie, plus milk or half and half. i only add enough to get to the consistency i like and i don't mind a few lumps.
AZDemDist6 (1000+ posts) Wed Nov-26-08 11:19 PM
Response to Original message
8. try using sour cream instead of milk
we love them like that!
Sour cream is great with everything, not just potatoes.
franksolich even puts sour cream on Valentino's most-excellent pizza, and in cornflakes.
There isn't anything sour cream doesn't go with.
Well, maybe putting it with green bean casserole might ruin the sour cream.
Mind_your_head (1000+ posts) Thu Nov-27-08 03:59 AM
Response to Reply #8
11. I've used sour cream AND milk
I don't think sour cream ALONE (in place of milk) would generate the type of creaminess that mashed potatoes require.
Mind_your_head (1000+ posts) Thu Nov-27-08 03:55 AM
Response to Original message
10. Butter, salt, milk (and potatoes, of course).....that is all
One can ALWAYS add more salt, milk to affect the flavor and consistency....but you can't take it out. Butter, is 'always there', (and will be noticable by it's absence) but butter is pretty 'forgiving' in terms of how much one chooses to put in to their mashed potatoes.
