Thanksgiving is all about the sides. You can overdo the turkey and guests will just smother it in gravy and forget about it. But ruin the sides, and that’s another story. The two sides that make Thanksgiving the best eating holiday of them all are mashed potatoes and stuffing (the latter to be addressed in the next piece). Let’s face it, turkey really doesn’t even come into play until the day after, when you assemble your beastwich to mow down while watching the Detroit Lions get pummeled… again.
Mashed potatoes are the cornerstone of the Thanksgiving feast. And that glorious bowl, filled with creamy, fluffy clouds of potatoey love is invariably where the dinner line begins each year. If you think mashed potatoes involve a packet or the words low-fat, then maybe this isn’t the article for you. But if you want to make your mash a smash, follow these guidelines.
The Potato
Most chefs suggest using a potato with high starch content like russets or Yukon Gold—both taste fantastic. High starch means less water, which results in a fluffier result.
Start with Cold Water
Harold McGhee, author of On Food and Cooking, claims that, “If you just throw the potatoes in already boiling water, the outside starch granules will gelatinize on contact with the water, effectively blocking the water from penetrating farther into the potato.” To cook them evenly it is important to start your spuds off in cold water.
Choose Your Tools
Part of the reason restaurant mashed potatoes are superior to homemade is because chefs use the right tool for the job. They pass the potatoes through a food mill or potato ricer to get that silky smooth texture. McGhee says that you want to limit the mechanical stress to prevent damage to the potato cells and turning them gooey.
More Butter and Cream
The key reason why chef-made mashed potatoes taste so sinfully good is because they season them properly, and mix in copious amounts of butter and cream. Renowned chef Thomas Keller goes with a 4:1 potato to butter ratio, while French legend, Joel Robuchon opts for 2:1. We’d suggest somewhere in between. Robuchon adds the butter first until the mashed potatoes reach their desired consistency and then comes in with the cream to give body and texture. Splurge for French or European-style butter for the best end result. It contains more fat, less water and tastes infinitely better. And whatever you do, season liberally with kosher salt and freshly ground black or white pepper.
Optional Additions
An endless array of flavor tweaks can be added to up the ante. Garlic cloves, either boiled with the potatoes and mashed together or roasted separately and included later adds big flavor. Parmesan, soft goat cheese and onions, shallots or leeks (chopped and sautéed until they are soft and golden) make a great fold in at the end. And crispy-fried shallots, chopped green onions or chives add a welcomed textural component.
For Thanksgiving mashers, keep the additions relatively simple because you know you’ll be adding homemade gravy. But if you want to do as the French do and drop a couple of tablespoons of duck fat in the bowl, your secret is safe with us. Go that route and we promise your guests will be asking for your secret. In the meantime, here are three master chef mashed potato recipes that’ll make you swoon: Thomas Keller’s Whipped Yukon Gold Potatoes, Michael Symon’s Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes and Tyler Florence’s Classic Mashed Potatoes.
