|
||||||||
How to Make the Perfect Mashed Potato? |
![]() |
|
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|
#1 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: South-East England
Posts: 645
|
How to Make the Perfect Mashed Potato?
I've been learning to cook from scratch since the New Year and I would describe my abilities as "good". I'm confident in cooking casseroles, spag bol, chilli, cottage pie. "Homely meals". Nothing adventureous. And I'm a keen baker too. But the one thing I've made countless times and still can't get right is mashed potato.
Can anyone give me some good recipes for the perfect mash? No cheese though because I hate cheese. For anyone who's interested my current method is as follows: Cut Maris Piper potatoes into even sized chunks. Put in large saucepan and just cover with cold, salted water. Cover pan and bring to a boil. Simmer hard for 20-25 mins, until I can easily get a knife through the potatoes. (sometimes they can end up a little bit mushy once drained) Drain potatoes and allow to "dry out" for a few moments. Put back into pan and add butter (I'm not sure how much I add. About 50-75g approx) Mash using old-school masher (I intend to by a potato ricer soon) Add a splosh of milk. Mash a bit more. Season with a little bit of salt, black pepper and white pepper. Serve rather tasteless, lumpy mash. Help!
|
|
|
|
|
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
|
|
|
#2 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 58,791
|
Saw a trick the other day to push the mash through a seive to remove any lumps.
Personally I couldn't be bothered doing that plus I don't like 'pomme puree' type mash. Don't mind a bit of texture
|
|
|
|
|
|
#3 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 588
|
Dump the milk and replace with Double Cream add a pinch of fresh grated Nutmeg and pass through a "Moulie" or Ricer Bob's your'e somewhat dubious relative
|
|
|
|
|
|
#4 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: North East
Posts: 170
|
Drain the potatoes and then put the milk/cream into the pan and warm before adding the potatoes back in also at that point if you intend flavouring with herbs/mustard or anything else add it to the milk pre adding the potatoes this will give an even distribution
Another flavour I like especially with something like a beef and red wine casserole etc is smoked garlic mash a couple of finely chopped cloves added to the raw potatoes and cooked with them gives a great flavour As for lumpiness, whilst there is the ricers and all the rest out there I have always found that a regular masher and then a good strong stir works a treat. For a really geeky answer check out http://www.edinformatics.com/math_sc...d_potatoes.htm |
|
|
|
|
|
#5 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: London
Posts: 3,980
|
Make sure the spuds are properly dry after cooking or you'll get watery mash. You can't beat using a ricer for smooth mash, and you must add butter, lots of salt and pepper, maybe a bit of freshly grated nutmeg.
For the tastiest mash, bake the potatoes in the oven first, skin on, then use the inside of the spuds, through the ricer, add butter etc - though to be honest, I usually take the easy way and boil them! |
|
|
|
|
|
#6 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 76,851
|
It's pretty simple...........you peel 'em, cut 'em up, boil till soft, drain, mash with a masher, add butter and milk and mix in
The making of them is so simple and problem-free that if they're not coming out very nice it's because the spuds are no good And that is a problem these days.......... I'm sure that in the olden days you just bought 'spuds' and they made perfect mash............nowadays we have dozens of varieties and none of them make mash Basically I just use new potatoes now for mash which is expensive but it's an irregular meal so it's worth it Don't use Charlottes which look like new potatoes - they're very greasy |
|
|
|
|
|
#7 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Birkenhead, Merseyside.
Posts: 9,712
|
I do all of the usual things, but I push my potatoes through a sieve and mix an egg yolk into the mash. I also use white pepper.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#8 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: woking
Posts: 21,684
|
Quote:
I do all of the usual things, but I push my potatoes through a sieve and mix an egg yolk into the mash. I also use white pepper.
![]() Can't beat a proper potato ricer they are easier to clean than a sieve too I have always found. |
|
|
|
|
|
#9 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kent
Posts: 8,955
|
I just use normal white potatoes, peel them, boil them, drain them, mash them with potato ricer back into pan, add butter, milk, salt and pepper.
Put on stove and stir until mixed and heated through. Taste and season some more if needed. |
|
|
|
|
|
#10 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Winnersville
Posts: 4,058
|
Add double cream instead of milk.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#11 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: South-East England
Posts: 645
|
Lots of great suggestions! Thanks everyone. Using cream instead of milk sounds like a good idea. As is leaving the potatoes to drain for a bit longer to avoid watery mash. I'm going to try adding nutmeg as some of you have suggested. Great tips. If it doesn't work I know who to blame
|
|
|
|
|
|
#12 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 6,118
|
Boil spuds, drain, return to pan, add butter, take the electric whisk to it. Apply extra liquid depending on the consistency required. Serve witha smile.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#13 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 427
|
On an episode of "Come Dine With Me" a contestant was shopping and met AWT and asked him how he did his mashed pots, AWT said to cook them in the oven like you do jackets then scoop out of the skins and mash.
Never tried this method so no idea if it works or not just remembered seeing the program. |
|
|
|
|
|
#14 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 692
|
I think it was Delia who recommended putting a clean folded teatowel over the drained potatoes in the saucepan, then put the lid on and let it stand for 5 minutes to absorb all the steam. I still do this and get nice dry potatoes to mash.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#15 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: North Hampshire
Posts: 5,363
|
I always steam my potatoes, Maris Pipers make a good mash, and then put them through a ricer, add some butter and bobs your uncle, perfect mash every time and no lumps.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#16 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Sitting at my PC
Posts: 9,434
|
This is the way I do it and It is from a Mrs Beetons cookery book:
Boil potatoes in salted water till soft enough to push a butter knife through (about 25 minutes). Drain but don't drain all the water out or leave to dry on the hob. Leave about a teaspoonful of the boiling water in. Mash with: a good knob of butter - (not margarine or spread or any other artificial grease) and salt, plenty of white pepper and a little grated nutmeg. When smooth add a little milk or single cream and finish off with a fork to fluff up. If making a large quantity, then mash using a hand-held electric mixer (not a blender). My grandchildren say I make the best mash. |
|
|
|
|
|
#17 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Sitting at my PC
Posts: 9,434
|
Quote:
On an episode of "Come Dine With Me" a contestant was shopping and met AWT and asked him how he did his mashed pots, AWT said to cook them in the oven like you do jackets then scoop out of the skins and mash.
Never tried this method so no idea if it works or not just remembered seeing the program. |
|
|
|
|
|
#18 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 17,127
|
Quote:
I think it was Delia who recommended putting a clean folded teatowel over the drained potatoes in the saucepan, then put the lid on and let it stand for 5 minutes to absorb all the steam. I still do this and get nice dry potatoes to mash.
Another thing to think about is that there are potato varieties which are good for mashing and ones which aren't. |
|
|
|
|
|
#19 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 17,110
|
My Perfect Mash.
Varieties I like best for mash and easily aviilable are Desiree, King Edwards, Maris Piper. I peel the potatoes (as closely as possibly keeping the size uniform cut them lengthways - this way less of the potato is exposed to water so less like to turn mushy. Place in cold water, bring to boil and when potato is cooked strain and shake over the hob to get rid of any excess water add butter and stir gently to melt. Then put through a potato ricer before adding cream and again stir gently. Of one thing you can be very sure - you will never find a lump in your mash again.If you're health conscious use milk instead of cream. This works everytime for me. |
|
|
|
|
|
#20 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Birkenhead, Merseyside.
Posts: 9,712
|
Quote:
That used to be called an enriched mash and was for special occasions.
Can't beat a proper potato ricer they are easier to clean than a sieve too I have always found. ![]() It's only an egg yolk ! lol |
|
|
|
|
|
#21 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 427
|
Quote:
Was AWT just picking up a few things in the supermarket?
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
|
|
|
|
|
#22 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 5,164
|
Quote:
For the tastiest mash, bake the potatoes in the oven first, skin on, then use the inside of the spuds, through the ricer, add butter etc - though to be honest, I usually take the easy way and boil them!
|
|
|
|
|
|
#23 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Essex
Posts: 16,223
|
for those suggesting a ricer, I hear the mash goes cold very quickly ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
#24 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Posts: 4,011
|
IMO, it's all about the right potato. Got to be super, super floury. Maris Piper are the best I've found. After boiling and allowing to steam dry...mash with an old school sideways masher (something like this http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fw3KRZTN43...equipments.jpg is much better than the shape of the ones nowadays). Then, loads of butter and a good splash of milk. Have a bit more of a mash then in with a wooden spoon and beat the living daylights out of it. Salt, pepper and a little grate of nutmeg. Perfect, and no need for ricers or sieves.
Just on the masher itself, I have absolutely no idea how someone makes decent mashed potatoes with a masher like this... http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg there's hardly any holes for the potato to be forced through, surely it'd be as lumpy as anything?! |
|
|
|
|
|
#25 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Council Estate
Posts: 35,538
|
Mashed potato is meant to be lumpy... I guess people these days want creamed potatoes
|
|
|
|
![]() |
|
All times are GMT. The time now is 17:55.



cut them lengthways - this way less of the potato is exposed to water so less like to turn mushy. Place in cold water, bring to boil and when potato is cooked strain and shake over the hob to get rid of any excess water add butter and stir gently to melt. Then put through a potato ricer before adding cream and again stir gently. Of one thing you can be very sure - you will never find a lump in your mash again.