Mashed potatoes. So simply right? It is literally just boiled potatoes that you mash....If only it were really that easy though! I can't even begin to tell the number of times I thought just that and end up with a lumpy, gluey mess! I seriously thought I was destined to only be able to handle the instant boxed mashed potatoes. But I preserved and I figured out what I was doing wrong! Check out the recipe below for the technique to make perfectly creamy mashed potatoes every time! And it works not just for mash, but for cooking any type of potatoes in general!

What's the technique to making Perfectly Creamy Mashed Potatoes?

Peel and cut the potatoes into small equal sized cubes
Rinse the potatoes a few times to remove some of the starch
Soak the potatoes in water for at least 4 hours, up to overnight. This step is crucial to really get all of the excess starch off.
Fill a large pot with water, rinse off the potatoes one last time and add them to the cold water. Salt the water, place the pot on the stove and turn on the heat.
Once the water is boiling, set your timer for 20 minutes. After the timer goes off, check the doneness of the potatoes, you should be able to slide a fork into the cubes but they should not disintegrate. If you can not poke it, let it cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Drain the water from the potatoes, leave the potatoes in the colander while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
In the same pot that you boiled the potatoes, melt butter and heavy cream and any other seasoning you want to add (black pepper, salt).
Once the butter is melted and the heavy cream is warmed remove from heat. Add the potatoes back to the pot and mash with a masher or if using a ricer, you can rice the potatoes straight into the pot. Now mix the potatoes with the butter and milk mixture, taste and season for salt and pepper!

perfect creamy mashed potatoes in gray bowll

Why this method works!

The main reason is starch! If you don't rinse and soak the potatoes in water, all that starch that is naturally in potatoes will cause your mashed potatoes to become gluey and gummy. So rinse and soak the potatoes to remove as much of the starch as possible. The less starch the potatoes have, the fluffier and lighter they will be!
It is also crucial to warm up the butter and dairy before adding the cooked potatoes. Again you're watching out for the starch. The butter and cream will coat the cooked potatoes, which helps prevent additional starch from being released.
By starting the potatoes in cold salted water, you're doing two things, ensuring the heat is distributed evenly and flavoring the potatoes as they're cooking.
The type of potato you use is super important, for fluffy mashed potatoes pick up russet potatoes or yukon gold. They will hold up during the cooking process and absorb the butter and cream the best!

For more recipes for your Thanksgiving menu, check out: Sweet Potato with Cornbread Stuffing & Cranberry Chutney, Cardamom Ginger Apple Pie Filling, Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping

📖 Recipe