America's Best Home Cooking: Make All-Star Mashed Potatoes

Here are five tips for making mashed potatoes worthy of All-Star Academy.

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Mashed Potato

Perfect Mashed Potatoes Every Time

Whether your mashed potatoes are too gluey, overcooked or just not fluffy enough for your liking, these tips will help you make sure they're craveworthy from now on.

Maximum Fluffiness

Use starchy potatoes (like russets or Yukon golds). Waxy potatoes (like red or white ones) don’t mash up as fluffy.

Don't Overcook the Potatoes

Cook them just enough — the tip of a knife should go in easily, and the potato should slide right off the tip.

Wet Potatoes Don't Like Butter

Dry them well; once they’re drained, put them back in the pot over low heat, and shake and stir to dry them out. They’ll be even more receptive to butter that way.

Step Away from the Blades

Mash them with a wooden spoon (for chunky) or a ricer (for smooth). Anything with spinning blades makes for gluey potatoes.

Melted Ingredients Mash Better

Warm the butter and milk! The colder your add-ins are, the longer it’ll take to mash them in, and the greater your odds of overworked potatoes.

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