Using these potatoes, you'll achieve creamy and fluffy mashed potatoes consistently.
Initially, you might believe that mashed potatoes Are simply a cozy and homely side dish, yet each home chef puts their unique twist on this timeless recipe—ranging from keeping the skin intact or removing it entirely, to choosing between boiling, baking, or steaming the potatoes. These traditional Thanksgiving favorites offer surprising room for variation. Nevertheless, before deciding how to prepare your taters, you must head off to buy some...and surprisingly, the type of potato you pick will significantly affect the outcome of your meal.
Considering this, we asked several chefs from across the nation to share their preferred choice of potato for whipping up some smooth mashed potatoes. Their top pick? Yukon Gold potatoes—creamy, rich, and widely available. Below are the reasons these chefs insist on using them whenever they prepare mashed potatoes.
Related: Russet vs. Red vs. Yukon Gold Potatoes: What Sets Them Apart?
Why Yukon Gold Potatoes?
Yukon Gold potatoes are medium-sized and rounded, featuring thin skins over their yellow interiors. These potatoes originated from crossing a North American white variety with a wild South American yellow one. Known for their nearly butter-like flavor, they offer great versatility in cooking. Combining the starchy qualities typical of Russet potatoes with some waxy traits similar to those seen in White potatoes such as Red Bliss, these can be roasted, fried, or mashed easily. As noted by chefs, "they possess a significant amount of starch which allows them to absorb cream and butter effectively, resulting in a dish that’s both light and creamy when prepared correctly." Logan Ramirez Gioia Mia restaurant in Montclair, NJ, clarifies.
Ramirez points out that the starch level is crucial for achieving a light and airy potato texture. "Red potatoes and fingerling varieties do not disintegrate or soak up fat as effectively as Yukon Golds because of their lower starch levels," he notes.
Besides Yukon Gold potatoes, some chefs did prefer russet potatoes for their higher starch content and extra fluffy texture. However, these potatoes can be overworked easily, making your mashed potatoes gluey. “I know they are the easiest to find and most likely the cheapest at your local grocery store but russet potatoes are more than likely why your mashed potatoes come out watery,” chef Jack Bennett at International Smoke in San Francisco adds. “They take on a lot of water in the cooking process and are much better in other dishes.”
Related: Our Top 30 Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes
Common Mashed Potato Mistakes
The key to flawless mashed potatoes doesn't merely lie in selecting the correct type of potato; the way you handle the preparation can make all the difference between smooth, delightful mash and a runny, dough-like disaster. One major error chefs often make is: Vanessa Parish The founder of the Queer Food Foundation observes that home chefs often over-mash their potatoes. "Your objective should be to achieve light and fluffy potatoes rather than ones that turn into something as dense as concrete once plated," she clarifies. She adds, "Extracting too much air can lead to mash that feels thick and weighs heavily in the mouth."
Incorporating chilled butter and milk into the warm potatoes will similarly result in a coarse end-product, Chef. Cedric Domenech At L'Avenue at Saks in New York City, the recommendation is: "Always ensure you're mashing the potatoes with warm milk and melted butter for optimal texture. Should they become too cold during preparation, your mashed potatoes may lack the desired smoothness." To achieve this, preheat both the butter and milk before incorporating them into the potatoes. This prevents sudden cooling from causing the potato starches to constrict improperly.
Related: We Quizzed 3 Chefs About Their Preferred Winter Squash—They All Chimed In With the Same Choice
How to Prepare Mashed Potatoes as a Professional Chef Would
To achieve restaurant-quality mashed potatoes at home, begin with unpeeled potatoes, advises Domenech, ensuring you place them in cold water from the outset to prevent uneven cooking. "Many home chefs tend to peel the potatoes prior to boiling; however, it’s crucial to cook the potatoes with their skins intact in salty water for the best consistency," he explains. After they're done boiling, remove the skins. He suggests using gloves and a towel for this step since the cooked potatoes can be quite hot.
Regarding the fat content, Bennett suggests opting for cream instead of milk when making mashed potatoes, whereas Domenech advises using a butter with high-fat content, like Vermont unsalted butter, which contains approximately 80% fat. This approach guarantees an exceptionally smooth texture.
Certainly, if you don’t have Yukon Gold potatoes for your Thanksgiving feast, you can still prepare delicious mashed potatoes. If you’re working with subpar potatoes, Chef Jeffrey Williams The chef appointed to lead the innovative initiative at The Wharf InterContinental in D.C. proposes balancing out the absence of starch with additional flavor profiles. He states, "Should I opt for an alternative to my preferred potato variety, one dish I enjoy involves caramelizing chopped onions in butter, cream, and smoked Gouda cheese. This combination of onions and cheese provides a nice balance and makes up for not using potatoes."
No matter if you're preparing mashed potatoes for a special occasion feast or simply a comforting weekday supper, picking the correct type of potato could make your guests (or yourself) request more helpings—thus, be sure to select carefully when shopping this season.
Related: 5 Tips for Creating Ideal Traditional, Lightly Fluffed Mashed Potatoes
Post a Comment