How to make stiff mashed potatoes?
Some recipes call for stiff mashed potatoes, e.g. to help well formed shapes as in this recipe:
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/crunch-swiss-and-ham-appetizers
Should I just boil the potatoes, mash way too much, and add no butter nor milk?
Best Answer
The second easiest way to get stiff, but still edible mashed potatoes is to bake the potatoes whole, then put them through a ricer.
The easiest way is to use potato flakes ... and then you can make them as thick as you want, and even thicken them further if they came out not to your liking initially.
You can still mash potatoes that have been baked (although you'll probably want to peel them), but if you use a wet cooking method, after they're done cooking, drain them and put them back into the pot (still warm, but with the heat off) with the lid off for a minute or two. Once you don't see any more steam coming off them, check to see if the bottom of the pot is dry .. if it isn't, move the potatoes to another pot (lift them out, to avoid moving the water with them), and drain the water.
I'd personally then dump them back into the now dried pot ... I just find that when you're limiting the amount of moisture going into the potatoes, making sure they stay warm as you're mashing helps the process. You'll still need some liquid, but making sure that the water is out gives you more control of what liquid is added back in (and you can make sure it's a flavorful liquid ... dairy, olive oil, chicken stock, etc.)
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How do you stiffen mashed potatoes?
To thicken mashed potatoes, you can add a thickening agent like cornstarch, flour, powdered milk, or tapioca. Add one tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. You can also add heat, more potatoes, or even strain the mashed potatoes in order to reach your desired consistency.How do you make mashed potatoes less soupy?
Fix them: Scoop the watery mashed potatoes into a pan and stir constantly over low heat to evaporate the excess liquid. If the potatoes are really watery, you can add either cornstarch or instant mashed potatoes a half teaspoon at a time to help the spuds thicken to your preferred consistency.Why are my mashed potatoes stiff?
As already discussed, pastiness is caused by too much potato starch being worked into the mashed potatoes. The main way we combat this problem is by rinsing away starch, both before and after cooking potatoes for fluffy mashed potatoes. Rinsing off starch means that there is less of it that can end up in the dish.What makes mashed potatoes gluey like?
Too much \u2014 or too vigorous \u2014 mashing will produce gluey potatoes. Your best tool is an old-fashioned masher, fork, ricer or food mill. If you've already done the damage, turn pasty potatoes into a casserole: Spread them in a baking dish, drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with grated cheese and breadcrumbs.How To Make The Creamiest Mashed Potatoes
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