Mashed potato question for turkey day

[foodrocks]

So I have read over many many recipes, and I noticed a step that was included in a few of them. It says after you boil the potatoes to put them in a dry pan on the stove or in the oven for a few minutes to dry up any excess moisture...how important is this step in order to make quality mashed potatoes? I have heard of doing it while making potato gnocchi, but never mashed, so please, someone enlighten me!

[Covert Ops]

I do the same as Kuisine and Sarah. Don't add a step when you don't need to. :-)

[SarahEats]

I always drain the potatoes and put them back in the hot pot to mash them in order to avoid washing another bowl and to dry them out. I've heard that drying them out a tad means they can absorb the milk and butter better. I don't think you need to go to the extreme and oven dry them, though. Just put them back in the hot pot for a few minutes.

[Kuisine]

I've never done that and the potatoes come out fine. I do tend to drain them and then put them back in the hot pot dry though, which I suppose serves nearly the same purpose. I don't think it's vital that you oven dry them, just make sure they're well drained.