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Perfect Mashed Potatoes

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misleading advice
arrumahn - November 21, 2006 07:45:27 PM PST
If you slice up your potatoes before boiling them, you will speed the cooking time, but flavor will leach into the water. Keep them intact, skin on, use a paring knife to check doneness. Takes a bit longer, but it is worth it.

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something a little different
Jason G - November 21, 2006 09:22:35 AM PST
One change I have made is adding a little (1/4-1/2 cup) of the strained water from the boiling potatos when mixing. The potatos became very creamy and light.

61 of 78 found this review helpful.
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Keep all the flavor
Lost Cowboy Band - November 22, 2006 06:50:01 AM PST
Peel and cut up your potatoes. Only put in enough water to cover. Cook on a little lower temp than high so they don\'t scorch. The idea here is to boil them until done and not have a large amount of water left over. Then you don\'t have to drain any of the flavor off. Do not drain. Mash the potatoes in the same water you boiled them in and add your normal milk and butter and seasonings. Also try substituting evaporated milk for regular milk for another variation.This may take a few tries to master but you don\'t lose flavor in the water. Rob, Combine Texas

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A Slight Alteration in Cooking
hhrm - November 22, 2006 06:17:52 AM PST
Try STEAMING the potatoes instead of boiling them. This prevents the starch and nutrients from leaching into the water thus leaving more flavor in the spud.

23 of 27 found this review helpful.
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Something New
Amber D - November 21, 2006 08:40:21 PM PST
When heating your cream, steap a few peeled, whole, garlic cloves. The garlic gives a great subtle flavor since it\'s whole, and adds a new taste to the classic potatoes!

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even more
Pam G - November 21, 2006 08:27:53 PM PST
I find if you add about 1/2 tsp creme of tartar while mashing it leaves them ever so fluffy.....also nix the nutmeg and add 1/2 tsp garlic powder....awesome!!

5 of 6 found this review helpful.
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mash potato the indian way.....
ethans j - November 21, 2006 08:16:15 PM PST
hey why not try something different...
boil potato with skin. remove skin and mash it up. put some ghee or butter over in a saucepan wih sliced small onions, green chillies, curry leaves and cummin seeds and saute. then pour all into bowl of mashed potato and add a cup of hot milk and simmer as you mix and serve hot with naan/chapti bread and TURKEY.. happy thanksgiving

25 of 47 found this review helpful.
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Marth's Mashed Potatoes
spiveyrp - November 21, 2006 07:30:16 PM PST
Nutmeg on potatoes? What would the Irish say? I say no way, must be a way to celebrate the Nutmeg State.

9 of 16 found this review helpful.
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Martha
David P - December 15, 2007 01:43:45 PM PST
WHY does everyone boil the potatoes??? Ask your self WHY? Martha, you should know better....shame. :) If you boil the potatoe, you boil out the "potatoe taste"..its that simple. Leaving the skin on is not a bad idea BUT a better and easier idea...If you BAKE the potatoe until it is soft..like making a baked potatoe....open it up, scoop it out, add butter, use skim milk if you like, add salt and pepper to taste...and other ingredients if you like. QUIT serving tasteless mash potatoes please! I will guarantee you these will have much more potatoe taste!!! Also, you will have the option of making twiced Baked potatoes my simply putting the "mashed" potatoe back in the skins...provided you did cut them in half...add a favorite cheese slice and bake until melted. But please no more mashed potatoes that have no flavor! TOSS the water please!

Remember where and when mashed potatoes started...they really didn\'t have good ovens back then...

On a mission for "potatoes with flavor"! MR. P

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Add these ingredients for better flavor
grammynews - December 15, 2006 06:08:08 AM PST
Add: 1/2 c. plain cream cheese
1/2 c. sour cream
1 Tbs dried onion flakes
Whip until well mixed. Add Tbs. parsley (optional).
Spoon into a casserole dish.
Heat & dot with butter just before serving.

Note:
Adjust the amount of these ingredients to the amount of potatoes.
More or less cooked potatoes. It works!

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Boiling potatoes whole
jazzemup36 - December 15, 2007 08:46:28 AM PST
The above comments about about boiling potatoes whole, whether skin off or on, preserves the potato flavor much better, I never slice my potatoes after trying them boiled whole - whether for parsley potatoes, mashed or just regular boiled salt potatoes, I\'ve been doing them this way for years now.

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This is supposed to be mashed potatoes, right?
Lisa - November 10, 2007 04:11:12 AM PST
Too many spices, too many flavors and not enough focus on the potatoes themselves. I don\'t want to taste nutmeg and pepper when I\'m eating a potato. I want to taste the potato.

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I love mashed potatoes...who doesn
livethelifeilove - November 7, 2007 03:32:22 AM PST
I loved this Miss Martha recipe! Martha rules! I mean, talk about expanding the world of potatoes and mashin\' \'em up!

I love and learn from all recipes and it\'s fun to try new things. Especially in the age of the \'net!!

I personally boil my potatoes whole after I clean \'em up, regardless of the kinda potato because times may be tough and not everybody has the luxury of red potatoes or mini yukons.

I boil my pototoes whole, as holes are poked in the center, skin on and all. Upon readiness, I immediately slow the cooking process by puttin\' all of them spuds in a bowl of iced cold water. I then rub off the skins and cut the spuds up into pieces.

I hand mash them (because I don\'t have a mixer) with a porcelain mug...that\'s right! A mug! I use a large spoon, mix it around, add unsalted butter that is made from a good grade of cream, heavy cream, a bit of fresh garlic paste, onion salt or whatever salt is on hand and mix the heck outta it.

If the texture is too thick, I add a bit of homemade broth, like a chicken or a vegetable stock broth. I use whatever I have in my kitchen, cook with a lot of love, and pray that my family and all my loved ones enjoy the potatoes as much as I enjoyed makin\' them.

These potatoes are so nice that I can even make potato pancakes or mix \'em with a plethora of different cheeses and drench them in some grated parmesan herbalicious breadcrumbs and bust out some crisp on the outside and warm and wonderful on the inside "potato cakes." I then create a wonderful sauce to accomodate the wonderful potato pancakes or crispy cakes.

I use whatever I have on hand from my magic pantry and just make it work because when you have so little to work with, you become pretty magical with your endeavors and your creations.

All I know is that I\'ve been able to utilize many tricks and techniques to make mashed potatoes, have eaten many, in many restaurants, from the fancy and the expensive to the homemade ones from folks who don\'t know how to cook.

It\'s all a fantastic experience in the World Of Mashed Potatoes and there are so many variations that it\'s endless. All I know is that it doesn\'t need to be fancy, just deeeelicious and made with love, joy and happiness. People can taste and feel that more than anything else.

I loved everybody\'s recommendations and will give many of your tricks of your trades a try.

Hope you enjoyed this review!

Happy Mashed Potatoes for the Fall and Winter Season!!

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My Great Mashed Potatoes
huntwood55 - November 6, 2007 09:05:36 PM PST
You can boil or mircowave the potatoes until done. Cut up the potatoes in a medium bowl, mash in some butter, add alittle milk and mix. Then using a large rounded regular strainer, push the potatoes through using the back of a spoon back into the medium bowl. Add alittle bit more butter, milk and salt to your taste, stir-mix. For extra creamy light potatoes, push through the strainer one more time. Adjust butter and milk and wha-lah, great, smooth mashed potatoes. This works great with sweet potatoes too but using some brown sugar as well.

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Mashed Potatoes
=Just In Time= - December 15, 2006 03:42:25 PM PST
I love mashed potatoes! Yummy!

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more flavor
Karen T - November 21, 2006 08:45:02 PM PST
boil the potatoes whole. cut them in half crosswise, then put them thru the ricer. more flavor, no peeling. the skin stays in the ricer. then follow the directions.

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Classic but ...
John_lewin - November 21, 2006 08:40:51 PM PST
Pretty standard mashed potatoes, but always good. If you want something that will amaze your guest consider adding duck fat and bake for a few minutes.

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wow
jayntay - November 21, 2006 07:27:21 PM PST
I agree with the other two writers....what\'s new with this recipie? I would suggest skin on mashed red potatos....

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A better way...
seattlesapien - November 21, 2006 08:09:59 PM PST
The worst thing you can do with mashed potatoes is to puree them into an insipid glop of glue. It\'s all about the texture with mashed potatoes.

Martha would have you put the potatoes into a ricer - good so far. But to then whip \'em into smoothness for about 1 minute would make them into a dense, quivering, pudding-like mass of something best unmentioned. I\'d recommend -- if you were to use the ricer -- to whisk them for just a few turns after ricing -- not too much lest the potatoes collapse.

Here\'s a better way:
Slice and boil the spuds as described (if they\'re from your garden - don\'t peel them! - purists will freak out over this idea, but they\'ll be tastier and healthier). Heat some cream in a pan - be sure not to scorch it. Drain the potatoes - but save the water! -- use later to make gravy (another lesson from your grandma). Pour in the cream, and perhaps some softened butter. Not too much - the idea of using cream instead of milk is to add some fat and dairy solids without a high proportion of water (which is what you\'d get with milk) - too much liquid will make your spuds gloppy. Use a manual potato masher to crush the potatoes, and use it like a whisk to mash them into a light airy mass - don\'t keep whipping them until they fall and start losing volume and become dense. There is a sweet spot when you want to stop whipping and your potatoes are in the fluffiest state - if you keep going they will turn into puree. (The analogy here would be whipping egg whites for baking - go half a second too far and your egg whites are unusable.) If you don\'t have the strength and want to use an electric mixer, fine - just remember the guiding priniciple of fluffiness. BTW, this method has been used in my family since the 19th century, when my ancestors moved from back east to homestead in the northern plains. Old western ways are the best. Happy holiday hyperphagia to everyone...

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try this
slow h - November 21, 2006 07:40:06 PM PST
add one big heaping spoon of may-o it makes them ever better,

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What's New
John T - November 21, 2006 07:28:09 PM PST
I do not know what is all the fuss because I have been making mashed potatoes like this ever since I can remember. My mother taught me.

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Tip
ashleygraj - December 15, 2006 08:58:19 AM PST
If you boil potatoes that have been peeled, they will absord far too much water and the result wil be gluey potatoes. Boil with skins on, peel after. Mash potatoes to dry them out. Add butter, then warm milk. Salt and Fresh ground pepper to taste.

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No
Bree - November 27, 2008 02:30:15 PM PST
Perfect mashed potatoes are done with a HAND masher. There is no other way.

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don
603 S - November 27, 2008 06:57:55 AM PST
My grandmother always boiled her potatoes in chicken broth for a little bit of extra flavor, I\'ve found that this makes for an especially tasty batch of mashed potatoes.

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Not fit for a dog
buscahuevo - December 25, 2007 05:15:47 AM PST
ANYONE who would use nutmeg in a mashed potatoe receipe cannot and will never be a cook. Somethings you CANNOT tamper with. It is not cool to do dumb things.

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not quite so perfect
theguy790 - December 17, 2007 09:58:22 AM PST
so you all know, the three potatoes mentioned in the recipe are completely different animals and will yield different results. the most ideal potatoes to use interchangeably are golds, reds or whites...they will give you different products also, but will be more similar than using golds compared to baking potatoes. the three potatoes suggested in the recipe will never give you the same results, and as a matter of fact, the freshness of the potato and its maturity will play a role in consistency as well. NEVER use russets or baking potatoes (idaho, colorado, whatever you think they are called) to make mashed potatoes. Their moisture content is not conducive to being cooked while immersed in water, then mixed with more liquids and mashed. skin on, whole, cut up, peeled, none of that really matters all that much. make sure you cook your potatoes until they are just done, and the skins, that is a matter of preference. People are stating that the potatoes lose flavor if you boil them. not true, they are absorbing the water in the pot as they cook. there is a way to remedy that. if you want to have the BEST mashed potatoes ever, drain your cooked potatoes, then spread them out on a baking sheet and place them in a hot (300 or so) oven for a few (15 or 20) minutes before you mash them. this will allow the moisture absorbed during cooking to evaporate out, in turn allowing your fats, milk/cream/sour cream, (yes, thats right sour cream---try it) and butter to absorb more thoroughly. The simmer is important. Try not to voilently boil your spuds, they will have a tendency to break apart, and become soggy. Please out of respect for the potatoes, do not ever pour their water back into the mixing vessel as you mash. Just throw it away, and if you are worried about wasting it, put it on your compost heap or something. White pepper is more attractive and traditional in mashed potatoes than black. Many people would slap your hand for adding black pepper to white mashed potatoes. Another note, you CAN over mix potatoes, they are a starch, and DO contain gluten, which will develop as you mix. Mix until they are just reaching your desired smoothness then stop. Perfect mashed potatoes do not have garlic, or cheese, or onions or anything else but potatoes, salt, pepper, and dairy, ok people?

if you don\'t believe me, try it and you will see.
if you do believe me, you are one step ahead of those that don\'t.

i know what i am talking about.

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LOTS OF FLAVOR
mizliz08857 - December 17, 2007 07:47:14 AM PST
Cut up potatoes and boil in chicken broth. Use the same water (broth) it cooks in to mash the potatoes when they are done.

delicious!

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the potato water
Sojourner - December 17, 2007 01:54:59 AM PST
save the water from the boiled potatoes and use it in making your gravy--you get tons of nutrients and flavor!

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Great advice
whatsdamaddayou - November 21, 2006 07:34:24 PM PST
So let me get this straight, I should MASH my mashed potatoes? Never thought of that. Thanks!

And I should add butter and milk? All these years I\'ve been adding orange juice and cream cheese.
Without this recipe, I would surely have been lost.
Thanks Martha.

Can someone tell me how I get the cranberry sauce out of the can?

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uh-duhhh
Joy W - November 21, 2006 07:54:55 PM PST
did the title say "perfect mashed potatoes"? Welllll, a few things were left out! Red-skinned spuds taste better and are better for you, instead of draining into collander, keep in hot pot (after draining) and put back on heat few seconds to dry a little, for more vitamins use saved cooking water, use a little along with warmed milk and butter, beat with mixer a couple minutes, leave out the "nutmeg". Use the potato-cooking water for gravy you if make it. Sure hope Martha didn\'t get paid for this recipe!
Oh well, happy turkeyday.

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