Perfect Creamy Mashed Potatoes

There are some subjects in the world of cooking that elicit firm convictions about how something should be made. One of those subjects is mashed potatoes. To some cooks, how you properly make mashed potatoes is practically a religion. Some preach russets. Some believe in only Yukon Golds. Some use their faithful old hand masher. For others, a ricer or food mill is the key to perfection. Skin on or off? Chunky or smooth? Milk, cream or half and half? These are serious matters for mashed potato lovers.

My mom always used an electric hand mixer to whip up our much loved mashed potatoes. Many articles I’ve read over the years consider using a hand mixer heresy and insist that you will get gummy mashed potatoes. Mom’s were always perfect, light and fluffy. She also used only russet potatoes, valued for their high starch content and hence fluffy mashed potato result.

As I began cooking on my own I followed what I was taught at home and my mashed potatoes were just as good as mom’s. But because I have always subscribed to way too many cooking magazines and love to experiment in the kitchen I began to try other ways to make mashed potatoes.

Today, I prefer to use a tool called a ricer. A ricer pushes the cooked spuds through a hopper with holes to yield fluffy grains of potatoes ready to be stirred with butter, dairy of choice, and whatever else you like to include (sour cream, horseradish, chives, herbs or nothing at all). I’ve used both the flat bottom and angled ricers and prefer the flat bottom type. My mashed potatoes always come out creamy and smooth, which is how I like them.

My husband could eat mashed potatoes every single day of the year if let him, so my ricer gets a regular workout. I even use it when doing mashed potatoes for a bigger crowd, say dinner for 20. That’s when using a ricer gets a bit time consuming and messy, but the results are worth it. Whichever way you enjoy mashed potatoes, they are easy to make and once done a few times require no recipe.

When planning how much to make figure a half a pound of potatoes per person. For the liquid dairy portion I will use whole milk, half and half or even occasionally cream (maybe for the holidays) – usually what ever is in the fridge. Other additions for me are sour cream (either light or regular), a little butter, salt and white pepper. Sometimes I add finely chopped chives for color and nice visual appeal or some horseradish for a kick of heat and extra flavor.

These days I prefer Yukon Gold potatoes (considered a medium starch potato) for their creamy texture but you can use russet potatoes (high starch) if you prefer. You can even use a combination of the two. Don’t use red potatoes (low starch) or other thin white skinned potatoes that have a more waxy consistency. They are best for roasting and dishes where the potatoes need to hold together like potato salad.

Perfect Creamy Mashed Potatoes

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Light, creamy, fluffy and downright irresistible: mashed potatoes made with a ricer. If you want them to be over-the-top delicious for a special occasion or holiday, use white truffle butter.
Serves 4

Ingredients

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (get larger ones as they are easier to peel)
Sour cream, to taste, 3-4 tablespoons (light or regular)
2-3 tablespoons good quality unsalted butter (at room temp or melted)
1/3 cup whole milk or half and half (start with a 1/3 cup and add if needed)
Kosher or sea salt and white pepper, to taste

Directions

1) Peel potatoes, cut in half lengthwise, then into halves or quarters depending on the size of the potatoes to start with. Your goal is to have the pieces the same relative size so that they cook at the same time.

2) Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and make sure you have enough cold water to cover by an inch or so. Add 2 teaspoons kosher salt to the pan. Place the pan over medium heat and bring to just under a boil; turn heat down to a simmer. If you boil the potatoes they will fall apart. Cooking gently in simmering water will allow them to stay intact.

3) Simmer potatoes until you can easily pierce them with a paring knife. They should be totally tender but not falling apart for easy ricing.

4) Drain potatoes through a strainer or colander and return the potatoes to the hot pan. Place the pan back on the warm burner (turned off) and cover with a mixing bowl. Allow the potatoes to dry a bit in the warm pan before continuing, about 15-20 minutes.

5) After the potatoes have steamed dry, put the potatoes in the bowl, place the ricer over the pan and rice the potatoes. Add the butter, sour cream and enough milk to loosen things up, stirring as you go with a spoon. Stir until potatoes are smooth as you prefer. Add more butter, milk or sour cream as desired. Taste and season with additional salt and white pepper. Serve immediately.

To hold for dinner, place mashed potatoes in a stainless steel bowl over the pan you cooked the potatoes in with a few inches of barely simmering water. Your pan should not touch the water. Cover with plastic film and a folded kitchen towel. Potatoes can be kept warm this way for about 2 hours. If cooking potatoes for a crowd you can even keep them warm in a crock pot on low heat which frees up cooktop space if you have a small cook top or range.

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