Comments on: Mashed Potato Tips

By: Darlene

Darlene — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:41:40 +0000

If you must reheat mashed potatoes you cannot reheat them too long or they will taste like they came from a box. I’m not sure what happns to them but they aquire a strange and undesirable flavor. Reheat them just until the right temp and then serve

By: debbi

debbi — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:33:17 +0000

how can you reheat mashed potatoes with a crock pot and how long does it take?

Hi Debbi, thanks for writing and Happy Thanksgiving. I have never heard of reheating mashed potatoes in a crock pot but if you check out Chef Jeff’s comment right above this, you may get some ideas on how to do it. - RG

By: Chef Jeff

Chef Jeff — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 19:40:01 +0000

I agree with the always make it fresh, but there are times when making them ahead just makes sense. There are a few ways, simmer (never boil) in even chunks and when fork tender add your butter but do not mash, just coat them over (to cut off all air contact), when it is time to reheat simmer some milk or cream and add the potatoes to it, cover and steam until hot - them mash and season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg (easy on the nutmeg, there potatoes not pumpkin pie). There is also something called “magic mashed potatoes” where you peel, toss with oil (once again to cut off air contact) and bake at 200 for 45 minutes, then add to cold water and simmer till fork tender - add cream, butter and seasonings when mashing. Chill, to reheat just add some cream or milk to a pan and once again, lightly steam until they are warm, stir to hot and serve. **Something with preheating the starch structure within the potato helps keep them from becoming gummy. Have not figured it out fully yet, but a very cool trick.

Hey Jeff, great tips and advice. Thank you for sharing these thoughts and look forward to hearing more from you. - RG

By: laura

laura — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:01:49 +0000

for mashed potatoes..can I boil the potatoes the night before, then mash them the next day? if so, any extra tips.
thanks!

Hi Laura, you could but they wouldn’t taste very good in my opinion. I don’t have a scientific answer for you for why, but suggest you give it a practice run and see if this will work for you. I know how difficult it is to get everything prepared on game day but there are some shortcuts just not worth it and when it comes to mashed potatoes, don’t take any shortcuts if you don’t have to. - RG

By: star

star — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 02:30:59 +0000

i have a catering company, and i can not have everything coming off the stove at the same time as everything comes out of the oven, so i cook and mash the potatoes ahead (the same afternoon) so they are ready mashed and spread in a baking dish with dollops of butter , and sprinkled with paprika on top.
depending on how much potatoes you have to heat ,i give it about 1/2 an hour in the oven. it heats the potatoes and crisps up the top,,, very delicious and takes the stress off.