Mashed potatoes: (1) do you leave the skin on and (2) do you have any fabulous tricks?

[Anonymous]

My brother and I have a vastly differing approach to mashed potatoes, and I'm wondering whether others do or do not leave the skin on in the finished mashed potatoes?

Also, I'm looking to "up my game" as far as making mashed potatoes, so if anyone has tricks or tips they're willing to share, I'd love to hear them!

[Anonymous]

Skins on; it adds texture and the roughage is good for you.

I have no fancy tricks; I just follow the Betty Crocker recipe and use butter, milk, salt and pepper. Simple but tasty.

[Anonymous]

I boil Yukon golds, skin-on in chicken broth. Uses less butter that way, but gives great flavor.

[Anonymous]

add alittle heavy cream

[Anonymous]

My favorite is when I use red potatoes, I leave the skin on and add a few cloves (ok, a lot of cloves) of garlic while they're boiling. I just mash it all together as normal w/butter and milk for awesome garlic mashed potatoes.

My daughters' favorite is when I put one sweet potato in the pot and mash as normal w/butter and milk. The mashed potatoes have an orange tint, but they're a little sweet and very yummy.

[Anonymous]

definitely skins on. sometimes we do "make-ahead potatoes" from the 70s with sour cream, cream cheese, butter, and a splash of milk. You bake them again at 350 the day you're serving with pats of butter and paprika on top. Lotta fat but super delicious!

[Anonymous]

Depends on the type of potatoes. Russets I usually remove the skin and mash them with milk and butter. Red potatoes I leave the skin on, and often mash them with scallions and sour cream.

[Anonymous]

Mash them up first, with no milk or butter, and once they are all mashed then add the milk/butter and stir it in. They get less gummy this way.

Don't forget the salt.

Adding some cooked sunchokes (just a few) gives them a cool nutty flavor. You can also add Gorgonzola or some cheese if you like that.

[Anonymous]

No skin, boil 20 mins till tender use a potatoe ricer, stir into the diced taters melted butter crushed garlic, salt pepper and warm mil till the taters are the thickness/consistency you like. Perfect every time!

[Anonymous]

Skin on, and my favorite recipe ever is Ina Garten's buttermilk mashed potatoes. The BEST!

[Anonymous]

I leave skin on if using yukon gold or red potatoes; off if using russetts. Horseradish adds a nice twist, or garlic in water as pp mentions. Best ever, but a major pain, is to roast garlic by itself, then mash roasted cloves into potatoes. mmmm.

[Anonymous]

dijon mustard, country style

[Anonymous]

Not fancy: Skin-on Yukon Golds, roughly mashed, with nonfat Greek yogurt and some butter. Horseradish is also a nice addition, or whole-grain mustard.

Fancier: Use a potato ricer for a smooth texture.

Don't "overmash" or you'll get a gluey texture.

[Anonymous]

I think yukons are the best/creamiest for mashed potatoes, reds are pretty good too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not fancy: Skin-on Yukon Golds, roughly mashed, with nonfat Greek yogurt and some butter. Horseradish is also a nice addition, or whole-grain mustard.

Fancier: Use a potato ricer for a smooth texture.

Don't "overmash" or you'll get a gluey texture.

Absolutely. Biggest mistake with mashed potatoes is overworking. (Same with cookie dough, but that's another thread). That's where the gumminess comes in. Fat, like milk, yogurt, or butter, is what makes them creamy, not more mashing!