Perfect Mashed Potatoes, Mashed Potato Recipe

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Recipe and photo courtesy of the U.S. Potato Board.

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?

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Perfect Mashed Potatoes

1 1/3 pounds (4 medium) 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 ½ 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.

Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Frequent question asked by readers:

Question:
What causes mashed potatoes to become gooey and how can I prevent this from happening?

Question:
Help! I've been making mashed potatoes all my life and have never had the problem I had today. I just made 5 pounds of mashed potatoes, using a ricer, and for the first time ever I ended up with gluey mashed potatoes. My ingredients were identical to what I always have used (potatoes, melted butter, scalded milk, salt and pepper) but as soon as I added the butter to the riced potatoes, the potatoes became gluey. I tried to save them by using a blender and thinning with the milk but the problem intensified. Is there any way to save the potatoes or do I have to start over? Please answer as soon as possible. I have company coming tomorrow for dinner and time is of the essence.

Answers:

Russet potatoes make the best mashed potatoes. Peel them and cut into equal-sized pieces. Boil and drain.
Dry over low heat for a few minutes. Mash with a potato masher, potato ricer, or an electric beaters. Do this very quickly so the potatoes will remain hot.

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.

Add one tablespoon butter (more or less if you like) for each two potatoes, and salt to your taste. Beat until the butter is melted. Then add milk or light cream that has been heated but not brought to a boil (if you add cold liquid, the potatoes will be cold and gummy). Beat the liquid into the potatoes to make a smooth, fluffy mixture. Add only enough liquid to make the mixture smooth, about one tablespoon for each potato. Do not over beat. they should be soft and moist, but firm enough to hold their shape.
All this should be done as quickly as possible so the potatoes never have a chance to get cold - that is the secret of delicious mashed potatoes!