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| Servings | Prep Time |
| 6 - 8 | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 15 - 20 minutes |
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What’s more comforting than mashed potatoes? It’s easy to see why, too. These are perfectly creamy, smooth, and buttery. Yukon gold potatoes make these rich-tasting, and smooth.
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- 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes peeled and chopped into 1" cubes
- About 1/2 cup heavy cream wamred
- About 1/2 cup whole milk warmed
- 6 - 8 tablespoons butter softened and cut into tablespoon-sized pads
- 1 egg room temperature
- 4 - 5 t-spoons kosher salt
- 1 t-spoon cracked black pepper
- Place the potatoes in a large stockpot and add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches. Put over medium-high heat to bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, heavily salt the water with 3 t-spoons (1 tablespoon) of the salt, stir to mix the salt in and let it boil for just a minute before dropping the heat to low and simmering, uncovered, for 15 – 20 minutes. The potatoes should be VERY fork-tender (meaning, when poked with a fork and lifted out of the water, they slide off effortlessly).
- When the potatoes have about 5 minutes left put the milk and cream in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, until scalding.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander and shake them dry. Add them back to the pan and put back over medium heat just for a minute or two to help dry them out.
- Turn the heat off and, with a potato masher or hand mixer, stir, beat or mash the potatoes with a little vigor and force, slowly pouring in a generous splosh of the scalded milk and cream. Once some of the cream has incorporated into the potatoes, plop in a tablespoon of butter and continue to beat in until its melted, seamlessly, into the potatoes. Continue this alteration until you reach the consistency you want.
- If the potatoes are at the consistency you want but feel like they need a little more creaminess and richness, crack in the egg and beat everything vigorously to incorporate it into the potatoes. This also works if you feel like they need a little more fluff—though do use the mixer or whisk to help incorporate a little more air.
- Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
INSPIRATION & VARIATIONS ON PERFECT MASHED POTATOES FOR ANY OCCASION
Baked Mashed Potatoes
Add an additional 2 tablespoons - ¼ cup or so of cream to the potatoes (just enough to loosen them a bit) and turn into a buttered casserole dish (something where the potatoes aren’t piled higher than about 2”). Bake at 350° for 20 – 25 minutes. Brush the top with approx. 2 tablespoons melted butter, turn the heat to 450° and bake just another 10 – 15 minutes, until golden brown on top.
Scallion Mashed Potatoes
My maternal grandma made this all the time when I was growing up. It’s simple but you can’t argue with its instant calming affects. After draining the potatoes, melted 2 (additional) tablespoons of butter in the pot. Finely slice the white parts only of 6 green onions and sauté in the butter until soft and slightly caramelized – about 2 – 3 minutes. Add the potatoes in and follow the standard recipe above. Fold in the green parts of the scallions, finely sliced, and serve.
You could also add a few t-spoons of prepared horseradish to this variation to serve along side some good steak or medium-rare roasted tenderloin to harken the affect of prime rib and horseradish.
Cheddar-Chive Mashed Potatoes
To the original recipe, add 2 smashed cloves of garlic to the potatoes in the water while they cook. Once cooked, drained and dried, add the original amount of cream along with ½ cup full-fat sour cream (in place of whole milk). Replace 1 tablespoon of the butter with 1 tablespoon of jarred, frozen bacon fat (which, I guess, is optional but highly recommended). Stir in ¼ - 1/3 cup minced chives and a heaping cup of shredded extra sharp cheddar. Check for seasoning – it may need a few more pinches of salt and pepper – and serve. You could certainly cook up some bacon, too – that never hurts.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Cut the very top off a head of garlic, coat liberally in olive oil and wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Place into the oven and set for 350°. Roast for about an hour once the oven comes up to temperature. Put 2 cloves of minced garlic in with the potatoes and water. Follow the standard recipe. Squeeze the roasted garlic from the bulb onto a cutting board and smash with the flat of your knife, mincing and smashing to work into a paste. Add to the potatoes with the cream, milk and butter and serve.
You can also add Parmesan with some minced parsley, rosemary and/or thyme.