Mashed potatoes are the ultimate comfort food, but there’s more to them than meets the eye.

If you think you can just boil some potatoes, smash them up, and end up with the creamy, flavorful dish that reminds you of holidays passed, you’re sorely mistaken.

Since many of us will be cooking on our own for the first time this year, it’s a chance to learn some tricks. And if you’ve already tried and messed it up once, then you’re well on your way to appreciating these tips!

Good mashed potatoes all have one thing in common: calories

Sorry, but mashed potatoes don’t get delicious just because you put love in them. While love might help, what you really need are things like butter, milk, cream, salt, and perhaps even some sour cream or cream cheese. (Of course, there are alternatives to these things for those who can’t handle their dairy.)

So look for recipes that call for a little something extra. Your potatoes won’t stay together without some extra ingredients anyway.

Here are some other tips for making the best mashed potatoes:

Use the right type of potato

Mashed potatoes are best made with extra-starchy Yukon gold or Russet potatoes. They mash easily and get nice and creamy when they’re cooked.

Stay away from any fancy potatoes or fingerlings – those aren’t going to get the job done.

And we hope we don’t have to tell you that blue potatoes are out of the question unless you want things to start looking purple.

Prep and cook them well

The ideal size for chopped potatoes that go into your boiling water is about 1.5 inches.

If you’re in a rush, you can make them smaller and they will cook faster, but they’ll also absorb more water (which means they’ll absorb less butter and cream later on).

If you don’t chop your potatoes, they’re going to cook unevenly and you’ll end up with lumpy potatoes.

And you can tell when they’re done because they’ll be easy to pierce with a fork. If you meet any resistance, they’re going to be a pain to try and mash.

How to avoid potato spackle

Stiff potatoes aren’t ideal and they might remind you of wall spackle when you go to serve them.

You don’t want to pull a muscle in your shoulder when you try to get them off the spoon and into the plate.

The best way to avoid potato spackle? Milk and cream. Plenty of it.

If you’re worried about calories, you might as well make good potatoes and eat smaller servings. A big bowl of bad potatoes isn’t going to make anyone happy.

To avoid the opposite problem – gooey potatoes – skip the blender and food processor and use some elbow grease and a potato masher instead. Just think of it as burning calories that you get to replace with potatoes later.

How to do it right

So what have we learned so far when it comes to making potatoes?

1. You can use any recipe you want, but be sure to use a starchy potato.
2. Peel your potatoes if you want, but be sure to cut them into same-size chunks.
3. Boil your potatoes until they are falling apart. (You can underboil, but it’s hard to overboil them.)

Here are some more tips for your best mashed potatoes:

1. Put your potato pieces in cold water and bring them to a boil. Then cook them for about 25 minutes (for a large batch).

   

2. Add some salt to your water to help break down the potatoes.
3. Drain your potatoes and put them right back in the hot pan. (They’ll dry out a bit as you start to mash them, but that means there’s more room for them to soak up the good stuff.)
4. Use a hand masher, or – if you like super-creamy potatoes – a potato ricer.
5. When you add your milk and cream, make sure it’s warm so you don’t cool down the potatoes too much.
6. Don’t forget the extras – butter, chives, sour cream all make great additions to mashed potatoes.

Here’s our favorite recipe for mashed potatoes (we like sour cream and garlic!), but now that you know the important tricks, you can use whatever recipe you’d like.

And be sure to scroll down below for video advice on making your mashed potatoes the best.

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Source: YouTube – Chowhound, Taste of Home