How to make perfect mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving?

Question

I am making a big Thanksgiving dinner and I wont have very much help.
It seems I always run into problems when I make mashed potatoes.
I never know how small to cut the potato to boil and I never know how long to boil. And to mash I usually use my handheld mixer..sometimes the potatoes taste like I boiled too long and are not creamy

Who can tell me how to make perfect mashed potatoes that will be a hit at my house this year?

Answer 1

Hi,

Can you get King Edward potatoes in USA? Thats what I always use for mash in England. To me the best way to make them is cut your potatoe into quarters and best if they are all about the same size. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil then lightly salt them cover with a lid and cook for about 20 25 mins until soft or starting to break up into the water. Drain (save the potatoe water for gravy) Using a hand masher mash the potatoes well until you can see no lumps - make sure you mash well before adding liquid - then add a good knob of butter and mash this in then some cold milk to the consistency you want and mash well again. In my opinion using a electric whisk makes the potatoes very sloppy and more like a pureee than a mash. Hope this helps

Answer 2

Practice make perfect, but nothing is really perfect, including potato's. Just peel, and cut the potato in half long ways, then in half again. Once the water starts boiling, just keep checking them, and when you can put a fork into them "easily" they are done. Drain, put into a large bowl or leave them in the pot. This is what I do. I add about a quarter cup of butter,( "no" salt) and then I add a package of "Roasted Garlic & Herb" seasoning mix, specifically "for" mashed potato's, and stir. Then I use my electric mixer for about 60 seconds. And poof! These potato's turn out great! You can buy that seasoning mix at any grocery store for about 1.50, and it's usually in with the gravy packets and other seasoning mixes, okay? You may want to do a "trial"
batch before Thanksgiving to see if you actually like it yourself.
Good luck.

Answer 3

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
3/4 cup milk, heated (plus more if needed)
4 -6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 1/4 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
pepper, to taste
1 hot green chili pepper, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 pinch cayenne
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

METHOD

Boil the potatoes with water to cover. When tender (after about 15-20 minutes) drain and mash them with the back of a fork or a potato masher.

Add the hot milk and butter and beat with a whisk or a fork, add more milk if needed for desired consistency.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Serve immediately.

Source: http://epimersrecipes.blogspot.com/2014/06/how-to-make-mashed-potatoes.html

Answer 4

Depending on the size of your potatoes, peel and cut potatoes in quarters. Place a large pot of water with a little salt onto the stove and boil the water. Once the water comes to a rolling boil, add your potatoes and cook them until they are fork tender. Less than a half an hour. Once they are fork tender, drain all the water from them and add some milk and butter and salt to taste. Use a masher first until all the bigger lumps are smashed and then use your electric mixer. We add a tub of sour cream and onion powder to ours and it makes our mashed potatoes have a special creaminess too them!

Good luck and I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving meal and enjoy all your family and friends!

Answer 5

Okay, my husband makes the most perfect mash ever!

You need to cut the potates to all the same size, that's the most important thing, it doesn't really matter how big or small they are as long as they are equal sized.

Bring them to the boil and simmer until they are soft when you stick a sharp knife into them but no so soft that they fall apart.

Drain them off.

Add 4 tablespoons of double cream and 2oz butter, salt and black pepper to taste.

Mash it up till every tiny little lump has gone. My husband does this with a manual masher fofr around 5 mins.

This results in perfect, creamy, tasty mashed potatoes!!

Hope this helps.

Answer 6

6 Russet potatoes
6 tbsp. butter
3/4 c. warmed milk (DO NOT use cold milk)
Salt & pepper to taste
Extra butter and/or gravy

Peel potatoes and boil them until they can be pierced easily with a fork, about 25 minutes. (Don't cut potatoes in half to speed the cooking time.) Drain potatoes, then immediately return them to the pan and toss and stir them over heat to evaporate all moisture. Remove from heat and use a potato masher or a very heavy whisk to mash them. Stir in butter, then warm milk while continuing to mash the potatoes. Season to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with pats of butter or blanketed with gravy. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Answer 7

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

3 pounds baking potatoes, whole with skin
3/4 to 1 cup milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water.
Bring to a boil, heat to a simmer. Add a generous pinch of salt and continue to simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes. When potatoes are done, drain and return potatoes to pot to dry slightly. Run potatoes through food mill or potato ricer into pot. Heat milk in saucepan. Add hot milk to potatoes, over heat, until smooth. Add butter and heat until finely textured and fluffy.

Answer 8

i boil the water till its bubbling pop in the potatoes that have been cut into quarters or sometimes half the quarters then turn the heat down so the water slowly cooks the potatoes for like 20-25 minutes then mash with a masher add as much butter as u like and add a bit of warm milk if they seem dry and then i add a few drops of full fat cream for the extra creamy taste,adding chives is also delicious

Answer 9

I wait until they are almost soft before taking them out of the heat. I always use an electric mixer and add a little milk. They are usally fine. Potatoes are good anytime--get some practice on an ordinary dinner.