# Potatoes



## b2pcoil (Dec 7, 2014)

Hi all.
What's the best way to prepare mashed potatoes? Cook them, or bake them?
Thanks, b2pcoil


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## Kayelle (Dec 8, 2014)

For mashed potatoes, most people boil them. Most of us would be happy to give further instructions if you want, you only need to respond.


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## CWS4322 (Dec 8, 2014)

Welcome to DC! Most boil the potatoes for mashed potatoes (I prefer not to peel them, but I grow my own potatoes). I have taken day-old baked potatoes and added those to mashed potatoes the next day. Which reminds me, I have to make a big pot of mashed potatoes for lefse and pirogies this week! Those potatoes I will peel.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Dec 8, 2014)

Smashed spuds - Peel and dice 4 large russet or Yukon Gold potatoes.  Put into a pot and cover with water.  Add 1 tbs. salt.  Boil until tender (about 20 minutes).  Drain.  Add 4 tbs. salted butter and mash.  Add 1/4 cup whole milk and mash until smooth.  Do now whip as it makes the potatoes gummy.  If you like your mashed potatoes a little chunky, don't mash quite as much, or reserve a half cup before mashing, then add to the mashed potatoes.  Add salt to taste and mix in.  Serve hot.

2nd method - Mashed potatoes in the skin.  Bake the potatoes until cooked through (about 45 minutes at 375 'F.  Remove from the oven and let cool a bit.  Cut in half across the width of the potato.  Turn on end and add a generous pat of butter on top.  Use a fork to push the butter into the potato meat until it is all mixed in.  Add a tbs. or whole milk to the top of the potato and stir in.  You now have mashed potato in the skin.  This style of mashed potato has more potato flavor than does the boiled potatoes.

Twice baked potatoes - Bake potatoes, cut in half, and remove the potato meat from the skins, taking care not to damage the skins.  Add butter, salt, and evaporated milk to the potato meat and mash until smooth.  Spoon back into the potato skins and bake for 15 minutes more in a 375'F oven to lightly brown the top.  Serve with chopped chives and butter.

Technique #4 -  For an alternative to mashed potatoes, boil the spuds with the skin on.  This protects the potato flavor.  When done through, remove the skins with a spoon.  Place the potato meat into a ricer and rice the potatoes.  Lightly salt and serve with softened butter.

To technique #4, add butter, salt, and milk.  Mash for the creamiest, lump free mashed potatoes ever.

For added flavor in all of the above, roast a head of garlic in the oven until tender.  Mash the garlic and mix into the potato mash.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Zhizara (Dec 8, 2014)

I always boil cut up potatoes in _salted_ water, and then mash them.


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## GLC (Dec 8, 2014)

I would direct you up to Chief Windy's #4. Note that he says to rice them. If you don't know what a ricer is, it is a press that forces potato through a screen of small holes. It is a preferred alternative to mashing. And beating or blending should be avoided. When potatoes are taken to high temperature by boiling, the starch packets become altered and delicate. At that point, if the potato is mashed roughly the starch packets break, and the mash gets an unpleasant glue-like texture. The ricer minimizes the damage. There is a way to stabilize the starch first, but it's significantly more time consuming, so the ricer is the best bet. And the roast garlic - definitely.


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## jennyema (Dec 8, 2014)

I boil my potatoes and use an old fashioned masher and they come out perfect every time.  The potatoes are just a bit lumpier.  I mash the butter in first, then stir in the milk.

I have made disgusting gluey potatoes when I used a hand mixer, though.


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## Dawgluver (Dec 8, 2014)

I do the same as Jenny, and they turn out great.  No electric hand mixer.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 8, 2014)

+3 for boiling in salted water and mashing.


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## Addie (Dec 8, 2014)

I warm up the milk before adding it to the potatoes.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Dec 8, 2014)

Try this and you will never make mashed potatoes any other way:


*Mashed Potatoes*

_Ingredients:_

·        2 pounds of new potatoes
·        ¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
·        2 tsp minced garlic 
·        2 Tbs Premium Organic Extra Virgin finishing olive oil infused with the natural flavor & aroma of Kalamata olives 
·        2 Tbs vegetable broth***
·        Salt and ground black pepper to taste

_Instructions:_

Place the potatoes in a large pot and add enough water to cover them by 2 inches. Boil the potatoes for about 15 minutes, until a paring knife inserted into a potato meets no resistance. Drain the potatoes, then squeeze them through a potato ricer into a bowl, discarding the skin.

Add the garlic, Parmigiano or Romano cheese, Amoretti Olive Oil and broth to the potatoes and stir until combined. Season with salt and pepperto taste.

*Note:* The vegetable broth can be replaced with the broth of the meat you are serving with the mashed potatoes, such as chicken broth, beef broth, turkey broth, etc.


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## Roll_Bones (Dec 10, 2014)

I used a ricer for years.  I always hated the lumps.
Recently i was presented a hand held masher.  The same kind my mother had.
I boil the potato's, drain in the hot pot I boiled them in and mash with warmed milk and real butter. My wife likes to add a couple heaping tbls's mayo.
Then I whip them a bit more with a fork.
One pan, no ricer to clean and good.
I will never go back.
BTW. A few lumps do not bother me now.  The simplicity overrides any need for lump free mashed potato's.


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## Janet H (Dec 10, 2014)

jennyema said:


> I boil my potatoes and use an old fashioned masher and they come out perfect every time.  The potatoes are just a bit lumpier.  I mash the butter in first, then stir in the milk.
> 
> I have made disgusting gluey potatoes when I used a hand mixer, though.



I have found over the years that the key to perfect mashed potatoes is to leave out the milk and use the boiling liquid instead. The milk is responsible for the occasional gluey texture.

Russet potatoes, peeled and boiled in salted water, mostly drained and mashed.
Butter, Mayo (yup - I agree it's weird but it's also awesome), a little dried mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Add enough of the reserved boiling liquid to get the right consistency.

I also use an old school masher


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## GotGarlic (Dec 10, 2014)

Janet H said:


> I have found over the years that the key to perfect mashed potatoes is to leave out the milk and use the boiling liquid instead. The milk is responsible for the occasional gluey texture.



I had gluey mashed potatoes when I was young and used my electric mixer or food processor for mashing the potatoes. Then I learned that those methods release starch from within the cells of the potatoes and cause the gluiness. For years now, I warm up the milk in the microwave and use a potato masher and they come out perfectly. 

I'm sure your method is great, but the milk is not the source of the problem.


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## jennyema (Dec 10, 2014)

Janet H said:


> I have found over the years that the key to perfect mashed potatoes is to leave out the milk and use the boiling liquid instead. The milk is responsible for the occasional gluey texture.
> 
> Russet potatoes, peeled and boiled in salted water, mostly drained and mashed.
> Butter, Mayo (yup - I agree it's weird but it's also awesome), a little dried mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add enough of the reserved boiling liquid to get the right consistency.
> ...


 

I cook for someone with a dairy allergy so I use the cooking water and smart balance for hers and butter milk for mine and they come out exactly the same every time.

IMO gluey mashed spuds stems from how you physically process them.


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## Cooking Goddess (Dec 10, 2014)

I usually do the boil/drain/mash by hand (with my Mom's old masher). However, a while back I had something in the oven that needed more than an hour of roasting time. I was also roasting potatoes to go with dinner than night, so I tossed a few more in to use for mashed potatoes later in the week. Big difference in texture! The were fluffier and definitely had more "potato" flavor. I still boil and mash, but I do still bake for mashing later if the oven is going to be on.


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## Farmer Jon (Dec 11, 2014)

I boil with the peeling on. Wife don't like the peeling and since she cooks most of the time she gets her way. BUT I get the peelings and fry them in butter or bacon grease or lard whatever is handy at the time. MMMM good. She peels with a knife instead of a peeler so knowing Im gonna fry them she peels them a little thicker for me. 
 I like my mash taters lumpy and mashed with a masher. Wife likes them creamy and uses a hand held mixer.


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## Farmer Jon (Dec 11, 2014)

jennyema said:


> I cook for someone with a dairy allergy so I use the cooking water and smart balance for hers and butter milk for mine and they come out exactly the same every time.
> 
> IMO gluey mashed spuds stems from how you physically process them.




My boy in the profile pic has dairy allergies. He loves taters. We found dairy free butter and use almond milk to make his mashed potatoes. IT taste funny to us but to him it delicious.


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## Roll_Bones (Dec 11, 2014)

Janet H said:


> I have found over the years that the key to perfect mashed potatoes is to leave out the milk and use the boiling liquid instead. The milk is responsible for the occasional gluey texture.
> 
> Russet potatoes, peeled and boiled in salted water, mostly drained and mashed.
> Butter, Mayo (yup - I agree it's weird but it's also awesome), a little dried mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Add enough of the reserved boiling liquid to get the right consistency.
> ...



I thought it was only my wife that put mayo in mashed potato's. 
I like the idea regarding the boiling liquid.  Do they get as creamy with water instead of milk?
Nutmeg?  I never use it and I think I am missing out on something here.
Where can i get whole nutmeg? I don't remember seeing it anywhere.  But I was not looking either.  Do you use a plane grater for the nutmeg?
I see they have a container that serves as a grater too?



Cooking Goddess said:


> I usually do the boil/drain/mash by hand (with my Mom's old masher). However, a while back I had something in the oven that needed more than an hour of roasting time. I was also roasting potatoes to go with dinner than night, so I tossed a few more in to use for mashed potatoes later in the week. Big difference in texture! The were fluffier and definitely had more "potato" flavor. I still boil and mash, but I do still bake for mashing later if the oven is going to be on.



We discussed this last time we had mashed potato's. Sounds reasonable that roasted potato's would retain more potato flavor and should whip up nicely.
Next time its your way!  Thanks


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## CWS4322 (Dec 11, 2014)

Here's a link re: different types of potatoes and their uses:


Potato Types and Varieties - Harvest to Table


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