Perfect mashed potatoes

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I'm looking for the perfect mashed potato. Russets are fluffy, but can be coarse in texture. White & red rose spuds can be waxy/heavy. are great, but lack that earthy russet flavor.

I'm thinking that potato varieties might be mashed together to balance the texture and flavors.

ha anyone done this and come up with the perfect mashed potato?

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

[SharonT]

I like Yukon Gold potatoes for mashing. Mixing those with Russets... good idea!

[lyndalou]

I think you are on to something, mixing the two. i have always used russets, don't over cook the. I put garlic cloves and onions in with them and then put them through a ricer. Perfect for us, at least.

[CharlieD]

Not sure about "perect" potato, (sorry could not help myself), but I do make perfect mashed potato.

I like Yukon Gold, but will use any white potato, my second choice is baking potato from COSTCO, but not from Sam’s. First and the most important rule of thumb when boiling potato put as little water as possible. The water should barely cover the potatoes, not even completely. Potato hates water. Peel the potatoes, for G-ds sake do not make mashed potato with skin on, brrrrr, dice or quarter it, you do not want too big of a chunk, you want potato to cook fast and evenly, the longer potato is in the water the harder it will be. Put potatoes into cold water add salt, to taste, I usually make 4 quart pot of mashed potatoes, we love leftovers, for that much potatoes I add 1 small to a medium onion, leave the tale and the bottom intact so you can discard at the end, 7-10 cloves garlic and 1 tea spoon full with beef soup mix or if I have stock or soup either beef or chicken I add that, but then you should add less water.
Boil potato till soft, drain and save the water from potato, discard onion and garlic. Add I stick of margarine (or butter) to the pot cover it and shake it really well so all the potato gets covered with it. I use hand mixer, recommend everybody do the same, unless you like lumps (another brrrrr) in your potatoes. Whip the potato and then gradually add the reserved water to get perfect consistency, you’ll have to figure out what it is for you, but not too much. This is actually is a good time to add salt if you did not put enough originally. Add salt to water dissolve and then add to potato. Note: Doesn’t work in reverse. Serve immediately, or if you need to keep it warm wrap the pot in a newspaper and then in the big bath towel. It will keep warm for a long time like that. You’ll love it.

[GLC]

First, i's useful to know how each variety performs when properly cooked for mashing. The key piece of information is that the starch packets in potatoes will, unless properly prepared for it, rupture at high temperature, releasing the starches and making them gummy.

The fix is that these starch packets will stabilize if heated not much more than 165F and cooled. Heat the water to a stable 175F, and add the sliced potatoes, bringing he temperature down to about 165F and holding them there for 20-30 miunutes before cooling in cold water.

They can now be heated to boiling water temperature with the starch modules intact.

All of this can be spoiled by overworking them in mashing. It can be done with a ricer or food mill. Both are more gentle than a potato masher. Oddly, it is this starch structure that means Russets are good for mashing. Reds have low starch and are almost always gluey, for the same reason that they are good salad potatoes because they hold their shape.

So, if you're going to experiment with reds in mashed, the Russets have to be carefully handles so that their starches down break out and aggravate the sticky tendencies of the reds.

Now none of the means reds can't be good "smashed," partially mashed, with cream added. And it dangerous to make broad statements any more, since development of altered varieties is always ongoing, and characteristics change.

[salt and pepper]

The best potatoes for mashing or pureeing, are waxy yellow,Idaho bakers, and russets due to the low moisture and high starch content. And as Lyndaou states, using a ricer before you blend them. I also like to use heavy cream instead of milk,and softened butter. Its also a good idea to place in a hot oven until the steam has escaped.

[4meandthem]

For the perfect mashed pototo just smother them in gravy.

[pacanis]

I'm a big believer in technique over the actual potato used, though redskins will be heavier like mentioned. I always use a hand masher. Mash, lift... mash lift... maybe a swirl or two around the pot to collect anything you missed, but not too many swirls or else you will have whipped potatoes. They will have the consistency of warm pudding if you swirl the masher around like a mixer. IMO nothing makes a fluffier potato than a hand masher (no lumps if done correctly, though not for the feeble). The lifting action aerates them or something. It makes them fluffier anyway.

[Whiskadoodle]

I am increasingly leery of Restaurant "Garlic Mashed Potatoes". It seems this is all that is served Everywhere. My theory is they are made in some big Vat somewhere and delivered for re-heating on premises.
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S & P rec's putting them in the oven to release steam is a good idea. I usually drain them and place back on the burner and bounce the kettle around and watch the steam evaporate. It;s amazing how much water is still contained.

Lately I have been stirring in sour cream with soft butter, no milk. Mostly because I bought a huge container of sour cream. Pretty good.

I use all purpose Idahos and hand mash like Pac's technique. I rice them first if I make a lot of potatoes. Never use an electric mixer on my potatoes !!

[taxlady]

Originally Posted by pacanis

I'm a big believer in technique over the actual potato used, though redskins will be heavier like mentioned. I always use a hand masher. Mash, lift... mash lift... maybe a swirl or two around the pot to collect anything you missed, but not too many swirls or else you will have whipped potatoes. They will have the consistency of warm pudding if you swirl the masher around like a mixer. IMO nothing makes a fluffier potato than a hand masher (no lumps if done correctly, though not for the feeble). The lifting action aerates them or something. It makes them fluffier anyway.

That's how I do mine too. I find that it matters what kind of hand masher one uses, particularly for how much effort it will take.