Silly mashed potato question:

[Jessica]

After umpteen-million attempts, I still get tiny lumps in my mashed potatoes. This is what I usually do:

Boil water. Add cut-up potatoes. Boil till fork-tender. Mash with masher, add milk, butter, cream cheese, whatever.

Lumps lumps lumps.

Should I leave the potatoes whole? Bring them to boil with the water? Just give up now?

:)

Any tips are greatly appreciated!!

[The empressof all]

1. For lump free potatoes you need the right equipment.

You need a ricer or a food mill. That's the ticket to light, fluffy, lumpless spuds. Don't use a mixer ever.....ugggggg....Whipping Potatoes makes a gummy mess. The ricer or a food mill will leave great texture with no lumps.

[Warpy]

2. Aw, shoot, I use a mixer

I put the cooked taters, heavy cream and whatever seaingings I use into the bowl. I use the paddle, turn the mixer on, count to 3, and they're done.

You get the gummy stuff from overmixing.

I do get the occasional lump, but that just lets me know they're real potatoes. I've never seen a particular benefit in lump free taters. However, were I catering, I'd probably put them through my food mill and mix cream and seasonings in by hand.

[tishaLA]

3. I agree about the ricer

It's the best way I know for perfect mashed potatoes. I don't have a food mill, though, and I'm sure that also works great.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

4. TEOA is correct,

even though I have my own personal feelings about her and her refusal to share candy, but ........

Yeah, the ricer works wonderfully. But, what's wrong with some tiny lumps in the mashed potatoes? Seems to me that's what distinguishes them from the powdered stuff that comes in boxes and that my cousin - the restauranteur, no less - LOVES.

I like the lumps.

Add garlic. I like garlic.

[Mr. McD]

5. Cream, Butter and a good mixer

is all I have ever used. Never get any lumps.

[calico1]

6. I also recommend a ricer if you want to get the

lumps out. I have one and sometimes do them that way for variety. As for cooking the potatoes, my dad taught me to cook them whole with peel on. Said they have better flavor that way. I have tried chopped up with no peel or just cut with no peel and I agree with my dad so I always cook them whole with peel. I also don't mind a few lumps. Or the peel. I cook mine with a few cloves of garlic and some salt then drain, add butter, sour cream and a little mayo and mash them up (with the peel).

[wryter2000]

7. I like them lumpy

I used to smoothe them out with a hand-held mixer. Then, my husband confessed he liked them lumpy. So do I. I just eat them that way now.

If you don't want to buy a potato ricer, use your mixer.

[mtnester]

8. Get your milk warm before you add it - then I mash only with a masher

None of us likes the silky smooth potatoes

[grasswire]

9. love lumpy potatoes

But I have learned some tricks to make them even better.

I don't boil potatoes. I simmer them. If you BOIL them, the outside gets watery and mushy before the inside is cook3ed through. If you SIMMER them just below a boil, they are evenly done all the way through.

And when they are done, this is how to drain them before mashing: pour the contents of the kettle into a colander in the sink. Then dump the drained potatoes back into the kettle and put it on the stove. Cook on low heat for just a moment until the potatoes are dry -- no cooking water left.

THEN you can mash them with no fear of them being watery. Often even restaurant cooks don't know to dry the potatoes over heat before mashing.

I use an old-fashioned hand masher. Butter, cream/milk and often sour cream and sometimes a bit of horseradish if they are going with red meat.

Delish!

[Tab]

10. What kind of potatoes are you using?

Boiling potatoes are homey, but give you a lumpy mash. Baking potatoes will give you a light, creamy puree. Don't actually boil the baking potatoes, but simmer them slowly, and don't use a mixer or food processor - you'll break up the starch and just get a sticky, gluey mess. Don't overbeat them.

[politicat]

11. Simmer, whether cut or whole.

For energy efficiency, cut them up - they cook faster. I don't notice a great deal of difference between cut and not cut except for the cooking time AS LONG AS they're simmered. The rule of thumb with vegetables is to cook them the way they grow - green leafies and stuff that grows above ground should be started in hot water (i.e. steamed) but root vegetables should start in cold water. So cut 'em up, rinse 'em off (to get rid of the starch that causes them to get gluey), dump in pot, add cold water, set on stove and simmer until fork tender. Drain REALLY well.

You can also steam them in the microwave - wrap them in either a light, damp dishtowel or damp paper towels and cook in the nuker until soft. Then mash.

Russets have a different texture than waxy (red, yellow, blue, white) potatoes. If I want red-skin mashers, I use a 1 pound:1 pound ratio of reds to russets. Russets and Yukons are the only waxy potatoes I will use by themselves for mashed.

Use a dollop of cream or sour cream and a sprinkling of nutmeg.

If you use an electric device (mixer, stand mixer, food processor) to eliminate the lumps, pulse instead of letting it run.

The big issue with the gluey potatoes is that most people don't rinse after cutting them, and don't use enough water. They also tend to not drain them sufficiently. It takes about 4 minutes on high with a hand mixer to turn 8 russets to gluey consistency. (Ahh... memories. The first year I was in the honors dorm, about 6 of us stayed over for Thxgiving... and much was learned about how not to make a Thanksgiving dinner that year.)

[SW FL Dem]

12. I always use baking potatoes and cut them into chunks

to make them cook faster and more evenly. I boil until they are fork tender and then mash with a mixer. I add the butter salt and pepper first and then beat them for a while then add some heated milk. Hubby hates lumpy mashed potatoes and he has never complained about mine. The best thing is that I have trained SW FL DEM Jr to do them so that is his job every Thanksgiving and Christmas. He's done them for the past several years, it's become a tradition. Every year, I take his picture while he's smashing them.

OK I admit I'm having a hard time watching my kid turn into a young man so please indulge me. Here's the first pic in 2000.



and here's the pic from this year (what a difference a few years make!!)

[japple]

15. Enjoy watching your boy grow. He's a good looking young man.

and it looks like someone else thinks so too. Whose little fuzzy head is that looking up at him in the 2nd picture. Could it be Schnauzer? He/she seems to want some mashed potatoes too. Hey, how did this thread about mashed potatoes turn in to a discussion about boys and dogs?

[SW FL Dem]

18. Close - it's a cairn terrier or Toto dog

and I guess I have hijacked this thread.

[The empressof all]

19. Did I hear..........Toto?

No thread would be complete without my Lilly

[SW FL Dem]

20. What a cutie!

Now this thread is officially hijacked. Here are my three cairns from the left Libby, Bowler (aka Boo) and Kelsey.

[Jessica]

21. Anyone can hijack any of my threads anytime ...

if it includes puppies!!

:)

[Jessica]

17. He's like me ...

Can't help but sneak a little taste in! I warmed the milk/cream I used last night & I think that really helped.

Thanks!

[noamnety]

13. I don't boil my spuds at all

I bake them in the oven before mashing. If I'm making mashed potatoes, I'm probably roasting a turkey and the oven's on anyway - I just jam the in there wherever I can fit them. Why dirty up the extra pot? Plus I like the texture better than if they got all waterlogged.

[bearfan454]

14. I like lumps in mine.

That way you know they're not instant. I only add salt, pepper, and Milnot.

[Jessica]

16. **Thanks everyone for all your tips!**

I made my first batch of lump-less mashed potatoes last night. Didn't have time to run to the store for a ricer, but will be investing in one very soon! Started them out in cold water, let boil for longer than I think they needed, drained, put back in hot pot, mashed with hand-masher THEN added the fixins. I think this may have been my problem before - I was mashing everything together.

Added some fresh garlic, salt & pepper, warm heavy cream & 8oz. of softened garden veggie cream cheese. They were delicious - and my boyfriend agreed!

Again, thanks for all the responses. :) :hi:

Tonight: Potato Cakes!! :9

[wryter2000]

23. D-OH!

I should have mentioned to always mash the potatoes before you put in the other ingredients. That's the only way to get the right amount of milk or cream in.

[jeanarrett]

22. You need a masher with round holes in it, not one of those

wire things. I have my Mom's. She's been gone 25 years and it's been around way before then. Perfect mashed tatoes. It's not a ricer though.