When making mashed potatoes what do you use and why?

[Caine]

May I ask, what kind of potatoes do you all prefer mashed? Is there a variety that just tastes or works best?

Russetts, peeled and de-eyed.

 

[LaVitaDolce]

I use a masher because I like chunks of potato.

 

[Corey123]

Just about ANY kind of potato can be used for mashed potatoes.

I sometimes add some cream to mine. This, to me, seems to give the potatoes a much creamier texture with a somewhat better taste.

 

[Andy M.]

Try sour cream instead once in a while. It adds a nice flavor to the mix.

 

[buckytom]

aunt lisa, you should use a high starch potato for mashed. russets or eastern are good, but i prefer to use yukon gold potatoes.

andy, the sour cream sounds good, will have to try that. i kill my baked spuds with it, so i bet it'll be good in mashed.

 

[mudbug]

I use a potato ricer to frost my spaghetti & meatballs cake!

you're either yanking our chain or you have a really unusual recipe that I gotta see.

 

[CharlieD]

I love to add sour cream.

 

[justplainbill]

My wife prefers to use a Foley strainer. For smaller quantities, I prefer a metal masher that has a perforated metal plate and for larger quantities, a wood masher and medium coarse strainer. For other than large quantities of product, Foley strainers and assorted mixing paraphernalia strike me as being more trouble to clean than they are worth.
I feel the desired consistency of the final product should be stiffer if the puree is to be eaten with gravy and fluffier if it is to be eaten unaccompanied by gravy. After thoroughly mashing, I put back on stove to re-warm, mixing and then whipping with a wood spoon. If necessary I add back some of the cooking water, then sweet butter and make final adjustment of the consistency by adding whole milk.

 

[VeraBlue]

Try sour cream instead once in a while. It adds a nice flavor to the mix.

Always add the sour cream! It adds a whole new depth and dimension.

 

[GrillingFool]

Dried minced garlic and onion in the water, which has a tablespoon or so of chicken buillion added.
Into the food processor with a little butter and a lot of sour cream.
Salt & Pepper to taste.

Tried a ricer and a masher.... I like my food processor!

 

[Corey123]

Yeah, I love sour cream on BAKED potatoes, so it should also taste good in mashed potatoes as well.

 

[*amy*]

I haven't read through all the responses, but one I like is, mashed potatoes combined with cooked mashed carrots and carmelized chunks or rings of onions, butter & s&p.

 

[Corey123]

Also, certain cheeses make it taste good, such as cheddar and Swiss.

 

[Verenamunch]

I love mashed potatoes with onions and bacon.....

 

[justplainbill]

viel besser mit gerauchte speck

 

[buckytom]

jp bill, you make stuffed cabbage with mashed taters?

that sounds pretty good, actually. danke!

i haven't read through all of the responses, but has anyone said potatoes, cabbage, and butter (colcannon), or potatoes, green onions, and butter (champ)?

 

[Verenamunch]

viel besser mit gerauchte speck

Yep...you said it....lol!!!

 

[justplainbill]

jp bill, you make stuffed cabbage with mashed taters?

that sounds pretty good, actually. danke!

i haven't read through all of the responses, but has anyone said potatoes, cabbage, and butter (colcannon), or potatoes, green onions, and butter (champ)?

Smoked speck can be a less salty alternative to American Bacon. I buy mine in the Polishtown section of Riverhead, NY

 

[mikki]

I use a masher then add milk and butter, then use a electric mixer. Sometimes I get lumps sometimes I don't. That's the way it was when my Grandma fixed them. We never knew if there was going to be lumps or not. I don't make real mashed potatoes very often so to me it's just the taste. I don't really care if there is lumps or not.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

I'm Rethinking The Hand Mixer Now

I use a hand mixer because my mother always did but now that I think about it, she's definitely not known for her cooking! Anyway, I always add butter, Half-N-Half or whipping cream, salt and white pepper. It's white pepper because years ago one of my little ones wouldn't eat anything he could see pepper in.

I'm definitely going to try the masher now thanks to all of these posts. It's always been hit or miss as to whether the potatoes would be gummy and being a poor cook, I never had any idea why. I just chalked it up to "@#$% Happens"! I don't think I can use a ricer because it looks too small. I have to make 10 - 15 lbs. of potatoes every time because I have 7 kids who LOVE mashed potatoes enough to peel all of them for me and there are never any left over. Maybe I can get them to mash them, too!

Terry