My best mashed potatoes yet
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Date: 2025-06-25
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Comments and reviews: 20
bawrytr
I love all your videos, but kind of a side not that might be appreciated from my childhood; -)
Hanging out in the kitchen on Christmas with my great grandma, grand ma, and great aunt, maybe mid-70s. So I asked what I could do and grandma Wim handed me a bowl of skinned and boiled potatoes and a couple of kinds of mashers, and so I mashed busily for a while, and she added some butter and sour cream, and told me to keep going. After a while she looked at it and fished around with a spoon or something. It turned out I'd mashed the potatoes too well, there weren't any lumps left. I had of course thought mashed potatoes should be smooth. But it turned out that was no longer the case. Wim explained to me that since they'd come out with mash potato mixes, when you mixed those up, there were never any lumps. So if you wanted people to know they were 'real' mashed potatoes, you had to leave some lumps in.
I've only made mashed potatoes a few times, but always followed her advice. But over the years, wow, the lumps in the mashed potatoes makes huge sense across any number of artisanal and artistic domains.
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I love all your videos, but kind of a side not that might be appreciated from my childhood; -)
Hanging out in the kitchen on Christmas with my great grandma, grand ma, and great aunt, maybe mid-70s. So I asked what I could do and grandma Wim handed me a bowl of skinned and boiled potatoes and a couple of kinds of mashers, and so I mashed busily for a while, and she added some butter and sour cream, and told me to keep going. After a while she looked at it and fished around with a spoon or something. It turned out I'd mashed the potatoes too well, there weren't any lumps left. I had of course thought mashed potatoes should be smooth. But it turned out that was no longer the case. Wim explained to me that since they'd come out with mash potato mixes, when you mixed those up, there were never any lumps. So if you wanted people to know they were 'real' mashed potatoes, you had to leave some lumps in.
I've only made mashed potatoes a few times, but always followed her advice. But over the years, wow, the lumps in the mashed potatoes makes huge sense across any number of artisanal and artistic domains.
reply
brandonman94
Very SIMILAR to Chef Jean Pierre's process. But, not quite. I'd recommend checking his process out as well! A potato ricer is MUCH easier than a sieve, and is one of the differences here. And, it leads to an incredibly consistent. well. consistency. With less work then this sieve process! Other difference is he saves you a step and includes whole garlic cloves without having to mince in the boil. I like your science on the simmer vs. boil. I'm going to have to do a mashup (pun intended) of these two different methods. His whole garlic and ricer, your low simmer!
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Very SIMILAR to Chef Jean Pierre's process. But, not quite. I'd recommend checking his process out as well! A potato ricer is MUCH easier than a sieve, and is one of the differences here. And, it leads to an incredibly consistent. well. consistency. With less work then this sieve process! Other difference is he saves you a step and includes whole garlic cloves without having to mince in the boil. I like your science on the simmer vs. boil. I'm going to have to do a mashup (pun intended) of these two different methods. His whole garlic and ricer, your low simmer!
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MajoraZ
I seem to be the minority in that I find super smooth, homogenous Mashed Potatoes to be gross. My ideal mashed Potatoes is pretty much just the inside of a baked potato, but with a but of butter mashed into the potato with a fork, to where the butter is semi intergrated into and the texture is still fluffed up a bit, but there's still a bit of grainyness and there's areas with blocks of untouched, more solid baked potato. so, I guess my ideal mashed potatos is just a bunch of baked potatos without the skins, not that the skins are a problem to me
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I seem to be the minority in that I find super smooth, homogenous Mashed Potatoes to be gross. My ideal mashed Potatoes is pretty much just the inside of a baked potato, but with a but of butter mashed into the potato with a fork, to where the butter is semi intergrated into and the texture is still fluffed up a bit, but there's still a bit of grainyness and there's areas with blocks of untouched, more solid baked potato. so, I guess my ideal mashed potatos is just a bunch of baked potatos without the skins, not that the skins are a problem to me
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TheFatCupcakes
Yes, at my restaurant we boil lots of potatoes at a time in a huge pot and it does indeed take a lot of time to boil.
When it does come to a boil, ill let it simmer for about 5 more minutes or so then strain. I then form them into hashbrowns, but from trial and error I realized if i boil a smaller batch or boil them more aggressively, the final hashbrown product will end up falling apart almost entirely in the fryer. As you've mentioned how boiling them aggressively ruptures the cells, it makes sense to me now.
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Yes, at my restaurant we boil lots of potatoes at a time in a huge pot and it does indeed take a lot of time to boil.
When it does come to a boil, ill let it simmer for about 5 more minutes or so then strain. I then form them into hashbrowns, but from trial and error I realized if i boil a smaller batch or boil them more aggressively, the final hashbrown product will end up falling apart almost entirely in the fryer. As you've mentioned how boiling them aggressively ruptures the cells, it makes sense to me now.
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early2000skid
aragusea I'd be surprised if you haven't heard of them, but: this setup you have is very similar to a _Potato Ricer_, a tool which uses a spiral feeder to 'gently' push boiled potato chunks through a matrix of holes that look reminiscent of a grater. Knowing you, I'm guessing you've heard of them but don't use one since they're an extra gadget and/or maybe a pain to clean, but I'm fairly sure that's the tool that modern French restaurants use to get a similar effect to what you have here.
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aragusea I'd be surprised if you haven't heard of them, but: this setup you have is very similar to a _Potato Ricer_, a tool which uses a spiral feeder to 'gently' push boiled potato chunks through a matrix of holes that look reminiscent of a grater. Knowing you, I'm guessing you've heard of them but don't use one since they're an extra gadget and/or maybe a pain to clean, but I'm fairly sure that's the tool that modern French restaurants use to get a similar effect to what you have here.
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planesandbikes7353
smooth silky mashed potatoes is for me the worst way serve potatoes. It's too much of an overprocessed food like baby pablum. I prefer a fluffy coarse texture of fresh mashed boiled potatoes even with some lumps left in (and of course some butter and roasted garlic chunks perhaps. In no world would I put put potatoes through a sieve. Baked potato with maillarded skin or scalloped potatoes are the best ways to enjoy potatoes imho.
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smooth silky mashed potatoes is for me the worst way serve potatoes. It's too much of an overprocessed food like baby pablum. I prefer a fluffy coarse texture of fresh mashed boiled potatoes even with some lumps left in (and of course some butter and roasted garlic chunks perhaps. In no world would I put put potatoes through a sieve. Baked potato with maillarded skin or scalloped potatoes are the best ways to enjoy potatoes imho.
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aragusea
Adam Ragusea, the guy constantly telling us about how much he loves HETEROGENEITY and varying textures in food, has now made a video showing us the extra, labour-intensive and honestly unnecessary steps to making what is allegedly his favourite style of mashed potatoes which is in fact HOMOGENOUS.
Yeah, I'll stick to my slightly lumpy mashed potatoes, thank you very much. I think they're just as fine and valid.
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Adam Ragusea, the guy constantly telling us about how much he loves HETEROGENEITY and varying textures in food, has now made a video showing us the extra, labour-intensive and honestly unnecessary steps to making what is allegedly his favourite style of mashed potatoes which is in fact HOMOGENOUS.
Yeah, I'll stick to my slightly lumpy mashed potatoes, thank you very much. I think they're just as fine and valid.
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jjeemmiinn9754
Question, but some people seem to be unfamiliar with the term Clank to mean cutting. I think I got it from one of your videos but most people don't really get it. Is it like a regional thing or something It's just that I really like using the word Clank, maybe it rolls off the tongue better or just sounds more amusing that just chop, cut, chunk or slice but again few people get what I mean.
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Question, but some people seem to be unfamiliar with the term Clank to mean cutting. I think I got it from one of your videos but most people don't really get it. Is it like a regional thing or something It's just that I really like using the word Clank, maybe it rolls off the tongue better or just sounds more amusing that just chop, cut, chunk or slice but again few people get what I mean.
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jjeemmiinn9754
Question, but some people seem to be unfamiliar with the term Clank to mean cutting. I think I got it from one of your videos but most people don't really get it. Is it like a regional thing or something It's just that I really like using the word Clank, maybe it rolls off the tongue better or just sounds more amusing that just chop, cut, chunk or slice but again few people get what I mean.
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Question, but some people seem to be unfamiliar with the term Clank to mean cutting. I think I got it from one of your videos but most people don't really get it. Is it like a regional thing or something It's just that I really like using the word Clank, maybe it rolls off the tongue better or just sounds more amusing that just chop, cut, chunk or slice but again few people get what I mean.
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HeinzizBaKeD
Try this next time:
Use a fork to punch some holes in each potato. Then bake on a bed of rock salt until they are soft.
Then cut each potato in half and press through a sieve - save the skins (keep them in the fridge overnight so they dry out a but - then fry for the best potato skins)
Then mix in what ever you like into the potato mash.
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Try this next time:
Use a fork to punch some holes in each potato. Then bake on a bed of rock salt until they are soft.
Then cut each potato in half and press through a sieve - save the skins (keep them in the fridge overnight so they dry out a but - then fry for the best potato skins)
Then mix in what ever you like into the potato mash.
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vladg12
If you want to live dangerously, simmer them in enough water to cover them about 2/3 (maybe even 1/2 with small potato chunks) and let all the water boil away until you have a bit of thick starch slurry left. It retains all the potato flavor. Probably best not to salt the water if you do it this way or you might end up with way too much salt.
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If you want to live dangerously, simmer them in enough water to cover them about 2/3 (maybe even 1/2 with small potato chunks) and let all the water boil away until you have a bit of thick starch slurry left. It retains all the potato flavor. Probably best not to salt the water if you do it this way or you might end up with way too much salt.
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Ottoni174
a friend has a fancy restaurant and i ate the best mashed potatoes i've ever ate in my life there, she just baked the potatoes very slowly so it loses moisture and concentrates the flavour on the potatoes, used a mix of cream and butter and a touch of herbs that she didn't said what it was but probably was thyme, oregano and rosemary
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a friend has a fancy restaurant and i ate the best mashed potatoes i've ever ate in my life there, she just baked the potatoes very slowly so it loses moisture and concentrates the flavour on the potatoes, used a mix of cream and butter and a touch of herbs that she didn't said what it was but probably was thyme, oregano and rosemary
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juurviljasupp
Just because you said scary father-in-law. as one intelligent white guy to another: My father-in-law is a black ex-NYC detective with multiple black belts in martial arts. He wanted to exchange gut punches within the first 10 minutes after I first met him to prove our fitness. I feel your anxiety hahahahaha.
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Just because you said scary father-in-law. as one intelligent white guy to another: My father-in-law is a black ex-NYC detective with multiple black belts in martial arts. He wanted to exchange gut punches within the first 10 minutes after I first met him to prove our fitness. I feel your anxiety hahahahaha.
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karactr8361
Personally, I like lumpy mashed potatoes. Can't stand the silky smooth, passed through a sieve texture. Yukon Golds are not superior to a mealy/waxy blend, imo. Leave the skins. Simmer the garlic rough chopped with a little milk and leave all that in the mash. Potatoe water IS a plus.
But, that's just me.
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Personally, I like lumpy mashed potatoes. Can't stand the silky smooth, passed through a sieve texture. Yukon Golds are not superior to a mealy/waxy blend, imo. Leave the skins. Simmer the garlic rough chopped with a little milk and leave all that in the mash. Potatoe water IS a plus.
But, that's just me.
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wobblysauce
That is the thing with taste and likes, what you love, others may enjoy or not.
Fine and silky never really done it for me, I am more of a cut to quarters/bit bigger than bite size, Microwave, shake container, add butter/salt- other stuff and shake again and eat or if you want crispy spuds, then oven/fry.
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That is the thing with taste and likes, what you love, others may enjoy or not.
Fine and silky never really done it for me, I am more of a cut to quarters/bit bigger than bite size, Microwave, shake container, add butter/salt- other stuff and shake again and eat or if you want crispy spuds, then oven/fry.
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unsaif6944
Have you ever tried steaming your potatoes It doesn’t dilute the flavour and cooks in a gentle but even way. I do large-ish chunks in the steamer basket and then in the last 5 minutes I cut the potatoes with a knife to ensure all parts are fully cooked. Always results in a smooth mash with minimal effort.
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Have you ever tried steaming your potatoes It doesn’t dilute the flavour and cooks in a gentle but even way. I do large-ish chunks in the steamer basket and then in the last 5 minutes I cut the potatoes with a knife to ensure all parts are fully cooked. Always results in a smooth mash with minimal effort.
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play4dc
I love how Adam respects the taste/(time effort) equation.
No task specific equipment, no poaching potato skins in milk, or adding secret ingredients.
10 minutes extra cooking time and just 1 extra pot needing a rinse and a dirty sieve (I'll keep the potatoes in the sieve when I cook the garlic.
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I love how Adam respects the taste/(time effort) equation.
No task specific equipment, no poaching potato skins in milk, or adding secret ingredients.
10 minutes extra cooking time and just 1 extra pot needing a rinse and a dirty sieve (I'll keep the potatoes in the sieve when I cook the garlic.
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InShortSight
I know we've talked about how cleaning in the kitchen isnt the best content, but how TF do you clean a potato sieve Sieves in general I find just collect gunk or oil or starch, so I just dont use them if I can avoid it. Thats a major upside of using a ricecooker versus boiling rice pasta style.
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I know we've talked about how cleaning in the kitchen isnt the best content, but how TF do you clean a potato sieve Sieves in general I find just collect gunk or oil or starch, so I just dont use them if I can avoid it. Thats a major upside of using a ricecooker versus boiling rice pasta style.
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zombieloffe
I don't understand adam's refusal to learn to use his knuckles and a claw grip when cutting stuff. Not only is it safer and faster, it's actually EASIER once you get used to it. It's more comfortable and produces more even pieces. It shouldn't bother me this much but it does in every video: (
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I don't understand adam's refusal to learn to use his knuckles and a claw grip when cutting stuff. Not only is it safer and faster, it's actually EASIER once you get used to it. It's more comfortable and produces more even pieces. It shouldn't bother me this much but it does in every video: (
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TobiasDuncan
I had some boiled yukons around and so decided to make some mashed after watching this.
I did not really follow any of his tips and added in Labneh instead of creme fraiche. Wow, I feel like this firm creamy addition is a brilliant move. If you do nothing else, add something like this
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I had some boiled yukons around and so decided to make some mashed after watching this.
I did not really follow any of his tips and added in Labneh instead of creme fraiche. Wow, I feel like this firm creamy addition is a brilliant move. If you do nothing else, add something like this
reply
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