Mashed: gluey mashed potatoes
Subject: gluey mashed potatoes
Newsgroup: rec.food.cooking
From: mhelsten at julian.uwo.ca (Corinne Marshall)
Date: 16 Dec 1996 00:14:12 GMT
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I've never really tried to make anything as ordinary as mashed potatoes before, and am discovering that there must be a knack to it as they have turned out very gluey both times I have tried.
I boiled the potatoes, peeled them, mashed them somewhat with a masher, added a bit of butter, mashed them some more with a Braun multipractic hand-held blender, so far so good, and it seemed to me there was no sign of glue until I added milk.
I imagine if it's any kind of challenge to make ungluey regular mashed potatoes, it must be even more so to make garlic mashed potatoes, considering garlic cloves are sort of sticky on the inside.
From: Janice Walker (jwalker at accessone.com)
Date: Sun, 15 Dec 1996 18:26:37 -0800
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I also need some gluey mashed potato help--Last Christmas I made them and they were just about like overcooked wall paper paste. I had made them before and they turned out nicely. Can anyone give me a clue as to where I messed up? Will they get gluey from using potatoes that are still good but have been in the produce drawer a few weeks? Post or e-mail is fine. Thanks!
From: michelle.campbell at stonebow.otago.ac.nz (Miche)
Date: 18 Dec 1996 00:07:35 GMT
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Add 1/4 teaspoon baking powder per serving. Nice, fluffy potatoes.
From: Kate Connally (connally at physast1.phyast.pitt.edu)
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 10:16:05 -0800
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I never have any problems. It might be the type of potatoes you use. I always use Idaho or russet potatoes. After draining the cooked potatoes I put them back into the pot I cooked them in and start beating them with the hand mixer. I just beat them briefly and then, once they're all broken up, I add butter, salt, and some milk.
I then continue to beat them, adding more milk as necessary, until smooth. I have never had gluey potatoes. (And I rarely get lumps either!) I really think it must be the type of potatoes you are using or perhaps the food processor thing someone else mentioned. I always use my mixer, never a food processor.
From: Brian Mailman (bmailman at hooked.net)
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 11:17:01 -0800
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I've written of this before ... NEVER use a blender to make mashed potatoes. There are "starch packets" inside the potato cells and the blender blades rip right through them, releasing the starch and this makes the potatoes into library paste.
If one insists on using a food processor, use the grating blade and not the metal mixing blade (for the same reason as above).
From: Penny Freshwater (pfreshwa at hr.house.gov)
Date: 18 Dec 1996 20:13:15 GMT
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I'll bet that you used red potatoes...they are always gluey
From: stan at thunder.temple.edu (Stan Horwitz)
Date: 19 Dec 1996 00:40:19 GMT
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Don't use an electric mixer of any kind when you mash potatoes. The sharp blades and high speed of most mixers causes the starch molecules to break. When you release too much starch, you end up with book paste instead of food. For best results, use a hand crank food mill or a ricer to make mashed potatoes. Any cookwares store will have one of these ricers or food mills. They usually cost between $10 and $20. A ricer is the best way to mash the potatoes; its fool proof, but I heard several people say the food mill is just as good.
From: msoja at globalnet.co.uk (Onion Breath)
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 1996 14:20:07 GMT
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Stan Horwitz wrote:
>Don't use an electric mixer of any kind when you mash potatoes.
Doesn't Cuisinart have a mashed potato add on that is geared down so it doesn't spin too fast? If I remember it *only* costs $80 or so. I'll stick with a fork.
From: Kate Connally (connally at physast1.phyast.pitt.edu)
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 1996 10:16:59 -0800
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Stan Horwitz wrote:
> Don't use an electric mixer of any kind when you mash potatoes. The sharp
> blades and high speed of most mixers causes the starch molecules to break.
> When you release too much starch, you end up with book paste instead of
> food.
Sorry, Stan, but this is just not true. I have used a mixer my whole life and I make *perfect* mashed potatoes! I still think it's the type of potato. Someone else mentioned that the red potatoes get gluey. I wouldn't know because I always use Idaho/russets but they're probably right.
> For best results, use a hand crank food mill or a ricer to make
> mashed potatoes.
That's all well and good for people who have the extra time (I never do when I'm cooking) it takes or really want to work on their biceps. I'm sure they make lovely mashed potatoes but not any lovelier than mine made with a mixer which is easier and faster.
Oh, and about using warm or hot milk - I have never found using cold milk to be a problem. My mashed potatoes come to the table steaming hot. Heating the milk is just an unnecessary extra step that involves more time and more dishes to wash. After all compared to the volume of potatoes the volume of milk is very small. It doesn't have a significant cooling effect in my experience.
From: sue at interport.net (Curly Sue)
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1996 02:32:00 GMT
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Use starchy potatoes rather than waxy potatoes. Idahoes and the like are OK. I don't know what the equivalent is in Canada :>
From: rickm at mnsinc.com (Rick Marinelli)
Date: 16 Dec 1996 23:47:39 GMT
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BUZZ!!!! Not so far so good. I don't really know if there is gluten in potatoes, but using a high-speed blender like that Braun affects potatoes the same way kneading affects wheat flour. I also don't know why it was only apparent when you added milk.
What I do know is that if you hand-mash, or use a mixer on slow speed, you won't get gluey potatoes.
From: art simon (aasimon at phoenix.net)
Date: 17 Dec 1996 16:22:32 GMT
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: BUZZ!!!! Not so far so good. I don't really know if there is gluten in
: potatoes, but using a high-speed blender like that Braun affects potatoes
: the same way kneading affects wheat flour. I also don't know why it was
: only apparent when you added milk.
Not quite. The cells of the potato flesh contain a very fine starch. Mashing gently leaves most of the cells intact. Processing in a blender or a Food Processor acts like a cell homogenizer and releases all that starch into the liquid. Adding any liquid early just makes the process more efficient. As I posted elsewhere, all that starch whipped into the aqueous base makes starch paste (remember those kindergarten paste jars?) Glue is the right word for the consistency, but paste is probably more accurate in terms of the end-product.
From: Madeline (jmoyer at concentric.net)
Date: Sun, 15 Dec 1996 21:55:13 -0800
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There are different types of potatoes. I think if you use the wrong type it may cause the gluey problem you experienced. Some are best for baking and others for mashing. I always peel, cube and then cook my potatoes. I make sure the pieces are aprox. the same size to make sure they are all cooked within the same time. I cube them to about 1 inch square. Sometimes I add onion to the pot as I cook and mash that also with the potatoes to add a nice flavour. When it's time to mash I use heated milk and butter and pepper and sometimes a dash of nutmeg. Don't forget to salt the water you are boiling your potatoes in.
From: jjarmstrong at sol.co.uk (John J. Armstrong)
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1996 17:08:12 +0000
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m.a. helsten wrote:
>.... mashed them some more with a Braun multipractic hand-held blender,
That's the problem. By doing that you're on the road to ruin. You're destroying the texture. There's no substitute for elbow grease here, unfortunately. Add the milk (according to my Cordon Bleu cook book, it should be heated first) and then beat the mixture with a wooden spoon. The aim is to add air to the mixture for light fluffy mashed potatoes.
I learned this at my mother's knee, long before Braun multipractics were invented!
From: fzyenath at rocky.ucdavis.edu (Geeta Bharathan)
Date: 16 Dec 1996 19:54:50 GMT
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I think what probably happens when you blend potatoes is that the cells in the potato break and the starch grains are set free. This changes the texture of the mashed product qualitatively.
From: robinc at oanet.com (Robin Cowdrey)
Date: 18 Dec 1996 05:04:57 GMT
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I *hated* mashed potatoes until I discovered the potato ricer. I used to use a Mix Master, let everyone else eat the potatoes, and wondered why there were always lots of leftovers.
I found my first at a garage sale and the ricer has become a much valued kitchen tool. It removes every single lump and, while it's a bit messy to use, cleans up beautifully in the dish washer. Addition of buttermilk, roasted or steamed garlic or whatever else takes your fancy turns the simple spud into ambrosia.
From: nancy-dooley at uiowa.edu (Nancy Dooley)
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 20:24:42 GMT
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We have always used potato mashers at our house - work a treat, they do....and have always warmed the milk.
We use the masher to initially mash the potatoes into as mashed a state as we can - add the milk, about 1/2 at a time, and continue mashing. At the very end, give the masher a whirl around the pan a couple times....put into the serving dish and plop some butter in the center, with a light sprinkle of pepper. I have my Cutco masher - a handled, round flat "squasher" with cubic holes in it, and also my grandma's - a handled wire thingie - the flat bottom mashing part looks like concentric even loops out of heavy, round wire. Hers works better than mine..
I thought until I started reading this group that no-one used mixers on mashed potatoes except school cafeterias and restaurants. It would never occur to me to use one at home.
From: tamale at primenet.com
Date: 16 Dec 1996 17:25:02 -0700
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The first time I made mashed potatoes I used my new Cuisinart. You don't know the meaning of glue until you try this :)
Really, I'd "mash" or "rice" (my favorite) the potatoes....even "whip" with an electric beater.....but the blades of the Braun and Cuisinart go too fast and break down the structure of the potatoes.
From: Mary f(pud) (maryf at earthlink.net)
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1996 22:16:01 -0800
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tamale at primenet wrote:
> Really, I'd "mash" or "rice" (my favorite) the potatoes....even "whip"
> with an electric beater.....but the blades of the Braun and Cuisinart go
> too fast and break down the structure of the potatoes.
Good answer. Dad burned out a cuisnart on this one. We could have made some really fun christmas ornaments with these potatoes :-). I laughed myself stupid, until he threatened to cut off the wine :-).
Add the butter and the milk before you start mashing. And don't use a blender type machine. I use the whisk attachment in the KA and I don't do it too long. The milk and butter help prevent the potatoes turning to glue. And I have used all sorts of taters, red, wax and idahoes. And I agree with previous posters, the idahoes are the best for mashed, but I've had great luck with all the others too :-)
From: art simon (aasimon at phoenix.net)
Date: 17 Dec 1996 16:16:22 GMT
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I'd go even further. I stay away from the cuisinart and the blender and mash by hand. That's because I like a *little* texture left in the potatoes. If I want whipped (as in roast garlic-roast onion whipped potatoes or potatoes whipped for duchess potatoes) I'll use the KA as Mary does. Food processors and blenders are great for making library paste, though.
Art, quite proud of his potato masher collection.
From: roglb at nrv.net (Diane)
Date: 18 Dec 1996 14:10:27 GMT
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I don't know what the rest of the original post said, but I always heat the milk before I add it. I also mash the potatoes with my hand mixer (not on, just mash up and down) before adding anything, just to break up the taters a little. Then I add some warm milk and some butter (sometimes I melt the butter with the milk). I turn on the mixer and let it whip the taters up, adding more warm milk till they are just right. I've never made gluey potatoes. I have, however, made them too thin a few times. I heard a great tip to solve that: add instant potatoes to bring them back to the right consistency. This tip came from the woman who makes the best mashed potatoes I've ever tasted, so I believe it. I don't keep them in the house, so once I added one slice of cheese and it worked without making them cheesy (although I like cheesy potatoes).
Anyway, I've never heard of using a blender for potatoes. Perhaps that has something to do with them being gluey? Unless when you say "hand-held blender" you mean a hand-held mixer.
From: sf at pipeline.com
Date: Sat, 21 Dec 1996 02:30:04 GMT
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I used to make gluey potato too until I started doing two things: use a potato ricer first and ADD LESS MILK.
I noticed also that a friend who does killer mashed potatoes adds HOT milk to her potatoes. I don't know what that does except keep them warm, but they sure are good. ;-)
From: gmc at smart.net (Gordon Charrick)
Date: 23 Dec 1996 21:09:44 GMT
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Yesterday I finally found purple potatoes at the store and made mashed potatoes with them. They turned out great except cooking kind of mutes the color so they were only a light blue color! I guess I also learned I should heat the milk before adding it so they won't cool off too much. They did fine microwaved to heat them back up.
From: Robin Cowdrey (robinc at oanet.com)
Date: 26 Dec 1996 07:09:25 GMT
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The secret is the ricer. I don't know what whipping or beating does to potatoes physically except to make them gluey!! If you like garlic, steam the potatoes with garlic to taste and then pass everything through the ricer. Add salt, pepper cream or butter or margarine to taste and stir everything together. Don't whip or beat the potatoes. If you don't have a ricer, use a masher.
From: terror at eskimo.com (Tara Banfield)
Date: Thu, 26 Dec 1996 22:34:15 GMT
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Hmm. Never had that problem! Dad taught me the Great Potato Secret...which is to wallop them with milk & butter. They ALWAYS come out fluffy! Maybe it's because we use the cheapest potatoes in the universe. (?) I *do* know that if you puree the darn things (like in a food processor) you'll wind up breaking up the individual starch granules and letting the gluey stuff out of the middle of 'em. Maybe some potato types are more resistant to that.
From: RCC (rcolthea at extro.ucc.su.oz.au)
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 15:35:38 +0000
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Most reputable recipes for mashed potatoes suggest the use of hand mashers. They also suggest using cream rather than milk. This makes them rather firm and thus it is more of a trial to prevent them from being "gluey", but it is worth it as water content in mashed potatoes should be kept to a minimum. This is why one common tip is to return the potatoes to the heat after draining to get rid of any remaining moisture, and another common tip is to use the sorts of potatoes which have minimal natural water content. Mashing garlic into your potatoes will result in a rather crude version of flavoured mashed potatoes. Try getting a recipe for the Irish potato dish called "champ". Other preferable additions are fried green onions, bacon, reconstituted chinese dried mushrooms and - the best of all - truffles. I use "truffle oil", oil infused with truffle flavour. this can be used in place of some of the butter. Truffle oil's expensive, but it goes a long way.
From: ragreen at ix.netcom.com (Ron A. Green)
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 1996 08:23:51 GMT
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RCC wrote:
>Most reputable recipes for mashed potatoes suggest the use of hand
>mashers.
On the nose. Hand mash, or use a ricer. Unless you are very careful, you will overbeat and the mash becomes too glutenous, just like overkneaded bread or pizza dough. Sour cream also makes a nice sub for milk. The best mash is always hand done, and with a potato masher and a French bowl, it's a snap. Ricers also yield excellent results. I actually use an antique ricer at home, it was my grandmother's, circa 1900.
From: Arthur A. Simon, Jr. (aasimon at phoenix.net)
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 1996 12:01:04 -0600
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I wouldn't rule out using a K5 at a low setting. That's what I use when I make potatoes with roast onion and/or garlic.