What potatoes make the best mashed potatoes?
The Best Potatoes for Mashed Potatoes The best potatoes to use for mashed potatoes are Russet potatoes or Idaho potatoes because of their high starch content. Yukon gold potatoes are another good option, the texture of Yukon gold is a bit more buttery and not quite as starchy.
What makes the best mashed potatoes?
- Potatoes: Yukon golds or Russets.
- Butter: You want the butter to be softened but not melted. ...
- Salt and Pepper: You’ll add some salt to the cooking water and then more salt, to taste, after cooking.
- Milk: Whole milk makes the best rich and creamy mashed potatoes, but you can use skim milk if that’s what you have on hand. ...
How to make ultra crispy smashed potatoes recipe?
Steps
- Heat oven to 450°F. Spray 18x13-inch rimmed pan with cooking spray.
- In 5-quart Dutch oven, mix potatoes and broth; heat to boiling over high heat. ...
- In small bowl, mix melted butter and garlic. Pour 1/4 cup of the butter mixture over potatoes; toss to coat thoroughly. ...
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes, turning once, until browned and crispy. ...
Who makes the best premade mashed potatoes?
- Trader Joe's Beef Shepherd's Pie with Gravy, Vegetables, & Creamy Mashed Potatoes (4 Pack)
- Six 16 ounce packages
- Ships Frozen
What are the worst potatoes for mashing?
You could be using the wrong potatoes. Potatoes are generally considered "waxy" or "starchy." Waxy potatoes (like white potatoes and red potatoes) are more prone to gumminess when mashed, as opposed to starchy potatoes (like Yukon Golds and russets). Choose starchy potatoes or a mixture of waxy and starchy potatoes.
Are russet or Idaho potatoes better for mashed?
Potatoes fall into three categories: starchy, waxy, and all-purpose. You want to use the starchy ones to get a creamy mash. We prefer Yukon golds for their buttery texture (and golden color), but Russets (aka Idaho potatoes) are also good.
Can you use any potatoes for mash?
Choose higher starch potatoes like Russets or Yukon Golds for the fluffiest, smoothest and most flavor-packed mash. Russet varieties mash up light and fluffy, while yellow-fleshed potatoes like Yukon Gold have a naturally buttery flavor and creamy, dense consistency.
How does Gordon Ramsay make mashed potatoes?
To make Gordon Ramsay's mashed potatoes, boil potatoes for half an hour and set them aside. Then, melt butter in a pan and cook garlic in it. Add milk to the pan and stir for a minute. After that, add the warmed milk, chives, salt, and pepper to the potatoes and mash them until smooth.
What is a russet or Idaho potato best used for?
Russet (aka Idaho) These oblong potatoes are perfect for mashing and baking due to their thick skin and fluffy flesh. Their high-starch content makes them the perfect choice when making French fries, too.
What is the difference between russet potatoes and Idaho potatoes?
Russet potatoes are grown in many states, however, only potatoes grown in Idaho can be called Idaho® potatoes. Idaho's ideal growing conditions – the rich, volcanic soil, climate and irrigation – are what differentiate Idaho® potatoes from potatoes grown in other states.
What are Idaho potatoes best for?
Idaho Russet potatoes are russet-skinned with white flesh. They're what we typically imagine when we think of potatoes. They have a neutral potato flavor, a fluffy, creamy and soft texture, and are best for baking, mashing and making French fries.
What are russet potatoes best for?
Russets are oblong in shape. These thick-skinned potatoes fall apart while cooking, and whip up fluffy and light. This makes them the ideal choice for mashing. Because they have a light, mealy texture, high-starch potatoes are the best baked potato.
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Yukon Gold potatoes are a favorite for mashing not only because they have a high starch content (hooray!), but also because of their naturally buttery flavor. They also don't absorb as much water as russet potatoes (a.k.a. Idaho potatoes), which can get a little mushy if overcooked or not properly drained.
Russet Potatoes
Like Yukon Golds, russets have a high starch content. Some prefer russets because they'll give you a fluffier mash, but they are rather flavorless compared to Yukon Golds, and will need some additional ingredients to zhuzh them up. To avoid watery mashed potatoes, make sure you dry the potatoes completely before mashing.
Both
Can't decide between team Yukon Gold or team russet? Some argue that a 50/50 combination of the two actually gives the best results. The russets lighten up the texture, while the Yukon Golds bring a buttery flavor and that little bit of extra oomph.
What makes Yukon Gold the best potato for mashing?
The perfect mash is made up of a few key ingredients: butter, milk, salt and pepper, and starchy potatoes. Now, why starchy potatoes specifically? Because between a waxy and starchy spud, it's the latter that becomes fluffy and light when mashed.
What other types of potatoes are good for mashing?
Russet potatoes are usually the second option for mash. However, russets are higher in starch than Yukon Gold potatoes, and thus absorb water more easily. If you don’t let boiled russets dry properly before mashing, you’ll end up with soggy, bland mash – and nobody wants that!
The best potatoes for boiling
For boiling, you’ll want spuds that are on the waxier side. These don’t suck up too much water and they don’t flake or break down into grainy bits when boiled.
What about sweet potatoes?
Though similar in size and appearance – save for the bright orange colour – sweet potatoes are different from regular potatoes in a few ways. They’re said to have a lower glycemic index and regular spuds, which means they’re better for diabetics.
How to make mashed potatoes
This basic mash potato recipe comes with a tiny twist – horseradish. The spice will give your mash a bit of a kick.
Directions
Boil the potatoes for about 15 to 20 minutes. Remember to sprinkle a bit of salt into the water to season the potatoes.
Common mistakes made when making mash
Here’s what not to do when you’re whipping up a batch of mashed potatoes.
1. Using the wrong type of potatoes
Choose higher starch potatoes like Russets or Yukon Golds for the fluffiest, smoothest and most flavor-packed mash. Russet varieties mash up light and fluffy, while yellow-fleshed potatoes like Yukon Gold have a naturally buttery flavor and creamy, dense consistency.
2. Not salting the water
When potatoes cook, the starch granules swell and absorb water and — if you've added it — salt. Top tip: If you add salt early on, you won't need to as much at the end.
3. Starting them in hot water
Cover them with cold water, add salt, then boil and reduce to a simmer. If you start in hot water, they'll cook unevenly, with the outside falling apart before the inside is cooked.
4. Under-draining the potatoes
Make sure to drain well after cooking to avoid a mushy, watery mess. While no one likes mashed potatoes that are dry and chalky, you'll want to use a flavorful liquid to add moisture, like milk, cream or even chicken stock.
5. Using flavorings straight from the fridge
Let your butter come to room temperature before melting it into the hot potatoes, then mash in the warm milk or cream. It will be absorbed more easily, and it won't cool everything down.
6. Overworking the potatoes
The swollen starch granules in your cooked potatoes are in a delicate state. Mashing them too vigorously — say, in the food processor — or for too long releases lots of starch, which makes them gluey and unappetizing. Be gentle with your potatoes, and you'll be rewarded with light, fluffy spuds as well as happy, well-fed guests.
7. Making them too far in advance
We're big fans of preparing food ahead of time, especially when there's lots of cooking involved, but potatoes don't take kindly to sitting around for long periods. Refrigerating them overnight sounds like a no-brainer, but they'll start to taste like cardboard.
Make creamy and fluffy mashed potatoes
Mashed potatoes rank high on the list of American comfort foods for everyday dinners as well as special occasions. But while this dish may seem like a straightforward recipe, there are a number of factors and certain techniques that will affect the outcome of this beloved side dish.
Choose the Right Potato
Of course, the main ingredient in mashed potatoes is potatoes. But not just any potato will result in perfect mashed potatoes. Choosing the right variety to achieve the desired result makes a big difference in your chance for success.
Use the Right Tools
Once you have your potatoes, it is important that you follow a few steps to assure you will have the best mashed potatoes in the end. With either russets or Yukon Golds, you can use a potato masher for a "smashed" result, or a ricer or food mill for a silkier effect.
Follow a Few Steps
Incorporating a couple of additional tips into your potato preparation can help prevent gluey mashed potatoes and create the creamy and fluffy results everyone loves. Potatoes can retain a lot of moisture, so making sure they have completely dried out after boiling is important.
So what are the best potatoes for mashing?
We consider Yukon Gold potatoes the best choice for classic dense mashed potatoes. Their rich texture and subtle creaminess make them great for all of your mashing needs. A true all-purpose potato, they’re also good for shredding, roasting, grilling, blending (?!), and shingling.
What other potatoes are good for mashing?
Whereas Yukon Golds are considered medium-starch potatoes, russet potatoes are high-starch potatoes. That starchiness leads to mashes that are on the lighter and fluffier side. Unlike Yukon Golds, which produce dense, rich scoops of super creamy mashed potatoes, russets turn out pillowy and soft.
OXO Potato Masher
For the smoothest, most uniform mash possible, you’ll need a potato ricer. Picture a garlic press’s big sister and you’re on the right track.
Stainless Steel Potato Ricer
This old-school contraption breaks down potatoes with an efficiency similar to a ricer, but can also be used to make jam, tomato sauce, and all kinds of smooth homogenous things. The downside? It takes up more space and is kind of a pain to clean.
Food Mill
It’s a trick! Never, under any circumstance, do you want to make mashed potatoes with either of these devices, which will overwork cooked potatoes into a gummy, gluey mess. Trust us on this one.
Vegetable Peeler
Like your toppings and mix-ins, the tools you use are pretty much a matter of taste. In truth, the same can be said for all things mashed potatoes: Fluffy and light or dense and buttery, it’s up to you to choose a direction for your dish. And once you do pick a lane, choosing the right types of potatoes is simple.
Which Potatoes are Best for Mashing, Boiling and Baking
There was once a time when I didn’t pay an ounce of attention to what type of potato I was buying. Whether it was mashing, boiling or baking potatoes, I bought only one kind. The cheapest. Whatever happened to be on sale, that’s what I tossed into my shopping cart. For the most part? This worked out just fine for me.
Which Potatoes Are Best
There are three types of potatoes: high-starch potatoes, medium-starch potatoes and low-starch potatoes.
What about purple potato recipes?
Purple potatoes (that often look like blue potatoes) are become increasingly popular. What should you use purple potatoes for? These gorgeously colored potatoes are a medium starch potato which makes them a great all-around potato. Mash them & roast them. Boil purple potatoes, but watch them closely because they tend to cook quickly.
