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I rate my childhood based on food memories, and I have a lot of food memories! Dad and Grandpa farmed together and pretty much spent every day together. Since Grandma and Grandpa lived across the road (where I live now), my sister and I spent a lot of time with Grandma: bike rides, cookie baking, putting curlers in her hair, and cross-stitching. Do I sound like a member of the Laura Ingalls Wilder family yet?
Grandma Alice knows how to cook. Not just kind of cook, but the kind of cooking that encompasses preparing entire meals for her whole family. It has always come off with such ease, all in spite of her humble nature.
Often, food tastes better when someone else makes it, especially a grandma or mom. It always seems like they have to have a secret, something no one else knows about to create the best food ever. How does it always turn out so well for them?
One of these special dishes was Grandma’s mashed potatoes. Always fluffy, always smooth with no lumps, and always the perfect carrier for her gravy.
What type of potato makes the best mashed potatoes?
If you search for the best potatoes for making mashed potatoes, there are many thoughts on the subject. Grandma has always used russet potatoes. When I asked why she said it’s because that’s what she always grew in her garden. I have no better reason than that: use what you have.
Good mashed potatoes are light and fluffy. The best way to achieve this is by making sure the potatoes are well-cooked. If there are undercooked pieces, they will be lumpy for sure.
To ensure even-sized pieces that cook evenly, Grandma peels and cuts the potatoes in quarters lengthwise. Adding only a few inches of water – this was a game-changer for me – the potatoes are almost steamed/boiled. Water can be the enemy of mashed potatoes and she knows how to add just enough.
Once completely tender, the potatoes are drained and mixed with an electric hand mixer. This starts the breakdown and also drives off excess steam or moisture.
While mixing, warm milk and butter are added until it’s a perfect consistency.
The ingredients are all simple. The steps are even simpler! A few of Grandma’s methods make all the difference, even without her realizing. She makes the perfect mashed potatoes and now you can too!
Let me know in the comments: did you also have a grandma that just seemed to know how to do everything and make everything perfectly?
Watch how to make these mashed potatoes:
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Grandma Alice’s Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 5 lbs russet potatoes
- 1 ½ cups whole milk kept warm
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Wash and peel potatoes, removing any eyes. Rinse and slice into quarters lengthwise. Place in an 8-quart stockpot. Add two inches of water and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover until the potatoes are cooked through, 20-25 minutes.5 lbs russet potatoes, 1 tbsp kosher salt
- Once the potatoes are cooked, remove them from the heat and drain. Reserve the potato water for another use. Pour the drained potatoes into a bowl and allow the steam to settle for 2 minutes. Using an electric hand mixer or mashing by hand, mash potatoes thoroughly. Add milk slowly and mix in, alternating with pieces of butter. Continue to mix until smooth.1 ½ cups whole milk, ½ cup unsalted butter
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, adding salt and pepper. Serve immediately as potatoes can become stiff the longer they sit.
I am going to make this delicious sounding side dish for Turkey day. I’ll let you know how it goes!
Hi, I really enjoyed this video. Can you please do a video on how to make gravy using that leftover potato water? Thank you!
Hi Kris! I just published a video on it here. Enjoy!
Thank you for making the recipes so accessible!!
Humana ad over the bottom quarter of the page kept blinking and I couldn’t finish thi.
I like watching you cook,I have cooking videos,at Tawynia Fugate/ Home [email protected],I have watch plenty of your videos,We grow our on food.Thank you keep making videos
Turned out great – everyone loved them! And now I’m going to be that person from recipe comments that tells you how I changed them lol. Did the exact recipe but added a softened package of cream cheese. What made the overall recipe great for me, though, are the techniques of the lengthwise quartered potatoes, steaming them instead of boiling, and using the mixer. It’s a keeper!
Made this ahead of time for Easter tomorrow. This was almost exactly how my mommaw made mashed potatoes. I miss my mommaws cooking. She also lived on a farm in Kentucky most of her life. She made the best biscuits and gravy, tomato sandwiches, and her rhubarb pie was off the hook. Sadly we can’t grow rhubarb here in Florida. But watching you cook makes me so happy… pretty sure we would be friends. Lol
Love the ideas and recipes
Fun to watch you as well.
I love your receipt, thank you 🙏
I’m going to make it for Christmas
Can you send me a rost beef recipe please
Kaleb, instead of black pepper try white pepper it’s not as strong, it’s sweeter and you don’t see it like you would black.
That not putting much water in the pan is different, I’m going to try that.
I make mashed potatoes like your Grandma.
Thank you KALEB …I tried this recipe and wow the first time I’ve ever made perfect mashed potatoes 🙏🙏