# Mashed potatoes - peeled or not?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [November 24, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998 "2011-11-24T20:04:13Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/1 "2011-11-24T20:04:13Z")
So I was preparing the potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner and was thinking about this. I quit peeling them years ago because it’s much easier. What do you all do?
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### Author:  [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/2 "2011-11-24T20:07:36Z")
I can go both ways;)
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### Author:  [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/3 "2011-11-24T20:09:39Z")
It depends on the potato - I prefer not to peel, but I peel them if they are bruised or green or just kind of icky.
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### Author:  [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/4 "2011-11-24T20:10:51Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#):
>
> It depends on the potato - I prefer not to peel, but I peel them if they are bruised or green or just kind of icky.
Didn’t think of that. I usually peel that part or just cut out what doesn’t look good.
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### Author:  [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/5 "2011-11-24T20:14:44Z")
I never peel potatoes if they are to be chopped and fried or baked, but if you don’t peel them before mashing, you can get a glob of skin somewhere in the mix. Not what you want, eh?
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### Author:  [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/6 "2011-11-24T20:18:53Z")
> [@Musicat](#):
>
> I never peel potatoes if they are to be chopped and fried or baked, but if you don’t peel them before mashing, you can get a glob of skin somewhere in the mix. Not what you want, eh?
I actually don’t mind the skin mixed in with mashed. But I know some people don’t care for it.
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### Author:  [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/7 "2011-11-24T20:35:39Z")
I like it with the peel in, and surprisingly, my kids don’t mind it that way. By the time I use up a sack of potatoes, thought, they’re only usable if they’re peeled.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/8 "2011-11-24T20:44:07Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#):
>
> It depends on the potato - I prefer not to peel, but I peel them if they are bruised or green or just kind of icky.
Me, too, except I don’t peel them because I use the thin-skinned type. If I were using the real think skinned type, I might peel. But I don’t ever use those, so I really don’t know…
Personally, I think the skins add flavor. But then, I’m the guy who, even as a kid, used to eat the skin of baked potatoes.
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/9 "2011-11-24T20:51:11Z")
I’ve had mashed in restaurants with the peel. Not really a fan. The peel is often tough.
At home I always peel them. Unless I reach for the box of instant mashed. 😉 Idahoan brand has fooled many people who think I made them from scratch.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/10 "2011-11-24T20:54:17Z")
Russet potatoes? Yes, I peel. Unless I don’t. But almost always, I peel.
Red potatoes? No, I never peel them.
Since I usually make mashed potatoes from Russets, I voted ‘Yes, I peel.’
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### Author:  [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/11 "2011-11-24T21:01:58Z")
I like to roast whole potatoes before mashing. It makes the skin even better!
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### Author:  [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/12 "2011-11-24T21:18:13Z")
In between. I “roughly” peel them - about 2/3 to 3/4 peeled. Gives me a chance to look for bad spots and also IMHO leaves me with a nice balance in terms of amount of skin in the mashed potatoes.
Generally I prefer Yukon Golds, but Russets in a pinch. Not crazy about red-skinned potatoes mashed.
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### Author:  [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/13 "2011-11-24T22:12:42Z")
I really enjoy potatoes baked in their jackets, and the skin’ the best bit by far. But mashed? No, peeled is the One True Way, so mote it be.
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### Author:  [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/14 "2011-11-24T22:36:46Z")
Potato skins rock. And isn’t that where all the vitamins are??
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### Author:  [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/15 "2011-11-24T23:13:11Z")
Absolutely peel them. For me perfect mashed potatoes are silky smooth, and the skins would just destroy that feel.
Also as a practical matter, I buy most of my potatoes as brushed potatoes rather than washed, so there tends to be big clumps of dirt still on them. It’s actually easier then, just to peel them than it would be to try and scrub them clean.
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### Author:  [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/16 "2011-11-24T23:25:48Z")
Partially peeled, to get any bad spots or sprouting eyes off. I use red skins generally.
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### Author:  [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/17 "2011-11-24T23:26:46Z")
Having potatoes mashed is my second least favorite way to have them prepared. They’re even worse with the peel in the mix.
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### Author:  [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/18 "2011-11-24T23:45:47Z")
Silly Rabbit - you forgot we like them either way and randomize which way we make them.
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### Author:  [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/19 "2011-11-24T23:50:53Z")
> [@elfkin477](#):
>
> Having potatoes mashed is my second least favorite way to have them prepared. They’re even worse with the peel in the mix.
You haven’t tried mine made with garlic, butter and plain yogurt—delicious and tangy, even mashed-potato-haters love 'em.
But yes, when I’m making them for other people I always peel the taters and mash them creamy smooth (and usually grate some fresh parmesan over the top of the serving dish and pop it under the broiler to brown). If it’s just for me, I don’t mind some lumps and skins mixed in.
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### Author:  [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2011, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-potatoes-peeled-or-not/603998/20 "2011-11-24T23:52:06Z")
> [@Antinor01](#):
>
> Didn’t think of that. I usually peel that part or just cut out what doesn’t look good.
There comes a point (usually after you’ve been working at it for a while) that you realize that there are so many bruises or green spots that you should have just peeled 'em.
I don’t mind the skins in my mashed potatoes, either. Lumps and skins - mmmm. 🙂 I also like to eat the skins of my baked potatoes in restaurants, but I’m finding that a lot of them aren’t cleaning the skins properly - if I can scratch off dirt with my fingernail, that is no way clean enough.
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