Mashed potato - basic staple or too much effort?

[NoblyBobly]

I was at a social event this morning with a mix of age ranges. We were chatting about what everyone was having for their main meal (dinner/lunch/tea/supper). I mentioned we were having a quick meal tonight of sausage and mash along with some mushroom, onion and courgette.
I was really surprised that so many said they love mash but it's too much effort..........
I consider boiling a few spuds as minimal effort and an everyday basic food. am I out of touch?

Why are you using so many pans?

Peel spuds and boil in one pan. Drain and put spuds back in same pan, splash of milk (doesn’t need to be warmed) dollop of butter, season and mash… all in one pot.

I make perfectly smooth mash like this all the time, no need for using so many utensils :)

@Changingplace

Me too. All in one pot!

I love the microwave packets of rice as well! 😂

I’ll make a homemade curry from scratch then serve it with microwaved rice

Whenever I’ve tried to boil rice it just sticks to the pan

Agreed! Even with a dishwasher, I try to minimise the number of pots I use.

Oh you made me chuckle. Honestly?

Basmati rice, wash well, 1 cup, add 2 cups of water and a bit of salt- boil with lid for 5 mins, then switch off and leave to steam. Done.

Is this a generational thing however? I am almost 60- and the mere idea of using packet mash or boil in the bag rice is just crazy for me. And despite having 3 boys, I have always worked full time since the youngest started school.

Good for you. Have a best mum ever award.

Really- how sarky and nonsense! And damn rude too.

Why is it crazy, genuinely?

And how bloody smug were you.

It's not a lot of work but my family won't eat mine cos of m the lumps (I can't eliminate the lumps without lots of butter and cream that negates the point of not having roasties or chips 😂 so I see both sides and have bought supermarket prepped mash on occasion even though it's probably worse

I'm a lazy sod so when I can be arsed making mash, I make loads in one go and freeze it in food bags in child size portions. Making sausage and mash after school has never been easier and barely any cleaning after 😊

Cost, quite simply. And packaging. It's so so simple to do, and so much cheaper.

Smug? I am no martyr- just a bit of common sense.

Well, I haven’t made mash for nearly 5 years, since my husband died. It is more faff than rice or pasta, as the potatoes have to be peeled, boiled, drained and mashed. And getting it lump free takes effort. Whereas rice and past just get chucked in the appropriate amount of salted water. Then, without the addition of lashings of butter and cream, chives, perhaps a little black pepper, mash is also pretty bland, and also doesn’t really go with that many things. Or rather, for me, there are other forms of potato that taste better and are less effort with almost everything you’d serve mash with.

For your sausage example, wedges or chips would taste better. I’d never have mash with a roast. That needs roast potatoes. It doesn’t work with casserole / stew for me as there’s not enough texture. Boulangère potatoes are better, and less effort. Dauphenoise would be even better, but does take more effort. For salmon or fish, new potatoes are infinitely better than mash. I can’t think of single dish for which there’s isn’t a better form of potato than mash - which I see as school dinner food. Flame suit at the ready ;)

I have a little paring knife from Sainsbury's- it's by far the best for potato peeling.
I use a french peeler for carrots, parsnips etc but it's got to be my little knife for tatos. I speed peel with it much to my DS's bemusement.

@cuckyplunt
Do you chop the potatoes up first?
I do have a ricer somewhere I think that might have to try!

Keep in the bottom of the fridge (out of the plastic wrap) and then take a few out at a time a day before you want to cook them. They keep for ages like this.

I just made a cottage pie for tomorrow. Did do proper mash but do use frozen. It is a bit of a faff especially as I don't have a dishwasher. Peeler, knife, chopping board, saucepan, drainer, masher, whisk to get it smooth. Frozen is a lot easier, I microwave it in the bag sometimes then just pop on top. No washing up at all.

OH once bragged his mash was much better than mine .

I no longer do mash, so for me it's easy

" I’d never have mash with a roast. That needs roast potatoes. ..... I can’t think of single dish for which there’s isn’t a better form of potato than mash - which I see as school dinner food. Flame suit at the ready ;)"

I wouldn't flame anyone for their opinions on mashed potato 😄but clearly I'm very different from you! I LOVE mash with a roast (though we do have crisp roast potatoes too) as it's the most delicious thing in the world with gravy (my babies used to love this but I guess nowadays they would say 'too much salt')

I think I'd happily eat a plate of mash, whipped up in my kitchenaid or even by hand, with cream, salt, white pepper, and a big knob of butter melting into it, almost more than anything...

Crushed new potatoes. Roast new potatoes. Now THOSE are the epitome of Disappointment to me...

I bake potatoes and mash the insides

Or frozen is good

I think that’s a yes then

See, I am sure you are right, but taking something out the day before I want it is not something that could happen in my universe. It’s against my laws of physics. (Unless it’s Christmas or something)

I used 3 pots because I steamed the potatoes & then needed the steamer for the other vegetables so decanted the cooked potatoes into another pot to rice them. And the 3rd pot was to heat milk.

Are you all using cold milk?

I just use a mug in the microwave for the milk if I use it

All pressure cookers require water, even modern electric ones (I am a veteran of both types). Normally you don’t start heating it until you have put the lid on, as the water boils much faster with the lid on. You’re wasting energy boiling water with the lid off. But, more importantly, why would you pressure cook potatoes when they only take about 15 mins to get to mashable consistency in a normal pan? Is this to make them cook faster without chopping up small?