When making mashed potatoes what do you use and why?

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When making mashed potato what do you use and why?


  • Total voters
    48
  • Poll closed .

CharlieD

Chef Extraordinaire
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Please explain.

Personally, I prefer mixer, I'll use potato masher if need to be, but I would never use potato ricer, and in my opinion, you do not get the right Consistency if you do. It doesn't taste like mashed potato, it doesn't feel like mash potato, it is just not right.
What do you think?
 
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A mixer will never give you a smooth, silky mashed potato. Chunky mashed potatoes are fine for some restaurants but if you serve mashed potatoes with chunks at a fine dining restaurant you'll get reamed.
 
ironchef said:
A mixer will never give you a smooth, silky mashed potato..

I ususally use hand mixer, and in fact it does make the silkiest, smothiest mashed potato ever. There is no way you can do the same thing with plane masher and definitely not with ricer.
restaurant is whole diferent game as they make way more potatoes than one does at home.

p.s. i hate chunks in mas potato, i have walked out from more than one restaraunt because of that.
 
CharlieD said:
I ususally use hand mixer, and in fact it does make the silkiest, smothiest mashed potato ever. There is no way you can do the same thing with plane masher and definitely not with ricer.
restaurant is whole diferent game as they make way more potatoes than one does at home.

p.s. i hate chunks in mas potato, i have walked out from more than one restaraunt because of that.

Ah, you use a hand mixer. I was thinking that you use a stand mixer. You should actually adjust your poll then because I think most people use stand mixers rather than hand mixers to make homemade mash.
 
jennyema said:
I hate completely smooth mashed potatoes. Reminds me of "Potato Buds." I need a few small chunks.:-p
I agree, Jenny. I like a few small chunks, but I don't like "silky" mashed potatoes drenched with butter. Just me though.
 
I use a masher. I really don't like mashed potatoes unless they are filled with chopped onions and garlic.
 
Mashed Potatoes

Hello everyone:
This is Bigjim, I use what ever is handy, masher, mixer whatever, I have
a recipe that my son jesse and I can`t get enough, after mashing the potatoes I add butter and the same amount of mayonaise instead of milk.
or sour cream. It gives it a good flavor and if you want to add your garlic,
or green onions you can still do that. If you like mayonaise just try it one
time and see what I am talking about. I sure love this site because everybody is comming from all over the globe. thats great. take care,
and God Bless.....
 
I grew up in the era when you were a failure if you had lumpy mashed potatoes. Mom was able to make them smooth and that's the, uh huh, uh huh, I like it

I use a ricer because I feel that's the best way to get lump-free mashed potatoes. My mashed potatoes are fluffy and light and still have a potato texture.

With a mixer, you run the risk of making the potatoes gummy if you whip too much.

With a masher you get lumps.
 
i'm a lumpy kinda guy. i use a masher. probably have 5 or 6 different shapes, including a few odd ones from ireland.
i often leave the skin on as well, removing only the larger pieces of skin that get stuck in the masher.

i find mixers make mashed spuds gummy. ricers work well if you're going for smooth.

for additions, i add 2% milk and butter, and a little of the water used to boil the potatoes.

gettin' fancy, i'll add roasted garlic, or chopped scallions, or chives and sour cream, or even chopped boiled cabbage. the ultimate imo is adding some of the water used to boil lobsters, and the meat from the little side legs of the lobster, with a good hunk of butter.
 
Another "chunky" mashed potato fan... I usually use ricers, but sometimes I just squish them with a big fork, too...
 
Depends on what I'm going for - if I want that smooth, silky feel, I use a ricer - once you gently mix in the other ingredients, the consistency is just great! But I also love 'smashed' potatoes, with skins and lumps and all! I'd never use a mixer, even a hand one, because I had that gummy disaster once and vowed never to repeat that one!:cool:
 
I definitely use only a manual potato masher. I like some "texture" to my mashed potatoes & feel that electric mixers just turn them to glue.

But again - to each his own. Everyone is entitled to their own taste. I certainly wouldn't walk out of a restaurant because the mashed potatoes weren't made the way I preferred them at home though.
 
I seem to have tried all methods and have finally opted for a ricer. I like the texture. Quicker and easier than a masher or a hand mixer. And seeing as I must be especially clumsy, much cleaner too. Or am I the only one to have managed to fling potato around the kitchen with a hand mixer?!
 
urmaniac13 said:
Another "chunky" mashed potato fan... I usually use ricers, but sometimes I just squish them with a big fork, too...

I squish them too Urmaniac, whats a ricer?I am sure I'd know if I have used it.
 
Jikoni said:
I squish them too Urmaniac, whats a ricer?I am sure I'd know if I have used it.

This is the potato ricer (in Italian schiacciapatate, = potato press), Jikoni, it looks like sort of giant garlic crusher... actually I use it more to make gnocchi, which is perfect for its purpose!!

img_273820_0_5f117a01773ebf5702719f5705822d08.jpg
 
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