# Make me your best mashed potatoes.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [October 6, 2014, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559 "2014-10-06T16:26:25Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2014, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/21 "2014-10-06T21:10:03Z")
My mother never once made mashed potatoes. Now that I am grown up, I make them only when my husband starts to talk about his mother’s cooking, about once every three years.
I guess my waistline is glad that I never learned to like them, but I do feel like a cultural outcast.
Now if you want to talk about cornbread stuffing, then I have opinions.
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### Author:  [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/22 "2014-10-06T21:18:57Z")
I tend to make what I call smushed potatoes. Reds, skins on, retain a little of the salted boiling water, butter and cream cheese. Smush with fork until partly creamy and partly chunky. If I have duck fat handy, substitute for at least half the butter.
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### Author:  [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/23 "2014-10-06T21:43:33Z")
Quarter potatoes, skins on, rinse twice. Roughly one medium size potato per person. In this case, dinner for six. I like Yukon Golds or new reds.
Place in pot of cold water, a dash of sea salt and oil (to prevent boil over).
Once boiling give them 15 minutes, then drain. They should separate easily with a fork.
Add roughly 1/4 cup of butter and greek yogurt, Black pepper, salt and 2-3 cloves roasted garlic. Mash.
When about halfway done, add a Tbsp or two of horseradish and 1/4-1/2 C. aged cheddar. I’ve been using Collier’s Welch Cheddar but use any fairly strong cheese.
Sprinkle with a bit of parsley or chive. Yummy!
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### Author:  [@Boogly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boogly)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2014, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/24 "2014-10-06T22:13:08Z")
Crumbled bacon, use the grease to make gravy for biscuits.
Throw some chopped jalapenos or jalapeno juice for some spiciness.
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### Author:  [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2014, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/25 "2014-10-07T07:18:23Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#):
>
> +1 on the ricer. The only way to go.
- Another from me.
Ever since I started to use a ricer, I’ve never gone back. I otherwise keep it simple, butter and milk only, with some salt and pepper to taste,
Couple of my tips,
- I steam my spuds, not boil them, and
- I heat the milk in the microwave before adding it to the mash.
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### Author:  [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2014, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/26 "2014-10-07T07:51:07Z")
Old fashioned and simple. Peeled , quartered spuds, boiled until they fall off a fork if stabbed, mashed with butter, milk salt and ground black pepper using a hand plastic spud masher.Keep adding milk little by little until the desired texture is achieved.
My Mum uses a fork like a whisk and really whips em up, I can’t stand the sound of the fork on the pan.:o
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### Author:  [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2014, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/27 "2014-10-07T16:08:20Z")
My old geeky roommate and I had to bring food to a Thanksgiving potluck some years back, and we actually did an experiment to see what ones were best. We boiled up an entire 3 lb sack of potatoes, and we went through different methods- masher or ricer, butter, butter & milk, butter & cream, and butter and cream cheese. Then, we added pureed roasted garlic to the ones above to see if our choices changed with the garlic. Salt & pepper went on all of them.
The best one in our opinion was the riced version, with butter, cream cheese and roasted garlic. Since then, I’ve learned that you can just roast the garlic and toss the cloves in with the potatoes in the ricer and then make sure to stir it all together well. Plus a mixture of milk and cream cheese tastes just as good without being quite so heavy.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2014, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/28 "2014-10-07T16:14:05Z")
I like em somewhat lumpy and unpeeled. Butter and milk or sour cream (or even none at all), green onions or chives, salt, pepper. Every once in awhile I’ll do horseradish. Also, mashing in other veggies like carrots, parsnips, or rutabaga works well.
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### Author:  [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2014, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/29 "2014-10-07T16:40:06Z")
I love horseradish. The hotter the better. Unfortunately, nobody else in the household likes it very much except as a side for some braised short ribs. Sadly, it’s not likely to make an appearance in our mashed potatoes.
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### Author:  [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2014, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/30 "2014-10-07T16:41:26Z")
8-10 medium russets (I usually just use all 5lbs)
Peel, boil in salted water and send through the ricer.
Add:
1 stick melted unsalted butter
8oz cream cheese
8oz sour cream
Snipped Chives
S&P to taste
Options: roasted garlic, cheese, whatever you like.
Place all in a soufflé dish, or casserole. Heat at 350 for 30 minutes (45 if it’s been refrigerated)
It’s the best way to do mashed potatoes if you want to prepare them ahead of time. If I’m making mashed potatoes for my family, I’ll use red potatoes, skins on, and hit with a masher. I’ve never understood people who are afraid of lumps in mashed potatoes. It’s not gravy.
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### Author:  [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2014, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/31 "2014-10-07T23:57:01Z")
Sour cream may be replaced by plain lowfat yogurt for an extra tangy taste that goes especially well with the garlic-flavored version.
(The yogurt version is also somewhat lower-calorie, but considering the butter and/or cream it hardly matters.)
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2014, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/32 "2014-10-10T23:37:39Z")
Surprised twice baked potatoes hasn’t been mentioned.
pretty much the same idea as mashed potatoes except the potatoes are baked instead of boiled. Cut in half, carefully scoop out the centers and mash. Add butter, and other fillings like crumbled bacon, chopped onion etc. and combine well. Spoon the filling back into the potato shells. top with shredded cheddar cheese and return to the oven for a few minutes.
We make it at least once a month.
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### Author:  [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2014, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/33 "2014-10-11T00:04:11Z")
2:1 ratio of russets to reds
cook in salted water until mashable
while potatoes cook, simmer however many garlic cloves you want in a 1:1 mixture of heavy cream and buttermilk
once potatoes are done, drain water and mash, along with enough of the cream/buttermilk mix to your desired consistency along with a sprinkling of dried chives. feel free to mash in the cloves of garlic if you want.
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### Author:  [@2spooky4me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2spooky4me)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2014, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/34 "2014-10-11T00:08:15Z")
Use half butter half potatoes. The more butter the better. When your mashed potatoes are a soup, you are set.
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### Author:  [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2014, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/35 "2014-10-11T06:08:20Z")
Ok, but what kind of potatoes? And when you say “mash” – with the hand masher? Hand-held mixer? Stand mixer? Mine usually come out gummy. :mad:
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### Author:  [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2014, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/36 "2014-10-11T07:07:06Z")
Potatoes, milk, butter, fresh roasted garlic, cheese.
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### Author:  [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2014, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/37 "2014-10-11T07:23:16Z")
My step mother has taken it to the next level, she cooks the potatoes in half and half. No water anywhere. They’re amazing.
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/38 "2014-10-11T21:45:06Z")
Roast a couple heads of garlic. Peel and boil 5 pounds of potatoes, drain, then mash them over low heat (that gets the last of the water out.) Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into that, add a brick of softened cream cheese, maybe half a cup of half and half or as much as you need to get it right, salt and pepper. I only do it for special occasions because that shit will kill you.
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### Author:  [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2014, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/39 "2014-10-11T22:19:42Z")
I’m another fan of the ricer. A decent knob of butter and a good grind of pepper are my usual additions. A good dollop of tartare sauce can add that extra zing.
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### Author:  [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2014, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-me-your-best-mashed-potatoes/700559/40 "2014-10-11T22:35:19Z")
> [@gigi](#):
>
> Ok, but what kind of potatoes? And when you say “mash” – with the hand masher? Hand-held mixer? Stand mixer? Mine usually come out gummy. :mad:
gummy/gooey generally means either too much liquid or too vigorously mashed. I get good results with russets, using a hand masher to just where there aren’t large chunks, and enough milk/cream to make it smooth.
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