Mashed potato for dummies

For proper mash I peel potatoes (not baking potatoes), boil and then mash with a fork/masher, some milk (or cream) butter, S&P and sometimes nutmeg.

To cheat and avoid the peeling/ boiling stages, you can just bake some baking potatoes and scoop out the flesh wirth a spoon and mash up as above.

You need a floury potato for good mash, like maris piper or king edward (the same for jackets in fact)

if you dont have a potato ricer, peel them and half them and put in a pan of cold water. lid on, bring to boil, then lid off, add a heap tsp of salt and boil for about 15-20 mins (depends on the size of your pots - dont overcook them - test with the bunt tip of a knife, and if it slides in easily, theyre done).

drain well then back in the pan. add a walnut sized knob of butter, and a decent amount of S&P. mash with your masher. thats it. if you want to make it richer, add a little dbl cream but do this on the heat after draining otherwise it ll all get claggy and hideous. i m not a fan of very gooey and wet mash, but some are, so its up to you how much butter and or cream you use.

variations are adding a tbsp of french mustard to it, or grain mustard (not english - too hot), roasted garlic, whatever. remember that the more you mash it and work it, the heavier it ll become, so if you want light a nd fluffy mash, keep your mashing to a minimum. if you cant be bothered to peel, its no sweat, do it the same way, skins on. its rough of course, but barely matters.

I either boil Maris Pipers or bake baking potatoes. I add butter, salt and pepper and a spoon of mayo. It sound vile but it gives it a nice richness. I always whisk mine after mashing.

I use any floury potatoes. Peel, cut into chunks and boil for 20mins or thereabouts. I mash with a masher and add cream or a splash of milk. Sometimes a knob of butter. For a smoother consistency, I will sometimes push the mash through a seive too.

I like king edwards best - but it doesnt really matter so long as they arent waxy ones

boil them till they are really well cooked (or you get lumps)

i rice them first and then beat like mad with a wooden spoon with lots of butter - milk or cream, salt and white pepper

mrj likes nutmeg - i'm not that fussed with it really

I peel and boil the potatos, then mash them with some milk and butter. Don't bother with salt as i cook the potatos in the salt anyway. H sometimes adds mixed herbs in when he makes them and he makes the best mashed potato

Oppps posted twice!

Thanks everyone, i'll give it a whirl later!?

I could never ever get mash right, whether I wasn't getting the sizes of the potatoes just right I don't know but some of the potatoes would boil really soft whilst some were still a bit hard and then i'd end up with lumpy spuds ☹️

So, now I always steam my potatoes rather than roast them then at least the softer potatoes don't fall apart too much or go to 'water' and they're perfect every time. I always add some butter in and some whole milk. Yummy, I love sausage and mash.

I always add lashing of butter and a drop of milk to ours.

I remember being fed banana flavoured mashed potatoe when I was younger. My mother mistakenly added my father's homemade banana milkshake instead of milk ?

Hmm I might give banana mashed potato a miss actually!?

We sometimes make our mash by baking the potatoes first - it works well for us because we can stick the pots in to bake before putting our children to bed, then scoop and mash when they're down. With lots of butter and a bit of hot milk. You also have the bonus of potato skins!

The best mash definitely comes from baked potatoes. They are much drier than boiled, so take up more milk and butter. far lardier ?. the best type of mash ever is aligot.

I steam them too. Some people maintain you should cook then peel to reduce wateriness.

The key to good texture, as well as the right potato, is that you don't just mash with a masher. You also need to use a wooden spoon after the potato is mashed, as if creaming cake mix. People usually do this anyway if adding butter etc but really it's the creaming action that improves the texture as much as the butter, so it's worth doing even if you're not adding extra things.

I generally boil peeled potatoes until just done, rice them (or mash if I can't find the ricer) into a little hot milk, then add a large knob of butter and lots of S&P. I also add nutmeg and maybe some creme fraiche, depending on what I'mm serving them with (actually, CF instedad of butter, not as well) and maybe some mustard.

hm, i dont agree. thats ok if you want to end up with an aligot-esque goo, but you dont get light and fluffy mash that way.

A raw egg yolk (as long as you're not pregnant) is lovely too. Just add when you mash/mix

I use a potato ricer, which makes much lighter mash than using a potato masher. Although my potato ricer is a pain to wash up, so I don't use it very often.

I find that once I've drained the potatoes, if I pop them back in the dry pan and onto the heat and shake them a bit, so they dry out, the mash isn't so soggy. The surface of the potatoes goes a bit floury when they're dry enough.

I add butter, salt and pepper once mashed. Sometimes mustard as well. My mum adds milk to hers, but if you do, it has to be full fat - no point in adding skimmed as that just makes it watery and doesn't add anything to the flavour.

If I have some cream cheese (Philadelphia or Boursin) in the fridge which needs using up, that often gets bunged in as well, but I don't buy this specially.

You don't get goo as long as you have floury potatoes, just lovely light-yet-creamy mash.

There is a fab book on potatoes, actually, hang on....http://www.amazon.co.uk/Praise-Potato-Recipes-Around-World/dp/0140270930 - there is reams in here on mashing technique ?

I have a ricer, which gives fabulously fluffy results, and means no peeling.

I like my mash just mashed with the masher. Otherwise it seems more like puree than mash, I want more substance.