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How To Make Mashed Potatoes
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This mashed potato recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving. This recipe is classic, simple, and perfectly fits the season. What could go better with Turkey than cranberry sauce and some mashed potatoes? Find out about Potato Hints, Tips, and Information, Sweet Potato Tips or History of Potatoes or more great Potato Recipes. For a great holiday mashed potato recipe, check out Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes. Perfect Mashed Potatoes
1 1/3 pounds (4 medium) Russett
potatoes, peeled
and
cut into 1-inch chunks
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened 1/2 to 2/3 cup hot milk or cream In large saucepan, combine 5 cups water, potatoes, and 1 teaspoon of the salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from heat and drain potatoes thoroughly in colander. Return to saucepan; heat over medium-low heat approximately 1 to 2 minutes to dry potatoes, stirring occasionally. In saucepan, mash potatoes with a potato masher, potato ricer, fork, or beat with electric hand mixer until chunky. Stir in butter, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup of the hot milk. Add additional milk, a little at a time, if necessary, for desired consistency. Season to taste with additional salt, if desired. I personally use a potato ricer when making mashed potatoes. Using a potato ricer, you can make velvety smooth mashed potatoes right at home because potatoes come out fluffy without being gummy. Once you use the potato rice, you will never go back to the old traditional potato masher. If you don't have one and would like to purchase a potato ricer, check out What's Cooking America's Kitchen Store. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.
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Note: Gluey or gooey mashed potatoes are caused by vigorous over mashing, as anyone who has tried to make the side dish in a food processor can attest. When potatoes are boiled, their starch granules swell. If those granules are broken too vigorously, the cells release copious quantities of starch, resulting in a potatoes with the consistency of wallpaper paste. NEVER use a blender or food processor to make mashed potatoes. There are starch packets inside the potato cells and the blender blades rip right through them, releasing the starch and this makes the potatoes into library paste. The cells of the potato flesh contain a very fine starch. Mashing gently leaves most of the cells intact. Processing in a blender or a Food Processor acts like a cell homogenizer and releases all that starch into the liquid. Adding any liquid early just makes the process more efficient.
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