Posted October 30, 2023 by: Admin #Kitchen

How to Make Ina Garten’s Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

Here are the steps to prepare Ina Garten’s delicious mashed potatoes:

1. Cut the potatoes into chunks. Start by cutting the potatoes into small pieces. Don’t boil them whole. If you’re peeling your potatoes, take care during this step.

2. Boil the potatoes. Salt the water generously. Then, let the potatoes simmer for 10 to 12 minutes.

3. Heat the milk and butter. Start heating the milk and butter while the potatoes are still boiling. Use a small saucepan and don’t let the mixture boil. You want it hot, not boiling.

Once it’s hot, remove it from the heat and cover it to keep it warm.

4. Drain and mash the potatoes. Remove the boiling potatoes from the heat and drain them. Then, mash them using your preferred method. Don’t over-mash them!

5. Mix the potatoes and the milk/butter mixture. Gently whisk the hot milk and butter into the potatoes. Do it slowly until they have a thick and creamy consistency.

6. Add sour cream, salt, and pepper. Finally, whisk in the sour cream for more flavor and texture. Then, season the potatoes with salt and pepper to taste.

Make sure to add additional toppings at this stage. (Chives, cheese, bacon, etc.) Then, serve and enjoy!

Tips for the Best Mashed Potatoes

Here are some tips to keep in mind when making your mashed potatoes:

• Don’t add cold milk to the potatoes. Using warm milk is essential to making the best mashed potatoes. It’s so important, in fact, that I included warming it in the steps! You never want to add cold milk to your potatoes because it ruins their texture. So, no matter how you’ve prepared them in the past, don’t skip the milk and butter warming step.
• Mash the potatoes with a potato ricer if possible. You can use a potato masher or a food processor to mash your potatoes. However, if you have a potato ricer, you’ll want to use it. This ensures the potatoes are smooth and succulent, not lumpy. Whatever you do, don’t over-mash them. They become sticky and gummy. They’re difficult to work with and have an ugly final texture.
• Be generous with butter and salt. You can’t have delicious mashed potatoes without plenty of both.
• Use fatty ingredients for extra-rich potatoes. As I mentioned, I usually use 2% milk. However, if you want your potatoes to be very rich, use whole milk and full-fat sour cream.
• Experiment with various add-ins. Try garlic (regular or roasted), herbs, green onions, chives, cheese, bacon, etc. You can flavor the potatoes as you like.

How to Freeze Mashed Potatoes

Believe it or not, you can actually freeze leftover mashed potatoes.

The texture will be different when you reheat them, but they’ll still taste good.

If you plan to eat them soon, don’t freeze them.

Wrap them well in plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator instead.

They should stay there for about 5 days. Then, you can reheat them in the microwave (12 minutes/75% power) or in the oven (50 minutes/325 degrees).

To freeze them, you’ll need freezer bags. Each will hold about two cups of potatoes.

Put the potatoes in the bags and make sure to remove all the air from each bag.

Then, flatten them as much as possible to ensure even freezing.

Add a date, and then stick them in the freezer. They should be safe for 2 to 3 months.

When you’re ready to serve them, use your stovetop, oven, or slow cooker to reheat them.

(You can also use the microwave, but I don’t like what it does to the texture.)

Instead, I stick to the three methods listed above. Here’s what you’ll do:

• Slow Cooker. Transfer the potatoes from the bags to the slow cooker. Then, heat them on low until they’re well heated.
• Oven. Transfer the potatoes to a baking dish. Heat them for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You may need to stir them after 10 minutes and again after 20 minutes.
• Stovetop. Put the frozen potatoes in a saucepan and heat them over medium heat. Stir regularly until they’re hot. Add extra milk if necessary to help maintain their texture.

If you insist on using the microwave, do it at half-power. I would recommend a different method, however.”