Has anyone made these Make-ahead mashed potatoes? Or have TG mashed tater tips? Never made them!

M

mariadnoca

Moderator
Ok, it's not that I've never made any mashed potatoes, but I've never made the TG whipped type ones (I prefer rustic style). AND I FEAR THE GLUE because I've been elected to bring the TG mashed potatoes. And the family is pretty serious about their mashed potatoes (my SIL has never lived down the time she made garlic ones).

So Alton (genuflects) says use a food mill or a ricer - do I have to go buy one of these? I only have mom's old hand style masher and a small plastic square holed one -- and pretty bad arthritis/carpel tunnel in my hands and more taters than I've ever made before. I do have a KA/FP/stick blender/hand held electric mixer that Alton says will mess them up.

We only have 12 this year, but thinking 10lbs or 1+ per person, half YG and half russet. Every yr I had TG someone else made the taters, so I've never made this much or this style.

Also, I will need to make them at home, bring them, and serve a few hrs after I get there (and she doesn't have a micro).

Any tips/tricks to share? How do you make your mashed taters?

From: Karen/Boston (@132.183.140.188) Gail’s

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REC: Make-ahead mashed potatoes. This was in yesterday's Boston Globe. I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds like a great idea for reducing last-minute cooking frenzy on Turkey day.

MAKE-AHEAD MASHED POTATOES

In general, allow 1 medium potato per person, but on Thanksgiving, when the table is full of side dishes, you can stretch a pot of mashed potatoes to serve more people.

8 medium potatoes (half Idaho or russet, half

Yellow Finn or Yukon gold)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 cups 1 or 2 percent milk

1 quart whole milk, heated to scalding

4 tablespoons butter

Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2-inch pieces. Combine them in a large pan with water to cover them completely. Add plenty of salt and the 2 cups of 1 or 2percent milk. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer the potatoes for 15 minutes or until they are tender. Drain them into a colander.

Return the potatoes to the pan and add 1 cup of the whole milk with 2 tablespoons of the butter. Sprinkle with plenty of salt and pepper, and mash the potatoes until they are smooth. Add 1/2 cup more milk and the remaining butter. Continue mashing until the potatoes are fluffy. (You can add more butter, if you like.) Add 1/2 cup more milk, if necessary. The potatoes should be exactly the consistency you like for serving. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Use a plastic spatula to scrape down the sides of the pan. Smooth the top of the potatoes. Pour enough of the remaining milk on top of the potatoes to make a very thin layer.

Cover the pan with the lid and set the potatoes aside for several hours. Just before serving, set the potatoes over medium heat and reheat them, stirring constantly, until they are hot and fluffy. Transfer to a warm bowl and serve at once.

 
For Thanksgiving I make all my side dishes ahead and here is how I do spuds

I use russet (one year the Yukon Gold had a funny taste) one large on per person( I usually do a few more cause we want leftovers. cook them until tender. Drain well.
I never use a mixer because they turn to a waxy, glue. I put them through one of the ricers you have to turn. Usually a two person job, cause one person holds the ricer stable over the pan and the other turns the handle. Does not take long. Then add butter, salt and pepper, milk to get the consistency you want. Mix them up with the old fashioned potato masher. I put them into a round casserole dish, top with chunks of butter, put lid on and put in the fridge. On Thanksgiving day, you can reheat in a low oven. They come out perfect. I have also used a slow cooker on low when needed..

 
Karen, I must do make aheads for sides this year - what do you do other than these and sweet potato.

I am in need of green veggies to make ahead and on the
stove. do you have any and would you share?

 
This is the one that my mother-in-law makes every year. REC: Thanksgiving Day Mashed Potatoes

When I read this recipe, I am surprised it says red potatoes, because I only use russets for mashed potatoes. You might want to google it. It is very good. I use russets, and I don't even peel them anymore.


DOROTHY'S THANKSGIVING POTATOES

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Overnights Potatoes
Thanksgiving Vegetables

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

10 large red potatoes
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup milk
8 ounces cream cheese -- softened
8 ounces sour cream
salt and pepper -- to taste
paprika

Peel potatoes and boil in a large pot until tender. Place in a large bowl. Mash potatoes with the milk and butter. Add cream cheese and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and put in a buttered 9 x 13 glass baking pan. Sprinkle with paprika. Refrigerate up to 2 days before baking. Place in a cold oven and turn temperature to 350 degrees. Bake uncovered for 45-60 minutes or until potatoes are hot and pale golden brown.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 
My family loves a fresh green bean dish I make ahead

I crisp bacon, then sauté onions and garlic in the drippings (I only use about 2 strips of bacon for enough beans for 6 to eight) add the fresh green beans that have been cleaned, ends cut off and cut in half. I add one can if a good tomato sauce, poultry seasoning and Beau Monde, S & p, put lid on and cook until beans are tender but still have a little crunch. Add crisped bacon and mix.
I make these two days ahead. Reheat gently.

I also make a carrot dish everyone loves. Angled carrot slices are layered in a buttered casserole dish with small chunks of butter, thin onion slices, dried mint, s& p, then topped with more butter slices and a little heavy cream drizzled over the top. Bake at 325 until carrots are tender.
Prep these, put in fridge and pop in oven on Thanksgiving.
I make my stuffing ahead, put in a crock pot, fridge, then cook on low for 6 hours on the day.
I make my gravy ahead by roasting 3 1/2 lbs chicken wings and 2 onions until browned 75 minutes. put in large dutch oven with 1 cup water, drippings, 6 cups good chicken stock, thyme, poultry seasoning, 3/4 cup carrots
and bring to boil, cook at simmer for 90 minutes, Pull out wings. Strain stock into a pan and press veggies to make sure you get all the flavor of them extracted. put in fridge overnight, pull off congealed fat the next day. Mix 1/4 cup browned flour with an additional 2 cups warm chicken stock, add to warmed stock you made the day before and heat gently and whisk until gravy is thickened. taste and adjust seasoning. Put into freezer containers up to one week ahead, You can add turkey drippings to this as you heat it up on thanksgiving. I always use baster to get some juice from the turkey to put over my dressing in the slow cooker.

Salad is made the day of....turkey too that' all.The wing meat is removed from wings as are carrots and put into 1/cup containers to mix with my dogs kibble. I use about 1 tablespoon added to her kibble. She loves it. Or you could put it in soup or make turkey sandwiches, it is delicious.

 
No, you won't. These taste just like mashed potatoes. The cream

cheese and additions are very subtle.

 
Thanks. Green beans sound great. You are certainly orgainized -

I do try but will always have some stuff left to make on the day. As for turkey wings - I never have them left!!
Thanks again

 
These sound good, but no can do sour cream - trust me, my MIL will notice...

My MIL (publicly) admonished me once because I rewarmed some in the micro I'd made earlier in the day (that hadn't even cooled all the way off yet). "Well, you know these potatoes just aren't going to be any good, I suppose we'll all just need to make do."

Thanks MIL, thanks for saying that to the new kid hosting the whole huge family for the first time and purposely loud enough to be sure everyone at the table heard it.

My SIL has never lived down the time she made a change to the potatoes. It's brought up every year.

So trust me when I say, I'm looking for traditional whipped mashed potatoes.-.no additions other than the standard milk/cream/butter,

Just trying to be sure they don't turn to glue is all.

 
Sandra has a favorite recipe for make ahead mashed. Let me see if I can find it in search. Always

has been on my list, but I seem to run out of time for "Make ahead" and just do my last minute scramble with the rice maker. (Although I may use my foodmill this year).

 
I always use a ricer for TG mashed potatoes, I don't have a food mill...

I alter my recipe every year, but always hold them a couple of hours easy. I think I got the tip from Barefoot Contessa. I make the potatoes, put them into the top of a double boiler (I usually have to makeshift one since I like a TON of leftover potatoes and have too many for my regular double boiler) and then, brush the potatoes with a layer of cream, making sure not to leave exposed areas that will get hard. Cover and hold. When ready, stir and serve!

 
Something new to me - the LA Times gave a tip to steam the potatoes ahead,

then re-heat and mash right before serving.

I tried it the other night, and it worked well. I cubed russets and steamed, thenI use a ricer ,adding cream , salt nd butter and stir together.

Not sure if this would work for you.

 
Just cheat

Last year, I had to make mashed potatoes for 30 people. I refuse to peel and mash that many. I bought some kind of intstant potatoes at Costco and used about 8 packets with extra butter and cream. Not one person realized the difference, especially with the gravy all over the top. So sue me and take away my cook's license!

 
I say just use butter, cream, eye of newt, venom, entails, frog, adder's fork, etc...

1 WITCH. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew’d.

2 WITCH. Thrice and once, the hedge-pig whin’d.

3 WITCH. Harpier cries:—’tis time! ’tis time!

1 WITCH. Round about the caldron go;
In the poison’d entrails throw.—
Toad, that under cold stone,
Days and nights has thirty-one;
Swelter’d venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i’ the charmed pot!

ALL. Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

2 WITCH. Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the caldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting,
Lizard’s leg, and owlet’s wing,—
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

ALL. Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

3 WITCH. Scale of dragon; tooth of wolf;
Witches’ mummy; maw and gulf
Of the ravin’d salt-sea shark;
Root of hemlock digg’d i the dark;
Liver of blaspheming Jew;
Gall of goat, and slips of yew
Sliver’d in the moon’s eclipse;
Nose of Turk, and Tartar’s lips;
Finger of birth-strangled babe
Ditch-deliver’d by a drab,—
Make the gruel thick and slab:
Add thereto a tiger’s chaudron,
For the ingrediants of our caldron.

ALL. Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

2 WITCH. Cool it with a baboon’s blood,
Then the charm is firm and good.

 
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