master-cooks | The 3 Kitchen Tools You Need For Restaurant Worthy Mashed Potatoes

To achieve restaurant-worthy mashed potatoes, three essential kitchen tools can make all the difference. First, a high-quality potato ricer or food mill is crucial. This tool ensures your potatoes are perfectly smooth, free of lumps, and allows for even mashing. A ricer works by gently pressing the cooked potatoes through small holes, resulting in a fluffy texture that is difficult to achieve with a traditional masher. Next, a sturdy saucepan with even heat distribution is vital. When whipping up mashed potatoes, having a saucepan that maintains consistent heat allows for better control over the cooking process. This ensures the potatoes are cooked evenly, preventing certain areas from becoming overcooked or undercooked, which can affect the final texture and flavor. Lastly, a silicone spatula is indispensable for folding in butter, cream, or any other ingredients you choose to incorporate. The flexibility of a silicone spatula allows for gentle mixing without overworking the potatoes, which can lead to a gluey consistency. By using these tools, you can create mashed potatoes with the perfect balance of creaminess and fluffiness, making them as delightful as those found in a fine dining restaurant.

The best tool to buy for perfect mashed potatoes

You might already have a potato masher or a fine mesh sieve in your kitchen, but we want to emphasize that investing in a potato ricer is a smart choice. This handy tool is simple to operate and produces beautifully fluffy mashed potatoes. Since you won’t be exerting much effort to push the potatoes through, they’ll keep all their delightful starches and robust potato flavor. Additionally, with a low-effort tool like PriorityChef's heavy-duty potato ricer, you can whip up a generous batch of mashed potatoes without needing a break.

As you strive to avoid gluey mashed potatoes, it’s crucial to consider an often-overlooked aspect of this starchy dish: water is your foe. Many recipes suggest boiling potato chunks until they’re fork-tender and then draining them. However, we recommend using a slotted spoon to lift them out, allowing you to shake off excess water without losing those vital starches down the drain.

Some chefs advocate for skipping the water entirely by baking your potatoes instead of boiling them. You can roast them until tender, then cut them almost in half and flip them over so the skin is facing up on a baking sheet. From there, use a potato masher or burger press to break the potatoes into smaller pieces and easily peel off the skins. After that, you’re all set to push them through a ricer and continue with your favorite creamy, tangy mashed potato recipe.

The 3 Kitchen Tools You Need For Restaurant-Worthy Mashed Potatoes

The best tool to buy for perfect mashed potatoes

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