Real mashed potatoes use cold butter cubes, not melted—the temperature difference creates silky emulsion instead of greasy mush.
Real Mashed Potatoes
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with our creamy, homemade mashed potatoes! By using fresh, whole potatoes and velvety infused dairy, you’ll achieve a dreamy, fluffy texture that’s simply irresistible. Elevate your dish with a sprinkle of sea salt and a dash of garlic for a flavor explosion that’ll have everyone coming back for seconds!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This technique is pure French château snobbery disguised as American comfort food—17th-century French aristocrats demanded their pommes de terre be passed through silk sieves by kitchen servants, while colonial Americans just mashed theirs with wooden spoons like proper peasants, but somehow we've ended up with this glorious hybrid that uses a ricer to achieve Versailles-level smoothness with Midwest practicality.
Regional Twist
In Quebec's Saguenay region, they replace half the milk with local maple cream and add fresh chives instead of thyme, creating a sweet-savory mashup that's become their signature side.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 cup (118 ml) cream
- 1 cup (237 ml) milk
- 2 lbs (907 g) whole potatoes
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- bay leaves (to taste)
- black peppercorns (to taste)
- 1 lb (454 g) cold unsalted butter
- Salt
- thyme (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Boil whole potatoes (skin on) in unsalted water until tender.
- 2
Infuse warm milk and cream with thyme, bay leaves, and black peppercorns over low heat.
- 3
Once potatoes are tender, drain and steam them dry for 5-10 minutes.
- 4
Pass the potatoes through a ricer or food mill twice.
- 5
Mix in the infused dairy gradually.
- 6
Fold in cold unsalted butter, using at least half the weight of the potatoes.
- 7
Season with salt to taste.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Steam your drained potatoes for 8-10 minutes to evaporate surface moisture, reducing water content from 80% to 75% for better butter absorption and creamier texture.technique8-10 minutes
- ✓Add cold butter at 35-40°F in small pieces while potatoes are still hot (140-160°F) to create a stable emulsion that prevents breaking and greasiness.technique35-40°F butter, 140-160°F potatoes
- ✓Infuse your dairy at 160-180°F for 15 minutes to extract maximum flavor compounds without scalding, then strain to remove solids before incorporating.timing160-180°F, 15 minutes
- ✓Use a 1:1 butter-to-potato ratio by weight (1 lb butter to 2 lbs potatoes after cooking) for restaurant-quality richness and silky mouthfeel.ingredient1:1 ratio by weight
- ✓Pass through the ricer twice while potatoes are above 120°F because starch granules are still pliable, preventing gluey texture from cell wall rupture.equipmentAbove 120°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Real mashed potatoes use cold butter cubes, not melted—the temperature difference creates silky emulsion instead of greasy mush.
Real Mashed Potatoes
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with our creamy, homemade mashed potatoes! By using fresh, whole potatoes and velvety infused dairy, you’ll achieve a dreamy, fluffy texture that’s simply irresistible. Elevate your dish with a sprinkle of sea salt and a dash of garlic for a flavor explosion that’ll have everyone coming back for seconds!
The Story
This technique is pure French château snobbery disguised as American comfort food—17th-century French aristocrats demanded their pommes de terre be passed through silk sieves by kitchen servants, while colonial Americans just mashed theirs with wooden spoons like proper peasants, but somehow we've ended up with this glorious hybrid that uses a ricer to achieve Versailles-level smoothness with Midwest practicality.
Regional Twist
In Quebec's Saguenay region, they replace half the milk with local maple cream and add fresh chives instead of thyme, creating a sweet-savory mashup that's become their signature side.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 cup (118 ml) cream
- 1 cup (237 ml) milk
- 2 lbs (907 g) whole potatoes
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- bay leaves (to taste)
- black peppercorns (to taste)
- 1 lb (454 g) cold unsalted butter
- Salt
- thyme (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Boil whole potatoes (skin on) in unsalted water until tender.
- 2
Infuse warm milk and cream with thyme, bay leaves, and black peppercorns over low heat.
- 3
Once potatoes are tender, drain and steam them dry for 5-10 minutes.
- 4
Pass the potatoes through a ricer or food mill twice.
- 5
Mix in the infused dairy gradually.
- 6
Fold in cold unsalted butter, using at least half the weight of the potatoes.
- 7
Season with salt to taste.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Steam your drained potatoes for 8-10 minutes to evaporate surface moisture, reducing water content from 80% to 75% for better butter absorption and creamier texture.technique8-10 minutes
- ✓Add cold butter at 35-40°F in small pieces while potatoes are still hot (140-160°F) to create a stable emulsion that prevents breaking and greasiness.technique35-40°F butter, 140-160°F potatoes
- ✓Infuse your dairy at 160-180°F for 15 minutes to extract maximum flavor compounds without scalding, then strain to remove solids before incorporating.timing160-180°F, 15 minutes
- ✓Use a 1:1 butter-to-potato ratio by weight (1 lb butter to 2 lbs potatoes after cooking) for restaurant-quality richness and silky mouthfeel.ingredient1:1 ratio by weight
- ✓Pass through the ricer twice while potatoes are above 120°F because starch granules are still pliable, preventing gluey texture from cell wall rupture.equipmentAbove 120°F