Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The times I used a mixer or hand blender, they got gooey and sticky and had to be thrown away. Is there a trick to doing it with electronic help but it still tasting good?

Dry dry dry those potatoes and use so much butter you feel a little embarrassed. The glueyness comes from too much water (in leftover cooking liquid and milk added too soon).

I'm a chef and they turn to glue when you overmix it. It's actually science.

French here.

Potatoes + butter + sour cream + egg yolks + salt.

When it's a fancy meal I'll add in some truffle white cheddar (from Costco's) and let it melt

I like Yukon Gold but red potatoes are good too. I prefer Yukon for skin-off and red for skin-on.

I agree about using cream instead of milk. Whipping cream is actually good too if you want them really fluffy. I don't warm the cream but I do pour it into the mixing bowl when I start the potatoes so that it takes the chill off. I dont think it affects the taste but it keeps them from getting cold so quickly, which doesn't really matter if you are going to put them back into the oven. I sometimes add sour cream if I have it but not a lot.

Cook's Illustrated / America's Test Kitchen's make ahead mashed potatoes. They reheat in the microwave (key for a single oven kitchen).

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/creamy-make-ahead-mashed-potatoes.html

Addictive as crack.

These are not the traditional American mashed potatoes, and I don't know that I'd make them for Thanksgiving. But the article isn't lying - they are the best anywhere. Joel Robuchon (RIP) was a genius, and these are spectacular. Hint - as other PPs have indicated, you need a truly ridiculous amount of butter. But I don't know if I''s use a 2-1 potato to butter ratio for Thanksgiving.

https://www.chatelaine.com/recipes/joel-robuchon-mashed-potato-recipe/

Anonymous wrote:This is OP.

If I was making enough for say, 12 people. What kind of proportions are we looking at? Like how many pounds of potatoes and how many sticks of butter?

Thank you for the feedback so far! Feeling more confidant. I've always just made rough mashed ones at home, never peeling or really attempting to get a smooth texture, but I think for Thanksgiving I can take it up a notch. Gonna do a trial run!

I’m the PP who gave the recipe with Better than Bouillon. I know it sounds weird, but it makes them amazing! And you really don’t need gravy with them. But if it’s for 12 people, I’d double my recipe. I’d probably do at least 2 9x13 casserole dishes.

Add some onion powder and sour cream.

For 12, this is what I would do (and not to brag, but I am known for my mashed potatoes and they are consistent)

1. Peel 10 large russets/baking sized potatoes and cut into 1 inch cubes
2. Start them in cold water and bring to a boil - use large pot and cover them by at least 2 inches
3. Boil until you can break one with a fork
4. Drain thoroughly and add 1-2 sticks of salted butter and a block of cream cheese
5. Leave in pan with the butter and cream cheese with top on to let the butter melt
6. Heat 1 cup of milk in microwave
7. Use hand mixer to "mash" the potatoes - literally, do not turn it on and use it to mash them up with the butter and cream cheese
8. Turn beaters on to high and quickly run it through the potatoes two or three turns around the pot
9. Add half the milk, beat on high one turn around the pot
10. Check consistency and add salt and pepper to taste. Add more milk and quickly beat it in.

The beaters are good to "fluff" them up, but too much beating makes them gluey. My technique keeps them from being overbeaten but is much easier than a ricer. I also think the "mashed" ones can be a little dense.

Yukon gold, boil them in a pot of milk and water with garlic and salt. I sometimes even do a 50/50 mixture of water and milk/cream and they are still just a delicious.

I learned this from Shay Spence (ex People food editor) on Instagram and it was a game changer. I can't believe I spent so many years boiling potatoes in plain ass water and salt.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/creamiest-mashed-potatoes-ve-ever-221553382.html

These are so damned good! I could eat a pot of them all alone.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/blue-cheese-mashed-potatoes-recipe-1943428

Anonymous wrote:Add garlic cloves to the potatoes when you boil. Then mash the garlic as well.

Sour cream and butter. Salt and pepper and a little dried green onion or 3 onion seasoning.

Save the potato water and add a little to get the desired consistency. There is salt and the perfect about of starch in that water so they don't get gooey/sticky.

I always use a masher. The kichen aid whips them too much, and my teens like a few lumps. I'm thinking of trying a ricer this year for an in between whipped/few lumps texture.

Add garlic cloves to the potatoes when you boil. Then mash the garlic as well.

Sour cream and butter. Salt and pepper and a little dried green onion or 3 onion seasoning.

Save the potato water and add a little to get the desired consistency. There is salt and the perfect about of starch in that water so they don't get gooey/sticky.

This is OP.

If I was making enough for say, 12 people. What kind of proportions are we looking at? Like how many pounds of potatoes and how many sticks of butter?

Thank you for the feedback so far! Feeling more confidant. I've always just made rough mashed ones at home, never peeling or really attempting to get a smooth texture, but I think for Thanksgiving I can take it up a notch. Gonna do a trial run!

Yukon Gold or red potatoes.

For Yukon Gold (I like them less chunky), they come out best when I use a ricer. But my quick version for a big batch is to use the paddle attachment on the Kitchen Aid. Not quite as fluffy, but they're still pretty good, and a lot faster. Just don't overbeat or they'll get gluey - just enough to smooth it out.

I like mashed red potatoes a little chunkier, so I use a fork or potato masher for those.

In either case, whole milk or cream, more butter than you can imagine, and salt & white pepper to taste.

Anonymous wrote:Yellow/Yukon Gold. Peel, boil, drain, let sit in the pan with the lid ajar so they get really dry.

Squash 'em up a little. Add a ton of butter, then beat with a hand mixer. Add salt and pepper and a little bit of HOT milk (cold will make them gluey, as will adding milk before or with the butter)

This.

But you need to add a ton of butter, and the milk (towards the end) actually makes them fluffier.

Don’t forget the salt!