I'm a fairly competant cook so why can't make good mash potatoe?

[ConnorTraceptive]

Seriously they turn out shit every time? Why why why????

You definitely need "old" potatoes, the floury ones not the waxy ones. LOL at Pritt stick - I can just imagine!!

King Edwards or Bartlett Roosters are good.

I always mash them BEFORE I start to add butter/milk as I find it is easier to get the lumps out.

Desiree are good for mash.

I use roosters too.
They are the best for mash/chips/wedges.
They are a bit dearer, but I find they keep better.

And yes at mash first.
I mash, then add butter, mash then add milk, mash then whip with fork, season then whip again.

That's for plain.
Any flavourings go in after milk, though may replace some of butter.

I keep meaning to buy a ricer as I adore kitchen gadgets, but even if I say so myself I do make fantastic mash without.

Right I'm going to shops tomorrow and buying roosters and we're having mash potatoe every night this week till I get it right!

It would never have occured to me to make mash from baked potatoes. Love MN tis a veritable mine of information!

Didn't Heston Blumenthal do a scientific investigation of mash for his odd "cookery" program. It involved part-cooking potatoes then plunging in ice water or summat, then cooking again, then adding cream etc. Was a very complicated process for a bangers'n'mash meal

Mash before adding milk butter etc. let the steam out.

It sounds as though you are overcooking the potatoes tbh.

Always aim for restaurant-quality mash here - but you need not to overcook the potatoes, add cream butter and milk and lots of enthusiastic mashing.

Definitely potato ricer.

Lots of potatoes are crap these days though I think - I know how to cut them, how long to cook etc etc but soooo often they just disintegrate into a grainy mess.

I think Roosters are the most reliable high street potato. Recently Maris P from Waitrose have been good but previously they were crap too.

Mine have been working since I got a potato ricer.

I find they go grainy if you over cook your potatoes.
I steam mine, then use a potato ricer with butter and milk (cream if I have it).

I have heard of the baked potato mash too. has to be cooked in the oven not micro.

According to a potato expert (I was having this prob too and so did some research):

"This is a common complaint this year. The King Edwards and Piper have been decidedly wet and gloopy rather than dry and fluffy.

I guess the problem is to do with the growing season and particularly the long warm, dry spell from late July to late October. This left potatoes with extraordinarily high dry matter content. Normally about 22 to 23% but this year 24 to 26%!

Chip shops frying Piper are complaining about ?after peeling and pre cooking pinking? when the outside of the peeled potato turns bright pink and then black! Once fried the chips can also have a leathery texture (rather than a crunchy exterior) and the flesh tastes gluey.

A further big problem with the Piper is bad bruising; deep blue or black marks deep in the flesh when you peel them.

If you can find Cabaret in UK they are better but not the same as fluffy, floury, tasty, normal Piper. We will have to wait for the new crop in August, to get the sort of Piper potatoes we are used to"

PS the long dry spell is talking about 2009.....

Good mashing spuds are needed - nice and dry and fluffy. Check the bag.

Cut into equal size pieces - I cut into 2cm dice as they cook much quicker. Generous amount of salt. Once cooked but not disintegrating, drain in a colander and put colander back into the pan full of the potatoes. Let them steam and dry out for five mins or so.

Mash well without adding anything - it took me about 3 attempts to find a good masher. I have a metal one with round holes, metal handle and connected on two sides to the handle - plastic handles and large or very long oblong holes in masher leave too many chances for lumps IME. Ricer could be worth a try but am tring to resist more stuff.

Then add lots of butter and mash through again. You can then use a fork to test the feel of the mash and keep at it for a bit longer if neeeded.

Jeffrey Steingarten wrote a good and brilliantly obsessive piece about mashed potatoes, it's in one of his books (man who ate everything, it must've been something I ate). He made the good point that if you OVERmash the potatoes they go gluey.

I think ricer is the way to go.

Definitely avoid anything new potatoey.

I boil the potatoes in not too much water - salted - IN THEIR SKINS which makes a huge difference, though takes longer of course.

Then cut in half and put in the ricer cut side down - the skins will be left behind in the ricer, so no burned fingers.

Butter and milk (not cream in this house - don't like the effect) and more seasoning whipped in with a fork once they are riced. THe more butter, the more delicious it will be. Joel Robuchon supposedly uses about 50/50 potato to butter for his legendary restaurant mash...

50/50!!!!!!!!

Sounds rather nice, though. I might try a little experimento.

please report back! I can't quite bring myself to do it...

think he also uses relatively waxy potatoes but I might have got that wrong

Ah it was on Masterchef Australia earlier this week. Don't cut potatoes too small or they get waterlogged then ricer and sieve to take put lumps,add butter/cream, s & p to taste

I'm off to buy a ricer - I love mash potato!

Old roosters are best. Make sure they are roughgly the same size.
After draining place them back on the cooling hob to steam a bit.
And this is important - heat your butter and milk before adding, I put them into the microwave for a few seconds. Mash mash mash like mad on the hob. Leave there to steam out a bit while you set the table/make the gravy.