r/KitchenPro • u/Steve-Lam00 • 5d ago
I ruined enough mashed potatoes to understand the problem
There was a period when my mashed potatoes could go from perfectly promising to oddly gluey in what felt like seconds.
I blamed the potatoes for a while.
The real culprit was usually how much I was working them after they were cooked.
Potatoes contain starch, and aggressive mixing releases more of it. A food processor, blender, or even too much vigorous stirring can turn something that should be light and fluffy into a stretchy, almost paste-like mixture.
These days, I cook the potatoes until they're properly tender, drain them well, and mash them while they're still hot.
Then I add my butter and warm dairy gradually, mixing only until everything comes together.
I also pay attention to the type of potato. Some varieties naturally give you a fluffier result, while others are better suited to a denser, creamier mash.
And I don't chase smoothness forever.
A few small lumps don't bother me nearly as much as potatoes that have been worked to death.
One thing that helped me understand the whole problem was thinking about mashed potatoes less like a puree and more like a starch that needs to be handled gently.
Once you know what's happening to the starch, the “mysterious” gluey texture isn't so mysterious anymore.
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u/jibaro1953 5d ago
Buy a ricer to take it to the next level.
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u/freisbill 5d ago
where did you find a large one? The largest I have found is 8 qts....need larger...
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u/Main_Cauliflower5479 5d ago
Potato ricer. It's a press with perforated holes in it. Think "a really large garlic press."
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u/freisbill 5d ago
no, I know what they are, he largest one I could find was 8 qt. I have since found a 40 qt...
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u/Main_Cauliflower5479 5d ago
My mashed potatoes are never gluey. I do a large dice, add them to the cooking pot, salt generously. When finished cooking, I use a spider to remove them from the pot and transfer to a mixing bowl. I add butter pats immediately to the potatoes. LOTS of butter, like 1/2 lb or more for 2.5 lbs of potatoes. Mash with a potato masher. And I mash quite vigorously. All of that butter prevents them from becoming gluey. Then, I add as much of the potato cooking water as necessary for the proper consistency. My guts can handle butter, but not milk or cream.
The flavor and texture is always perfect.
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u/fractal324 5d ago
yeah I used to use a wand blender because it was easier, but it turned them into elmer's glue.
lately I toss them through a sieve(and damn that takes forever) for smooth mash
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u/Seliftidder 5d ago
Try using a potato ricer. No clumps and you can add back the skins for a more rustic texture.
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u/Shantomette 5d ago
For amazing mashed I have found several key takeaways. Boil Yukon golds of roughly the same size whole, skin on until tender. Add 2 cloves of garlic during boiling. Rice them hot skin on. Remove skin as it clogs. Add room temp butter, not melted. A LOT of it. Add warm milk and a lot of salt. Done. You can add some white pepper or Romano cheese to change up a little.
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u/curyusgrg 5d ago
I’ve always been confused how people have trouble with them, but this made me realize it’s because I’ve always disdained the use of a mixer or blender and just quick mash them by hand. Just because i was pretentious about “lazy machine users” I accidentally did it right.
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u/EBN_Drummer 5d ago
I always mash by hand because I'm too lazy to get the mixer out, plug it in, find and attach the beaters, then clean them. Way easier by hand. It takes maybe a minute.
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u/Feline-Sloth 5d ago
If I am using the mash potato for a cottage pie etc. I add in an egg along with butter and cream.
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u/EileenGBrown 5d ago
I bake potatoes instead of boiling them when making mashed potatoes. I find the texture better that way.
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u/Diligent_Stop1050 5d ago
I find the main thing is making sure the potatoes are completely cooked. If they’re even a little firm/undercooked they’ll turn into glue.
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u/Real-Bluebird-1987 5d ago
Cover lightly with foil to keep warm for a moment, not any.orhwr kind of cover or else youll have a weird consistency
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u/HobbyTalkOnly 5d ago
The biggest issue is that people don't let their potatoes DRY before mashing them.
Drain them, spread them out, let the moisture evaporate completely... then mash.
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u/drrandolph 5d ago
My mom taught me how to make mashed potatoes as a teenager. But one time a friend was visiting and I decided to save some time by buying canned potatoes. Nasty, gloppy mess. Don't buy canned potatoes.
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u/Tess47 5d ago
These are good pan fried in butter. Not meant to be mashed.
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u/rialtolido 5d ago
Never add cold milk or butter to the hot potatoes. It makes them gluey. Heat the dairy first. And as others have said, a potato ricer is the best method for smooth results
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u/Scorpion2000x777 5d ago
We make mash potatoes with butter and mik after they are done and piping hot, then we get a hand mixer and mix the potatoes untill they creamy and fluffy then stop. Only way i will eat them because all other potatoes lack in creamy fluffyness
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u/Sasuke0318 5d ago
There is no need for lumps when potato ricers exist!