What’s the Finest Methodology for Prepping Mashed Potatoes?

This week, I uncovered a wonderfully Thanksgiving-timed Hotline query from EMF224: Does preparation methodology (baking vs. boiling vs. steaming potatoes) noticeably impact consistency?

That is the precise sort of query that will get my mind going, particularly as a result of I predict 99 p.c of Thanksgiving tables will embody some model of the standard aspect this 12 months. My common methodology entails boiling chopped potatoes—however I started to consider how unbelievable it will be if I came upon that roasting added some nutty complexity, or steaming supplied the best fluffy texture. I got down to examine.

As I used to be shopping for elements and enthusiastic about testing strategies I had a mini eureka second. I like my microwave and steaming different greens with it—so what if I might do the identical for potatoes? Microwaving steams greens by heating the prevailing moisture within the ingredient till it vaporizes, creating steam and cooking. Not solely might this make an enormous distinction for folks prepping for an enormous vacation, it might keep away from any threat of water-logging the potatoes by boiling them. My pleasure doubled as I added an additional bag of potatoes to my grocery order.

Testing Out My Principle

I peeled and chopped 15 lbs of potatoes, then spent 90 minutes in a potato cooking haze—steaming on the stovetop, boiling, baking, and microwaving. As soon as all of the potatoes had been cooked, I ran them by a ricer (a real should have for completely textured mash). I ready every batch in the identical, tried and true means, aka with tons of butter, milk, and cream.

After tasting it, I used to be fairly shocked with my outcomes. A lot so, I had Noah and Nea from the Take a look at Kitchen verify my findings.

First off, the baked potatoes had been trash: they had been starchy, type of gloopy and had been clearly on the backside of the standings.

However after that, it was actually very powerful to inform the distinction between the boiled, steamed, and microwaved potatoes. The added moisture from boiling could have made the tip end result barely fluffier, however when you’re like me, Noah, and Nea, and like a richer mashed potato, we had been ecstatic to find that the microwaved taters got here out the winner.

Via microwaving, you keep the potatoes’s taste (sure, potatoes have taste) and may dial in that good mashing texture with small bursts of additional cooking in direction of the tip. Not solely that, however microwave mashed potatoes liberate range house, scale back dishes, and provides some cooking time again to you this vacation season. Lastly, when you or somebody you recognize are a nasty sufficient cook dinner that you just gained’t even go close to a range, that is an unbelievable option to get entangled in vacation meal prep.

How To Make Microwave Mashed Potatoes

Add 2 lbs of chopped potatoes to a microwave protected bowl. Cowl it plastic wrap punctured with a number of holes, and cook dinner on excessive for 9 to 12 minutes, or till the potatoes are full tender. You need to test each 30 seconds after 9 minutes for doneness. As soon as cooked by, take away and move by a ricer whereas nonetheless sizzling, then fold in 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter chopped into items. Mix 3/4 milk and 1/4 cup heavy cream in one other bowl and warmth till sizzling however not scalding. Combine the dairy into the potatoes, season generously with salt and pepper, and revel in!