The highlight of my Thanksgiving dinner plate? Mashed potatoes and gravy. It sounds like I have company in my love of the spuds. According to a survey by Crestline, which compiled a list of about every Thanksgiving food they could think of and then asked respondents to indicate their preferences, the most popular Thanksgiving foods in America include: 1. Mashed potatoes (94%); 2. Turkey (84%); 3. Gravy (84%). (See the full report and methods here.)
Well, what’s not to like? Not only are potatoes comforting and delicious, but they are also naturally free of gluten, fat, and cholesterol and a good source of complex carbohydrates, while loaded with nutrients including vitamins B6 and C, and more potassium than the average banana.
How you or your family prepare said potatoes might be a point of fierce loyalty to tradition when it comes to a holiday dinner. Maybe you always have classic mashed potatoes mixed with milk and butter. Or maybe it’s not turkey day without some garlic or peas mixed into the mash? I recalled the potato debate by the characters on an episode of “Friends” as they prepared for their “friendsgiving” feast (check it out here). Sometimes it just doesn’t seem right without your favorite potato dish at the table.
Whether you like the familiar traditional mashed or prefer add-ins, the key to making a delicious batch starts with choosing the best potato for the job and then following the tips below on making mashed potatoes like a pro.
Potatoes vary in starch levels and moisture content, and those two factors are the key to selecting the right spud to work best for different cooking methods and dishes, whether you’re mashing, roasting, or dicing for a casserole or soup.
Potatoes are stem tubers and are considered a starchy vegetable. As the name implies, these vegetables contain more starch as compared to others. This isn’t bad. It means that the vegetable delivers more calories and typically less fiber.
Make Mashed Potatoes Like a Pro
The folks at the Idaho Potato Commission have perfected the art of creating fluffy mashed potato dishes. Here are their tips so you can, too. Whether you like them made with heavy cream and butter or on the lighter side, this will help make sure your taters aren’t too lumpy, creamy, or over-whipped.
- To ensure your potatoes cook evenly, cut them into similar sizes (about 1 to 2 inches) and place in a pot of cold water, gradually bringing the water to a boil, then simmer.
- Leave the potatoes in water until ready to use. Just add a little acidity, a tablespoon of white wine vinegar or lemon juice added to a gallon of water.
- Salt the water you boil the potatoes in.
- Drain the hot water from the cooked chunks of russets and put back on the stovetop to cook off any extra water. Stir occasionally to keep the bottom of the potatoes from sticking to the pan.
- Always add warm or room temperature butter (never cold) first then the warm liquid slowly to the cooked mashed potatoes. Cold milk, cream, or butter will make the potatoes gummy.
- Over-mashing will result in gluey and sticky potatoes. Use your food processor for something else—don’t whip the potatoes to mash; they will be overmixed and gummy as it breaks down the starch cells.
- For fluffier mashed potatoes, add ½ teaspoon of baking power to the mixture while mashing. Allow the potatoes to sit a few minutes before serving.
- Try mashing your potatoes with buttermilk instead of milk or cream. Buttermilk tastes like sour cream but has less fat and calories.
- Add fresh herbs, spices, minced vegetables, or grated cheese to boost the flavor and color of your potatoes.
- Add a bouillon cube to the boiling water. Save the liquid when you drain the potatoes and add some of it while mashing as a calorie-free flavor enhancer.
- Add more milk and leave out the butter for reduced-fat mashed potatoes.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Perfect the classic and make any tweaks with optional add-ins to taste.
2 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 5 cups) ¾ cup hot milk (1%, 2%, or whole) 2 tablespoons butter ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Optional Add-Ins: ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley or dill
- Place potatoes in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover the potatoes. Bring the water up to a boil, then simmer for 13 to 15 minutes or until very tender. Drain potatoes in a colander.
- Return cooked potatoes to pot and stir over medium heat, about 1 minute, until excess water has evaporated.
- With potato masher, mash in hot milk, butter, salt, and pepper. Beat with wooden spoon until potatoes are smooth and creamy. Stir in any optional add-ins, if desired.
Cook’s Notes: • Be sure to warm up the container you are serving your mashed potatoes in before serving. This will help keep your potatoes hot. • Add a little “crunch” on top of your mashed potatoes when serving, such as homemade Idaho potato chips, thinly sliced fried onions, or fried cheese crisps. • Mix and match varieties in your mashed potatoes by using the Idaho russet potato as the base and then incorporating a percentage, say 10-25%, of fingerlings, reds, or yellow potatoes with the skins on.
Photo: Danielle Kartes, Idaho Potato Commission
Alton Brown Makes a Perfect Baked Potato | Good Eats | Food Network
FAQ
What is considered a spud?
What is spud in food?
Why is potato called a spud?
Is A potato A vegetable or a vegetable?
Why is a potato called a spud?
This “just so happened” to spell out the acronym SPUD. Some etymologists claimed that this was the origin for the potato being called a spud. Since the word spuddy was once the nickname for a seller of bad potatoes, it has also been supposed that the word spud derived from this. However, the word spud is almost certainly earlier.
What is a spud used for?
Among other definitions, a spud is a sharp, narrow spade used to dig up large-rooted plants. Around the mid-19th century—the first documented reference occurs in 1845 in New Zealand—this implement of destruction began lending its name to one of the things it was often used to dig up: potatoes.
Who are ‘Spud’ & ‘potatos’?
It involves a group of people who were definitely not the biggest fans of the veg. Supposedly, these anti-potato people joined together in the 1800s in Britain to form The Society for The Prevention of an Unwholesome Diet — or, ‘SPUD,’ for short.
Where did Spud come from?
It is believed that the historical ancestors of today’s tubers were first domesticated by the Incas in the Andes of South America about 1,800 years ago, but the first recorded use of ‘spud’ in reference to said vegetable dates back to 1840, purportedly from an English traveler making note of it as a strange bit of American vocabulary.