Holiday Help: Simplify Making Mashed Potatoes
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Learning this little potato trick changed my mashed potato making life forever.
Instead of preparing your potatoes to be mashed on the day of your big holiday meal…prepare them the day before.
Scrub them (or peel them, whichever you like to do)….chop them…and throw them into your cooking pot.
Cover them with cool water.
Put a lid on your pot.
When it’s time to cook your meal, boil your potatoes and mash your potatoes, then serve your potatoes (with lots of melted butter!).
I’m telling you, this little trick will save so much back pain on Thanksgiving day. I always prep my potatoes on the Wednesday before. They sit in the water waiting patiently until it is time to cook them Thursday.
Between prepping my potatoes the day before and cooking my bird several days before I need to serve it…I practically have nothing to do on Thanksgiving day.
Okay, not really nothing.
You know what I mean.
P.S. I use this little trick almost every time I make mashed potatoes any day of the year. If we’re having mashed potatoes for dinner…I prep them in the morning or whenever I have a spare minute during the day. Then, when it’s time to cook dinner, all I have to do is turn on the burner to cook the taters. Love it!
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This post is linked to Kitchen Tip Tuesdays.
Anytime I have prepped potatoes early they turn brown/black. How do you keep yours from turning brown?
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Laura Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:12 am
I just make sure they are completely covered with water. Otherwise “oxidation” happens and they turn brown. Ick!
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Jan, add some salt to your water.
I cook mine in a pressure cooker. With the insane altitude around here (7700+) it takes forever for water to boil and potatoes to cook. But with the pressure cooker, once up to pressure (10 mins max) the spuds only have to cook for 9 minutes. Much better than the hour that it takes the traditional way!
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Danielle Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 1:08 pm
An hour??? Mine take 15-20 mins. Otherwise they are glue.
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Love this idea, Thanks!!
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One of my fave holiday recipes is Crockpot Stuffing. I prep everything the night before, then throw it all in the pot first thing in the morning. The stuffing is always moist and flavorful, and ready whenever we are. I would be happy to share the recipe if you like. Everyone raves about it, even those who say they don’t like stuffing.
And thanks for the tip on the taters. I am sooo doing that this Wednesday!
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Jessica Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:21 pm
I would love this recipe!
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thanks for this tip
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Love your ideas! I look forward to Thanksgiving every year. Good food and friends to share with, what could be better!! We also spend time sharing how God has blessed us over the previous year. A great way to see how God moves in our lives.
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you are like me- lotsa butter MAKE the potatos!!! have a happy thanksgiving!
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Does this still work if you peel the potatoes? Just checking. Also I would like the crockpot stuffing recipe.
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Laura Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Yes, it works just fine if you peel the potatoes!
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Yup butter AND milk are the key to great taters!
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The Sweet Potato Streusel Muffins in your menu sound great. I am so trying them this week!
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The few times I have tired something like this I ended up with glue. Do you drain the water the spuds have soaked in and start with fresh water to cook them in or just cook ‘em in the water they soaked in?? I would love it if this would work – such a time saver!
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Laura Reply:
November 23rd, 2009 at 3:17 pm
My only thought is just that you make sure that your water is cold! I just cook them in the water they’d been soaking in and haven’t ever had any trouble.
When I have had trouble is when I’ve cooked the potatoes, but not drained them and mashed them right away. THEN I had glue. Yuck!
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elaine Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 10:06 am
Thanks! I can’t wait to give this another try!!
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Thanks for the tip! I could REALLY go for some mashed potatoes right now, unfortunately they are not on our Thanksgiving menu :( Everyone else likes the potato casserole with “cream of what ever was on the floor in the factory” soup. GROSS!!!!! I might make these anyway since I can do them the day before :)
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Another trick is to make up your mashed potatoes in advance and freeze. They reheat very well (either on stove or in mircrowave). I usually reheat and then add milk as needed to desired consistency. You can freeze at least a month ahead of time, maybe longer. Ours never last that long though, lol. :)
Happy Thanksgiving!
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Julie Reply:
February 25th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
I had no idea I could freeze mashed potatoes…thanks for the tip!
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Laura Reply:
February 25th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
I’ve occasionally had trouble when I freeze mashed potatoes…they like to turn pretty liquidy. I think if you stir some sour cream into them before freezing, they tend to do better.
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I love this idea! I am all for doing things that will make Thanksgiving meal prep easier that day.
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Which recipe do you use for the rolls?
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You can also make your potatoes earlier in the day and keep them warm in the crockpot on low. Many of my Thanksgiving items are crockpot friendly-I use one for gravy, one for mashed potatoes, and one for stuffing.
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We peel our potatoes, slice them then put them in the crockpot on high. Then they
are done whenever everything else is and you just have to mash them. If you are
going to put themon all day use med.
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Amie Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Do you only put in the potatoes or do you add water, butter, milk or anything else?
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Oh and add about 8 oz of sour cream! Sour cream is good in anything!!!! :)
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