Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Potato. It is fast and easy and unprocessed.

It's not fast or easy. Peeling, boiling, mashing, getting the butter, salt, milk ratio just right. Messy splatters, potato bits all over. I use a potato ricer so that gets messy too. I make them maybe 3 times a year because it's a pain.

An electric mixer is faster and easier

If you don't know what you're doing an electric mixer can result in gluey potatoes. So if someone has been using a box mix I wouldn't recommend starting with a mixer.

You could do skin on mashed red potatoes which eliminates peeling. For me, peeling is the worst part of mashed potatoes.

I personally don't use a box mix. I kind of just eyeball them and taste them. My mom made them with sour cream when I was a kid and I like that flavor profile.

Yeah, I don't think mixers are a good idea for mashed potatoes. You end up with a bad texture.

Definitely not mixers. It does something to the starch or something and they get gummy. AI tells me it's because the cell walls break, releasing starch, which basically turns it into wallpaper paste.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Potato. It is fast and easy and unprocessed.

It's not fast or easy. Peeling, boiling, mashing, getting the butter, salt, milk ratio just right. Messy splatters, potato bits all over. I use a potato ricer so that gets messy too. I make them maybe 3 times a year because it's a pain.

Once you've peeled them, the boiling takes care of itself. I don't bother with a ricer except when I make lefse (maybe once a year around xmas--I have Scandinavian ancestry and holiday meals always included lefse when I grew up). And you can use milk or cream or yogurt or sour cream or any combination of them. It's not like an exact ratio--dump in some butter, pour in a little milk, pour in some more if they look too dry or thick.

The classic British Sunday roast way is to boil your potatoes, roughen them up a bit, then roast them with some kind of fat (butter, oil, drippings). It is pretty tasty.

Always from potatoes but I just boil them, smash them in the pot, add a bit of butter, milk and salt and pepper and mix and serve. I don't use any extra equipment or measure or anything. It takes 5 minutes max once the potatoes are cooked.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Potato. It is fast and easy and unprocessed.

It's not fast or easy. Peeling, boiling, mashing, getting the butter, salt, milk ratio just right. Messy splatters, potato bits all over. I use a potato ricer so that gets messy too. I make them maybe 3 times a year because it's a pain.

An electric mixer is faster and easier

So then I have a pot, cutting board, peeler, knife, mixing bowl, and assorted spoons, scrapers, measurers, I have to clean for this easy side dish etc. You know what fast and easy? Roasted cut up Yukon potatoes so I just do that and save mashed potatoes and the annoying mess for Thanksgiving.

But you are already having to clean the knife and cutting board. You don’t need a mixing bowl or a peeler or a scraper (?). So a masher, measuring spoons and a measuring cup. That’s it. And you don’t have to wash the sheet pan you use to roast the potatoes.

Look, I've made potatoes both ways. Roasted potatoes are way easier and less time consuming. I'm not going to scratch my pots up by putting en electric mixer in it, I'm not going to transfer bowls, I don't want to heat the milk up in separate pot, there are a lot of extra steps and tools for mashed which is why so many people cut corners by just buying them premade or using a box. The active time for mashed potatoes is significantly more than roasted with more dishes.

But homemade mashed potatoes are so good! The extra measuring cup and the masher are worth it.

Baked potatoes are the easiest. Srub and bake. Done.

My kids don't even like mashed potatoes so but for a holiday meal occasionally it's not worth the hassle or effort. A personal preference. They prefer roasted potatoes that can get crispy on the outside.

Most people would agree making something you don’t like isn’t worth the effort.

I thought for sure this was going to be about people who make mashed “potatoes”’out of cauliflower.

I make my mashed potatoes from scratch. If I in a hurry I do steamed new potatoes on the microwave and just put the butter on top instead of in.

Mashed savory sweet potatoes are also good.

What exactly are you all measuring? You can’t add cream/butter until you get to the texture you want?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Potato. It is fast and easy and unprocessed.

It's not fast or easy. Peeling, boiling, mashing, getting the butter, salt, milk ratio just right. Messy splatters, potato bits all over. I use a potato ricer so that gets messy too. I make them maybe 3 times a year because it's a pain.

An electric mixer is faster and easier

So then I have a pot, cutting board, peeler, knife, mixing bowl, and assorted spoons, scrapers, measurers, I have to clean for this easy side dish etc. You know what fast and easy? Roasted cut up Yukon potatoes so I just do that and save mashed potatoes and the annoying mess for Thanksgiving.

But you are already having to clean the knife and cutting board. You don’t need a mixing bowl or a peeler or a scraper (?). So a masher, measuring spoons and a measuring cup. That’s it. And you don’t have to wash the sheet pan you use to roast the potatoes.

Look, I've made potatoes both ways. Roasted potatoes are way easier and less time consuming. I'm not going to scratch my pots up by putting en electric mixer in it, I'm not going to transfer bowls, I don't want to heat the milk up in separate pot, there are a lot of extra steps and tools for mashed which is why so many people cut corners by just buying them premade or using a box. The active time for mashed potatoes is significantly more than roasted with more dishes.

NP. Honestly it depends on how you do it. Mashed potatoes for me don't take any longer or generate any more dishes than roasted.

Mashed: peeler (optional), cutting board, knife. Pot (stainless steel so I'm not worried about mashing directly in the pot with my hand masher). Add water, boil for 15 minutes. Drain using the pot lid. Mash directly in the pot. Add milk, butter, salt and pepper to taste - I never measure or pre-warm the milk, just pour it directly into the pot until it looks and tastes right. Serve in the pot.
Total time, including prep, cooking, and mashing: about 25-30 minutes
Total dishes: one peeler (which can go in the dishwasher), one cutting board, one knife, one pot, one masher (dishwasher), one serving spoon (dishwasher). Three items to hand wash.

Roasted: peeler (optional), cutting board and knife. Spread them on a baking sheet, toss with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Sometimes I add other seasonings like garlic or dried thyme. Roast for 20-30 minutes (after pre-heating the oven). Use a serving spoon to transfer to a serving bowl (I'm not passing a hot baking sheet around the table).
Total time, including prep and cooking: 30-35 minutes (assuming the oven was already hot)
Total dishes: one peeler (dishwasher), one cutting board and knife, one baking sheet, one serving bowl (dishwasher) and spoon (dishwasher). Three items to hand wash.


Roasted potatoes are easier for YOU because you are used to making them, so you have the routine down. Mashed potatoes take longer because you don't have as much practice with them, or you insist on doing them the difficult way. But please understand that is not the case for everyone. It's not a universal truth that mashed potatoes take longer, it's just your experience. For many of us, they really are just as easy as making any other form of potato.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Potato. It is fast and easy and unprocessed.

It's not fast or easy. Peeling, boiling, mashing, getting the butter, salt, milk ratio just right. Messy splatters, potato bits all over. I use a potato ricer so that gets messy too. I make them maybe 3 times a year because it's a pain.

An electric mixer is faster and easier

So then I have a pot, cutting board, peeler, knife, mixing bowl, and assorted spoons, scrapers, measurers, I have to clean for this easy side dish etc. You know what fast and easy? Roasted cut up Yukon potatoes so I just do that and save mashed potatoes and the annoying mess for Thanksgiving.

But you are already having to clean the knife and cutting board. You don’t need a mixing bowl or a peeler or a scraper (?). So a masher, measuring spoons and a measuring cup. That’s it. And you don’t have to wash the sheet pan you use to roast the potatoes.

Look, I've made potatoes both ways. Roasted potatoes are way easier and less time consuming. I'm not going to scratch my pots up by putting en electric mixer in it, I'm not going to transfer bowls, I don't want to heat the milk up in separate pot, there are a lot of extra steps and tools for mashed which is why so many people cut corners by just buying them premade or using a box. The active time for mashed potatoes is significantly more than roasted with more dishes.

But homemade mashed potatoes are so good! The extra measuring cup and the masher are worth it.

Baked potatoes are the easiest. Srub and bake. Done.

My kids don't even like mashed potatoes so but for a holiday meal occasionally it's not worth the hassle or effort. A personal preference. They prefer roasted potatoes that can get crispy on the outside.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Potato. It is fast and easy and unprocessed.

It's not fast or easy. Peeling, boiling, mashing, getting the butter, salt, milk ratio just right. Messy splatters, potato bits all over. I use a potato ricer so that gets messy too. I make them maybe 3 times a year because it's a pain.

An electric mixer is faster and easier

So then I have a pot, cutting board, peeler, knife, mixing bowl, and assorted spoons, scrapers, measurers, I have to clean for this easy side dish etc. You know what fast and easy? Roasted cut up Yukon potatoes so I just do that and save mashed potatoes and the annoying mess for Thanksgiving.

But you are already having to clean the knife and cutting board. You don’t need a mixing bowl or a peeler or a scraper (?). So a masher, measuring spoons and a measuring cup. That’s it. And you don’t have to wash the sheet pan you use to roast the potatoes.

Look, I've made potatoes both ways. Roasted potatoes are way easier and less time consuming. I'm not going to scratch my pots up by putting en electric mixer in it, I'm not going to transfer bowls, I don't want to heat the milk up in separate pot, there are a lot of extra steps and tools for mashed which is why so many people cut corners by just buying them premade or using a box. The active time for mashed potatoes is significantly more than roasted with more dishes.

But homemade mashed potatoes are so good! The extra measuring cup and the masher are worth it.

Baked potatoes are the easiest. Srub and bake. Done.

I've never used a box. Always real. Always.

Actual potatoes.

I don't know anyone who uses the box. My mother in law sometimes says she's making "instant" potatoes, but she doesn't mean the boxed ones, she means the tub of Bob Evans potatoes from the fridge aisle.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Potato. It is fast and easy and unprocessed.

It's not fast or easy. Peeling, boiling, mashing, getting the butter, salt, milk ratio just right. Messy splatters, potato bits all over. I use a potato ricer so that gets messy too. I make them maybe 3 times a year because it's a pain.

An electric mixer is faster and easier

So then I have a pot, cutting board, peeler, knife, mixing bowl, and assorted spoons, scrapers, measurers, I have to clean for this easy side dish etc. You know what fast and easy? Roasted cut up Yukon potatoes so I just do that and save mashed potatoes and the annoying mess for Thanksgiving.

But you are already having to clean the knife and cutting board. You don’t need a mixing bowl or a peeler or a scraper (?). So a masher, measuring spoons and a measuring cup. That’s it. And you don’t have to wash the sheet pan you use to roast the potatoes.

Look, I've made potatoes both ways. Roasted potatoes are way easier and less time consuming. I'm not going to scratch my pots up by putting en electric mixer in it, I'm not going to transfer bowls, I don't want to heat the milk up in separate pot, there are a lot of extra steps and tools for mashed which is why so many people cut corners by just buying them premade or using a box. The active time for mashed potatoes is significantly more than roasted with more dishes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Potato. It is fast and easy and unprocessed.

It's not fast or easy. Peeling, boiling, mashing, getting the butter, salt, milk ratio just right. Messy splatters, potato bits all over. I use a potato ricer so that gets messy too. I make them maybe 3 times a year because it's a pain.

An electric mixer is faster and easier

If you don't know what you're doing an electric mixer can result in gluey potatoes. So if someone has been using a box mix I wouldn't recommend starting with a mixer.

You could do skin on mashed red potatoes which eliminates peeling. For me, peeling is the worst part of mashed potatoes.

I personally don't use a box mix. I kind of just eyeball them and taste them. My mom made them with sour cream when I was a kid and I like that flavor profile.

Yeah, I don't think mixers are a good idea for mashed potatoes. You end up with a bad texture.

Both.

For example, if I make a Mississippi pot roast on a Sunday, I always bother to make homemade mashed potatoes to serve it with. If it is a weeknight, and I want dinner in 10 mins, I'll open a bag of instant and serve it with some chicken sausages or something.

I like both. They don't really compare, of course, but I just think of them as basically a different food. Kind of like how I like veggie burgers -- I really enjoy them, but don't think of them as a sub for beef burgers.