Making mashed potatoes ahead of time?

Subject: Making mashed potatoes ahead of time?
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking

From: tomkanpa at aol.comKMA (TOM KAN PA)
Date: 21 Aug 2001 18:38:42 GMT
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Is there anyway of making mashed potatoes ahead of time?
So they won't get stiff and can be reheated and taste just made?

From: Damsel in dis Dress
Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2001 18:51:38 GMT
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Here's a recipe that's actually better the next day. This has been tweaked considerably, so I'll give you the link to the original, as well. You could probably skip the prosciutto and thyme, but the garlic and parmesan are excellent in mashed potatoes!
https://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=15638 [archive.org]

Mashed Potatoes with Prosciutto and Parmesan Cheese

Adapted by: Damsel in dis Dress
Serving Size: 8
Preparation Time: 0:45
Categories: potatoes, side dishes

1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes -- peeled and cubed
3 cloves garlic -- peeled
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces prosciutto -- thinly sliced, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup skim milk -- or more if needed
1/2 cup parmesan cheese -- freshly grated
freshly ground black pepper -- to taste
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

1. Cook potatoes and garlic in large pot of boiling water until potatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain; return potatoes and garlic to same pot.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped prosciutto and thyme and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3. Add prosciutto mixture and 3/4 cup milk to potatoes and garlic. Mash well, adding more milk by tablespoonfuls if potatoes are dry. Mix in 1/2 cup cheese. Season with pepper. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Stir over low heat to rewarm, adding more milk by tablespoonfuls, if desired.) Transfer potatoes to bowl. Sprinkle lightly with 2 tablespoons cheese; serve.

Cuisine: Italian
Source: Bon Appétit
Copyright: November 1998
Yield: 4 cups

From: stan at temple.edu
Date: 21 Aug 2001 20:00:18 GMT
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TOM KAN PA wrote:
> Is there anyway of making mashed potatoes ahead of time?
> So they won't get stiff and can be reheated and taste just made?

Sure. Just leave out the butter and some of the liquid when you make your washed potatoes. Store the mashed potatoes in a tightly covered container in the fridge for no more than two or three days. About half an hour prior to serving your mashed potatoes, put them in a heavy pan over a low heat and gently heat them up again. Then add as much milk and butter as you want and heat it until its hot enough for your taste. Mashed potatoes are an excellent dish to prepare a head of time.

From: Peter Aitken (paitken at CRAPnc.rr.com)
Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2001 14:52:13 GMT
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stan at temple wrote:
> Sure. Just leave out the butter and some of the liquid when you
> make your washed potatoes. Store the mashed potatoes in a tightly
> covered container in the fridge for no more than two or three days.
> About half an hour prior to serving your mashed potatoes, put
> them in a heavy pan over a low heat and gently heat them up again.
> Then add as much milk and butter as you want and heat it until
> its hot enough for your taste. Mashed potatoes are an excellent
> dish to prepare a head of time.

This is the general approach I take. If you do the reheating in a double-boiler arrangement you can be sure that the spuds won't stick and burn during reheating.

From: limey (limey at giveitup.com)
Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2001 16:42:44 -0400
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TOM KAN PA wrote:
> Is there anyway of making mashed potatoes ahead of time?
> So they won't get stiff and can be reheated and taste just made?

How far ahead of time? I often prepare them earlier in the day when having guests (to save mashing at the last minute) then add a little milk and reheat in the microwave - the time depends on the quantity. They turn out fine.

From: Grandma (krmwb at earthlink.com)
Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2001 21:06:18 GMT
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TOM KAN PA wrote:
> Is there anyway of making mashed potatoes ahead of time?
> So they won't get stiff and can be reheated and taste just made?

Hunt up the recipe that I posted a couple of days ago for Twice Baked Potatoes. Those freeze beautifully or will keep a couple of days in the fridge.

From: Sheryl Rosen (catmandy at optonline.net)
Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2001 22:57:30 GMT
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TOM KAN PA wrote:
> Is there anyway of making mashed potatoes ahead of time?
> So they won't get stiff and can be reheated and taste just made?

The answer is simple: No.

Can't be done.

Mashed potatoes must be made moments before serving, otherwise they taste like they weren't.

sorry. I know that wasn't the answer you wanted.

From: Joan Ellis (joan3 at ix.netcom.com)
Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2001 21:19:21 -0700
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Sheryl Rosen wrote:
>Mashed potatoes must be made moments before serving, otherwise they
>taste like they weren't.

I absolutely agree. But apparently no one else does. This is the first time I've seen anybody say that agrees with me. Reheated mashed potatoes taste like nothing but leftover potatoes, unless they're fried of course.

From: Sheryl Rosen (catmandy at optonline.net)
Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2001 00:12:16 GMT
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Joan Ellis wrote:
> I absolutely agree. But apparently no one else does. This is the first
> time I've seen anybody say that agrees with me. Reheated mashed
> potatoes taste like nothing but leftover potatoes, unless they're
> fried of course.

Must be a May 18th birthday thing, then!!! :-)

From: Joan Ellis (joan3 at ix.netcom.com)
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 19:15:22 -0700
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Sheryl Rosen wrote:
>Must be a May 18th birthday thing, then!!! :-)

Could be. I haven't seen Sheldon's opinion on the subject as yet.

From: sticks (pud) (maryf at earthlink.net)
Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2001 06:15:41 GMT
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oh yes you can...mash em, put in fridge, then about 45 minutes before serving, beat the devil out of them add whipped cream (not the sweetkind,) and butter and then heat in low oven about 300 for 1hour, the puff up almost like a souffle...

From: shirleymid at webtv.net
Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2001 18:56:36 -0500 (CDT)
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Hi there!!!
You can do your mashed potatoes ahead of time like I do!!! I have to have mashed potatoes almost all the time. I heat my crockpot up on low and throw butter ontop of them. They stay hot just as good as in the pot for up to 6-8 hours!!!!! Hope this helps!!!!!!

(Just Shirley~)

From: Cyndi (rnchackett at home.com)
Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2001 22:12:34 GMT
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> (Just Shirley~)

I have to ask... ahhh, never mind. Well, heck, I might as well ask. I mean you're here, right?

"Just Shirley" reminds me of the movie with Dolly Parton. I think it was called "Dr. Shirley"(?) but couldn't say for sure. Anyway, when she's asked back to work at the radio station and is introduced as Dr. Shirley, she corrects them with "No, just Shirley".

Sorry, that's a lot of yapping... Donchajus hate it when a name or phrase stirs up a memory of something totally unrelated? LOL

From: Yjev at webtv.net (Evelyn Tigges)
Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2001 20:32:27 -0400 (EDT)
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Many times I have made mashed potatoes ahead of time. I put the mashed potatoes in a ziplock bag and refrigerate. I have not tried freezing them. When I want to use them I take them out of the bag, put them in a microwaveable dish and depending on the amount, heat them for about 4 to 5 minutes in the microwave at power level 7 or 70%. This does work nicely for me. Hope this helps you.

From: Heather (GroovyFood at FFT.net)
Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2001 22:22:33 -0400
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If you microwave them and then beat in a little more hot milk and butter, they will taste fresh..do it all the time.

From: garyokada at yahoo.com (GaryO)
Date: 22 Aug 2001 14:23:44 -0700
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TOM KAN PA wrote:
> Is there anyway of making mashed potatoes ahead of time?
> So they won't get stiff and can be reheated and taste just made?

Ya. You make the mashed potatoes, then reheat them in Shepherd's Pie or fried mashed potatoes :)

From: Nathalie Chiva (Nathalie.Chiva at ci.unil.ch)
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 11:52:54 +0200
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TOM KAN PA a écrit :
> Is there anyway of making mashed potatoes ahead of time?
> So they won't get stiff and can be reheated and taste just made?

Did that one Christmas. Make them with lots of liquid (it'll get absorbed during the waiting and reheating time), put in a deep dish (souffle dish for instance), sprinkle with butter flakes just before reheating, reheat for 45 min. in oven at 300°F. Mine were a success.