PERFECT MASHED POTATOES

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Is there anything more wonderful than creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes?  You can always drizzle with butter or a savory gravy, or add roasted garlic, or onion & chive cream cheese for something different - but for a crowd, there is nothing better than plain and simple Perfect Mashed Potatoes.  Perfect for both holidays and everyday dinners!

These are the mashed potatoes that dreams are made of - amazingly creamy, silky, fluffy and smooth, with just the right amount of richness and an incredibly delicious flavor.  

Classic Mashed Potatoes

START WITH THE RIGHT POTATOES:

​Some folks say there is no right or wrong way to make mashed potatoes.  But let's face it - we've all had our share of chunky, runny, gummy, and flavorless mashed potatoes - and they just aren't good!  Just my opinion, but I'll add instant mashed potatoes to that list as well.  Some methods do yield better results than others!

Let's start with potatoes.  In my experience, Russet potatoes ALWAYS create the fluffiest and creamiest mashed potatoes.  I know that others a partial to Yukon Gold potatoes, and they certainly work in this recipe, but for the absolutely fluffiest and most flavorful?  Russet is king!  Red potatoes and other waxy potatoes have a low starch content and are harder to mash; starchy potatoes don't absorb dairy as well, which means they are more likely to result in flat and gummy mashed potatoes, and we don't want that!  

Peel them up, rinse them and cut them into chunks, not tiny pieces.  For consistent results, I usually cut a medium potato into 6 or 8 even-sized chunks.  If you're doing this step ahead of time, keep the potato chunks covered in cold water to keep them from turning brown.    

COOKING THE PERFECT MASHED POTATOES:

ALWAYS START WITH FRESH COLD WATER when you are ready to cook your potatoes.  By starting with cold water and bringing the potatoes to a boil with the water, they will cook more evenly and you won't end up with overcooked mushy outsides and under cooked insides.  We're looking for perfect, melt-in-your-mouth creamy consistency!

Now let's talk about cooking those beautiful potatoes.  You want to gently steam and simmer those potato chunks JUST until they are tender.  Not too much water (which will dilute the flavor), not a rolling boil (which will pulverize those tender potatoes), not too little water (which can cause your potatoes to scald or burn on the bottom).

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

DRAIN WELL:

For maximum fluffiness, drain your potatoes thoroughly so that you don't end up with watery mashed potatoes.  

LET'S MASH 'EM UP!

For "smashed" potatoes I'll use a potato masher, but for Perfect Mashed Potatoes, hand-held mixers were just made for mashing potatoes!  To create the fluffiest, smoothest potatoes, this is the easiest way to go! 

Add the stick of butter to the well-drained potatoes and beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until the butter is melted.  This allows the melted butter to "stick" to the potatoes and infuse them with flavor.  Slowly drizzle in the half & half or cream, and beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until well combined.

​Increase speed to medium-high and whip for another couple of minutes, until light and creamy, fluffy and smooth.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

BUTTER & HEAVY CREAM
​vs. MARGERINE & SKIM MILK

Yes, of course you can substitute margarine and skim milk for real dairy butter and heavy cream or half & half.  It works, but for the creamiest, silkiest and most flavorful fluffy Perfect Mashed Potatoes, use the good stuff.  It really does make a difference in both texture and taste.  Let's think about this logically - we all know how fluffy heavy cream is when you beat it into whipped cream  - you just can't make lowfat milk as creamy or fluffy as heavy cream, or taste as rich or dimensional as cream or even half & half.

For a real treat, I also suggest trying Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter.  Mashed potatoes are one of those rare dishes where the FLAVOR of the butter really comes shining thru - and your taste buds will think they have died and gone to heaven.  This is not a sponsored post, just my recommendation!  Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter is made with cultured milk from grass-fed cows that are raised the natural way, without growth hormones and roaming free on small Irish farms, and this imported butter is more golden and flavorful than American dairy butter.  

VOILA!  PERFECT MASHED POTATOES!

​Perfect Mashed Potatoes are a match made in heaven with Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy or Porcupine Meatballs, and are made to pile up in a cozy cloud next to Herbed Roast Turkey or Holiday Glazed Ham.  
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​And if you're three years old, a mountain of fluffy Perfect Mashed Potatoes may be all that you want for dinner!

Classic Mashed Potatoes

WHY ARE MY MASHED POTATOES GUMMY?

Overmixing causes the potatoes to release more starch - which is usually the culprit for gummy, gluey or sticky potatoes.  Make sure to: 

• Use Russet potatoes and not red or waxy potatoes.
• Drain potatoes extremely well after cooking - after draining, let the drained potatoes sit in the hot pan for a few minutes to dry out any excess moisture before you start mashing.
• Always mash while the potatoes are hot.
• For the fluffiest mashed potatoes, don't overmix! 

WHY ARE MY MASHED POTATOES LUMPY?

If you end up with lumpy mashed potatoes, it usually means that your potatoes were undercooked.  Next time, make sure to check your potatoes with a fork before removing them from the heat.  You want your potatoes to be "fork tender" - which means that a fork should slip easily into the cooked potatoes.  

CAN PERFECT MASHED POTATOES BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?

YES!  You can prepare Perfect Mashed Potatoes ahead of time and either cover and place in a warm oven or transfer to a slow cooker on the warm setting until ready to serve.  For perfect leftovers, you can also reheat them in batches in your microwave. 

PERFECT MASHED POTATOES

Is there anything more wonderful than creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes?  You can always drizzle with butter or a savory gravy, but there is nothing better than plain and simple Perfect Mashed Potatoes.  Perfect for both holidays and everyday dinners!
​
These are the mashed potatoes that dreams are made of - amazingly creamy, silky, fluffy and smooth, with just the right amount of richness and an incredibly delicious flavor.  

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

​INGREDIENTS:
4 pounds russet potatoes (about 8 medium potatoes)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups half & half or heavy cream
Salt (to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

HOW I MAKE THESE:

1.  Peel, rinse and cut potatoes into large chunks (about 6-8 chunks per potato).

2.  In a heavy Dutch oven or large pot, add rinsed potatoes and enough cold water to just reach the top of the potatoes. 

3.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced by a fork (about 15-20 minutes).

4.  Removed cooked potatoes from heat and drain liquid.

5.  Add the stick of butter to the cooked potatoes and beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until the butter is melted.  Slowly drizzle in the half & half or cream, and beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until well combined.

6. Increase speed to medium-high and whip for another couple of minutes, until light and creamy, fluffy and smooth.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

7.  Place a few pats of butter on top and cover until ready to serve; garnish with fresh snipped parsley or chives (optional) – and serve hot!
​
OPTIONAL ADD-INS: 
·       2 Tablespoons of finely minced roasted garlic
·       3 oz. block of cream cheese
·       3 oz. whipped cream cheese with onions & chive
·       ½ package of dry ranch dressing mix
·       ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
 
YIELD:  8 to 10 servings

Originally posted November 2013; revised and reposted April 2019.
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