Why were my mashed potatoes gross?

[Turaco]

It's easy to make good mash, right?
Use floury potatoes, cut up and boil until cooked but not overcooked, drain very well and allow the steam to evaporate off, mash with plenty of butter and salt and pepper. Lovely mash.
Except that's exactly what I did, and my mash was wet and sloppy, a bit gluey, and had a weird sweet taste? It was nasty frankly.
Did I do something wrong, or (as I suspect) is there something up with potatoes these days? I had this issue last time i made mash as well. Always used to make lovely mash doing exactly as I have this time.
Spuds are standard Morrisons white floury potatoes.
Any suggestions?

I use rooster potatoes

I suspect it’s the spuds you are using

The potatoes I'd say, if you're doing everything else the same.

The gluey thing can mean they've been mashed for too long - but I am finding supermarket potatoes weird and subpar at the moment, so they may just have been crap potatoes.

too much water/liquid?

Overmashing? And double check your potato variety.

Vivaldi potatoes taste amazing, try those instead.

Make something like colcannon and just mash with a fork as the cabbage and spring onions hide any lumps

Hmm just been googling. Looks like it might be because the potatoes are old or stored in the fridge too long, it changes the starch to sugars. I am guilty of keeping my spuds in the fridge. Guess I've found the reason.
I never knew!
Looks like I'll have to find some cupboard space for them in future

The ones i got the other week from Aldi were atrocious. Out of the entire bag only 2 were semi decent and even then i had to peel loads off. The rest went straight in the bin

Yes recommendations for great spuds for mashing welcome, thanks

Floury potatoes are the worst type for boiling.

Yeah supermarket spuds are a bit crap, loads of dark bits under the skin which need cutting out.
I don't eat potatoes often, this is not inspiring me to eat them again in a hurry

You need floury potatoes for mash though? You don't make mash with waxy potatoes

Not really waxy but something in the middle.

I use roosters but I steam them so they never go gloopy.

You shouldn't store potatoes in the fridge. The starch turns to sugar affecting taste and texture, and cooking from cold can create acrylamide, which isn't good for you. Store in a dark bag that doesn't let the light in and they'll last longer, but having said all of that, supermarket potatoes are a bit rubbish at the moment.

If you mean the ones that are actually labelled 'white potatoes' rather than Maris Piper or whatever, I've always found them awful. I steer clear of them now. Whenever I've had them they've tasted of nothing, only worse.

I always use Maris Piper or King Edwards for mash. The current crop of these seem very hit or miss- lots rotten inside and either tiny or the size of a baby's head. I've been using M&S Maris Pipers for a few months now and they are consistently good. I've never kept old potatoes in the fridge though so it sounds like it might be that. I always boil with plenty of salt and start off with cold water in the pan and even if I say so myself my mash is pretty awesome (thanks to my dear late MIL)

Steaming them is a good idea

The gluey mash thing has happened to me twice recently (despite making good mash for years) and both times I let the potatoes cool down whilst getting on with other things so they weren't as hot as usual when adding the butter and stuff. Could it be that?

I used Maris Pipers and store in cupboard. I give them a rinse in cold water after peeling then boil them for 30 mins, add butter and milk and season and Vola!

How are you mashing them? Using a blender releases the starch and they go gluey. I boil , drain then put them back in pot to steam for a bit. Then mash, and beat with a whisk , add hot milk/butter at that point.

But yes, tatties are terrible this year. I have ( against all advice ) been storing them in the fridge.

I always steam and use a ricer

Never buy whites, they are usually a slap dash mix of spuds, they arent good

In England, you wont go wrong with Marie Piper,King Edwards, Golden wonder, Roosters - all good rounders

Whites, well tbh they are just sludge. They soak up water so are only fit for steaming

I now live in NI, from England, and I have had to get used to real floury potatoes, seriously, walk away from the pot and you have soup. And Ive had to learn how each and every potato behaves and whats best for what

I bake them then just scoop out the insides. They almost mash themselves.