The Ideal Mashed Potatoes – 10 Tips
Mashed potatoes are an ideal dish for any dinner or family reunion.
This popular garnish is prepared in various ways and can be associated with various recipes suitable for any occasion.
Although at first glance it seems very easy to prepare, in reality there are several tricks that you can try so that the mashed potatoes you get are as tasty as possible.
The mashed potatoes you usually make doesn’t turn out as successful as you’d like? If you have often tried to prepare a puree with a creamy and smooth texture, but without success, we advise you to implement the ten tips that we will present in this article.
10 tips to get the ideal mashed potatoes
Choose the right potato variety
We often do not notice the subtle differences between the many varieties of potatoes. There are three main varieties: starchy, waxy and baking. If you want the mashed potatoes you prepare to come out creamy and smooth, we advise you to use starch-rich potatoes, such as red potatoes.
Starch-rich potatoes melt very easily, making them ideal for preparing a cr emos puree . If you do not have starchy potatoes available, you can replace them with baking ones.
Cut the potatoes into equal pieces
The time it takes for a piece of potato to boil depends on its size. Thus, the pieces of various sizes will boil each with their own speed, the large ones needing more time than the small ones.
The mashed potatoes thus obtained will not be as consistent as they could have been if you had cut the potatoes into equal pieces. In order for your puree to have an optimal consistency, try to cut the potatoes into very small but equal pieces.
Removes excess moisture
There are several tricks you can try so that the mashed potatoes you cook are fluffy. One of the most famous is to drain the potatoes well after boiling them, then put them back in the pot while the eye of the stove is still hot. Make sure all the extra moisture has evaporated, as this will make your mashed potatoes wet and watery.
Use a mashed potato
Do not use a food processor, blender or mixer. If you beat the potatoes too hard, the starch in them will decompose and the mashed potatoes will be sticky. We advise you to use a mashed potato. Indeed, you will have to put in extra effort, but the results will be far superior.
Do not mix the potatoes too much
Like the advice just presented, after you have crushed the potatoes by hand, mix them lightly with cream, milk or butter.
Do not add cream or cold milk
The milk or cream you use to prepare the mashed potatoes must be heated so that they are easily absorbed into it. You don’t need to mix the potatoes very much.
Do not add too much liquid
Although you can include cream, milk or mayonnaise (and not only) in the recipe, avoid using these ingredients in excess because you risk that the mashed potatoes obtained are very watery. The only solution to fix this problem is to add more potatoes to the dish.
Use an adequate amount of butter
Experienced chefs recommend using 200 g of butter for every 450 g of potatoes, so that there is a balance between the two ingredients. As a result, you will get a smooth and delicious puree.
Don’t forget to add salt
The water in which you boil the potatoes must be seasoned with salt, just like when you cook pasta. By doing this, the potatoes will absorb the salt very quickly and it will be easier for you to puree them. No other ingredient — not even butter — will give the puree a flavor as good as the salt you use in the beginning.
Don’t leave everything on the last hundred meters
Like many other dishes, mashed potatoes are the tastiest when fresh. If you reheat it, it will lose its taste. A good strategy is to prepare your ingredients the day before you prepare the mashed potatoes. The next day, all you have to do is boil the potatoes, puree them and mix them with the other ingredients.
