Absolutely Perfect Mashed Potatoes
This is my own recipe for mashed potatoes, I have been making them for years and have trial and erred it and figured out a few things along the way. I am not sure how I came up with the different ideas of what to try putting in them but I feel like I have arrived at a great recipe that people love.
I always use my mom’s rule of thumb when it comes to cooking potatoes, use one potato per person, so you can adjust accordingly if you are serving 10 people or 2. Of course, the yukon gold potatoes can tend on the smaller side so if they are particularly small or I am having extra adults sometimes I will throw in a extra or two.
I have tried all different types of potatoes and the yukon golds are my favorite, reds seem sticky and thick and russets just don’t have that much flavor, I usually only use them for making french fries and baked potatoes. One of the biggest, most important things about mashed potatoes is using a LOT of butter. Butter, butter and more butter 🙂
I also have discovered the potatoes become to heavy if you use a rich cream rather than milk. It seems like a good idea to use cream to make them creamy, right?
No.
This just makes them heavy.
So I use whole milk. Actually whole goat milk to be exact, since I have dairy goats and always have rich, creamy, whole goat milk around. Honestly, my goat milk is not ‘goaty’ in the least and when people try my mashed potatoes for the first time they LOVE them and I think it is partly the goat milk (and partly the butter!) The potatoes just taste amazing with it.
But use whatever whole milk you can, or a half and half mixed with whatever milk you keep on hand works as well (I have substituted many times!).
You won’t be disappointed by these creamy and perfect potatoes!
- 6 Yukon Gold potatoes, skins left on, rinsed and cubed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ - ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup butter, sliced
- Place the potatoes into a large pot, sprinkle with salt and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to medium low, cover (I usually tilt the lid so the water doesn't over flow) and simmer until the potatoes are soft, (use a fork to test) about 15 minutes.
- Once the potatoes are soft, drain the water out and place the potatoes in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Beat on high until the potatoes are pretty well mashed, turn the mixer off and add ¼ cup milk and the butter, turn the mixer to low until the butter and milk are incorporated. If the potatoes seem to thick, add a little more milk until they are how you like them.
- Once the milk is pretty well mixed in, turn the mixer up to medium high for about 2 minutes to get them nice and smooth.
- Huckleberry Plum Pie - January 1, 2017
- Fresh Mango Sorbet - July 17, 2016
- Steak Caesar Salad - June 8, 2016
