Help - Potato Mashing Crisis!
I have a very old potato masher that is basically a squiggly wire. I bought it at Ikea about 10 years ago, and it always leaves my potatoes just a little too lumpy. The trouble is Thanksgiving is coming up and I need to mash a boatload of potatoes. So... what is your favorite way to mash?
Note that I had a ricer and hated it (unitasker and hard to use!). I have a food mill but I think that would take forever. I also have a standing and a hand held mixer. I've been eyeing the new OXO masher, but am not sure I'm ready to pull the trigger. Please tell me how you mash... Qucik!!
Thank you.
By jenhen2
on Nov 24, 2009 06:17 AM
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big whisk.
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Why do you need another tool. You have the best tool for mashed potato, the food mill. Unless you have a dinky version or serving the whole neighborhood, the food mill does the job most efficiently and the best result (smooth and fluffy). I've mashed potato for 20 people without much effort. Your standing mixer with the paddle at very low speed would also work.
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PBSF is right: you want a food mill. Failing that, your next best alternative is a potato ricer and a nice metal tamis that you can press the potato through.
You can decide for yourself if you want to hydrate the potato starch before eventually cooking and mashing.
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10 years isn't "very old".....It's almost brand new!
Actually, I can't talk. I'm forever replacing items of cookware with something I perceive to be better, and I'm often wrong. That's why I shamefully have over 50 kitchen knives. Anyway, that's just what I did with my masher and I got the OXO (the one which has a horizontal rather than a vertical grip) and it's great.. So easy to use and it cleans up in a jiffy.
Happy mashing.
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I've used a plastic potato ricer for many years and find it super fast and easy and produces a texture we like. I just boil the potatoes whole for about 30 minutes, then fish them out with a slotted ladle and put them through the ricer whole (most small/medium will fill in whole). Very fast and easy, and pretty easy to clean. Mine's similar to this (I can't find the exact one I have online):
http://www.chefsresource.com/rsvp-pot...
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This is my go-to method for mashed potatoes too. Select similarly sized potatoes, scrub them well, boil them whole and run them through the ricer. Clean out the skin between each potato and move along. Mashed potatoes couldn't be simpler and super consistent!
I picked up the Oxo ricer at Tuesday Morning for $3.00 and find it very easy to use. It has little rubber "gaskets" on each side so it grips the pot without sliding. It's not hard to push down and it doesn't make my hands hurt.
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Just be careful not to over beat/whip, I did this last year and wound up with a hot gluey mass no one would eat.
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Whatever you do, be cautious about using a food processor or standing mixer. You need to err on the side of under-mashing, as over-mashing will turn your mashies into a gluey mess.
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my china cap makes the best mashed potatoes.
http://www.foodservicedirect.com/inde...
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