Mashed Potatoes are better when you make them in advance (and other tips for perfecting this popular holiday side)
It might come as a surprise to learn that mashed potatoes can actually be made a few days ahead of serving. Not only is this a welcome time saver during busy holidays such as Thanksgiving, but your spuds will turn out creamier and fluffier when prepared in advance. When mashed potatoes chill, their starches firm up nicely, and when they are reheated gently, they relax back into a mash with an even silkier texture. Made in advance or not, the way you prepare your spuds is absolutely crucial — never use a food processor, blender, or hand mixer. All three methods release enormous amounts of starch, which can unfortunately turn your fluffy mash into a gluey mess. My hard and fast rule is to always use a potato ricer or a food mill (trust me on this one), but if you don’t happen to have one, it’s perfectly acceptable to mash your potatoes by hand using a potato masher, or with a stand mixer’s paddle attachment (don’t overdo it!)
Here are few more tips to making the perfect mash:
Start by choosing the right potato. Yukon Golds will yield the creamiest mash, while Russets make the fluffiest. Red and white potatoes are not well suited for mashing. (For 10-12 people, I use 5 lbs of potatoes.)
Rinse potatoes before and after boiling to remove any excess starch on the cut surface.
After you’ve drained and rinsed, but before you mash, put potatoes back in the pot all by themselves and heat them over low to dry them out a bit, shaking the pan every so often, for about 2-3 minutes (you can dry potatoes in your oven, but why dirty another pan?)
Mash potatoes using a ricer, food mill, or by hand with a potato masher.
Add butter, a few cubes at a time, and salt to taste Butter should be cut into cubes and room temp, or you can use melted butter, (For 5 lbs of potatoes, I use 10 tablespoons of butter. YOLO.)
Once butter and salt are added, put the potatoes in a container and press plastic wrap against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. If making in advance, hold off on adding any milk or cream until you reheat. If you’re making the potatoes only a couple of hours ahead, you can keep them warm. If you're making them a day or two in advance, put them in the fridge.
Just before you’re ready to serve, put cream or milk in a saucepan large enough to hold your potatoes (For 5 lbs potatoes, heat 1 cup whole milk, or 1/2 milk 1/2 cream, plus a bit more if needed to get desired consistency). Heat the cream/milk just until it begins to boil. Add the premade mashed potatoes and fold them into the hot liquid. This will heat the potatoes quickly, while giving them their final texture. If the mash is still stiff when hot, stir in a bit more hot milk (or butter, if you’d prefer). Season to taste with salt and pepper again before serving.
NOTE: Always heat your cream or milk for potatoes whether you’re making them in advance or not!
