Making Mashed Potatoes for more than four? Ditch the boiling water and give this recipe a try. I mean, why bother with dangerous vats of scalding water just because your mom did. It’s time to embrace the oven and let baked potatoes be the base of the most comforting side dish there is: mashed potatoes.
It is hard to break tradition, but sometimes you need to let them evolve… especially if it means you will have not have to peel potatoes. This recipe has become my “go-to” for one of my all time favorite dishes, let me tell you why.
Pro’s of this recipe:
There are a lot of pro’s to all mashed potatoes, but this recipe has the most.
- Left over potato skins that can be doused in bacon and cheese and served as an appetize
- There is no peeling of potatoes in this recipe
- No boiling water means no burns
- Your potato puree will not taste watered down
- You can make a lot mashed potatoes at once, like a lot a lot.
Con’s of this recipe:
I don’t like to dwell on the negative, but here it is.
- This isn’t how your mother made mashed potatoes and someone in your family will fight you over it.
What you’ll need:
- 8 pounds of Russet Potatoes
- 1 Cup Whole Milk
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1 tbsp Whole Black Peppercorns
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 3 Sprigs Fresh Parsley
- 8 tbsp Butter
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- Salt and Pepper
How to make Mashed Potatoes for a Crowd
Start by preheating your oven to 390 degrees and cleaning and drying your potatoes. This recipe is already pretty easy, you’ve got this!
Then use a fork to poke holes into your potatoes so that moisture can vent while baking. This step is pretty important, so don’t skip out on venting some frustration while making vents. Then put a half cup of kosher salt down onto a baking sheet a place the potatoes on top of the salt. The salt bed is there to absorb any moisture the potatoes release, which will make your potatoes thirsty for cream and butter when it’s time to mash them. Then bake them for one hour or until a knife can enter and exit the potato with no resistance. (It is important the potatoes are completely done for uniform mashing)
After an hour, take the potatoes out the oven and allow them to cool to a temperature safe to handle. then Place a sauce pan on the stove over low heat and add the milk, cream, butter, peppercorns, bay leaves, Thyme, and Parsley Stems. Once the butter has melted, give it a good stir and reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the ingredient to steep for 20-30 minutes. This is about transferring flavor, not cooking the dairy products. DO NOT cook the dairy products
Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half and use a spoon to remove flesh from the skins. (Keep the skins to eat with a little butter, salt and pepper, when no one is looking). Move the potatoes to a large bowl, then slowly add about a third of the steeped dairy liquid to the potatoes. Use a hand masher or electric mixer to mush the mixture. Keep mashing until the potatoes absorb all the liquid. Then add a little more and repeat until you have reached your desired consistency of mashed potatoes. Remember: you can always add more liquid later, but you can never take it out. So take you time.
Then mix in the garlic powder, some salt and pepper, and anything else you’d like… like more butter. Garnish with chopped parsley leaves, serve it warm, and collect compliments
What to eat Mashed Potatoes with:
Mashed Potatoes for a Crowd
Equipment
- Potato Ricer (Optional)
- 1/2 Cup Kosher Salt (Optional salt bed for baking)
Ingredients
- 8 lbs Russet Potatoes (Cleaned and Dried)
- 1 Cup Whole Milk
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1 tbsp Whole Black Peppercorns
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 1 tsp Thyme
- 3 Sprigs Fresh Parsley (stems and leaves separated)
- 8 tbsp Butter
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- Salt and Pepper (To Taste)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 390 degrees, then clean and dry your potatoes
- Use a fork to poke holes into your potatoes so that moisture can vent while baking. Then put the half cup of kosher salt down onto a baking sheet (optional). Place the potatoes on top of the salt and bake for one hour or until a knife can enter and exit the potato with no resistance. (It is important the potatoes are completely done for uniform mashing)
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool to a temperature safe to handle.
- Place a sauce pan on the stove over low heat and add the milk, cream, butter, peppercorns, bay leaves, Thyme, and Parsley Stems. Once the butter has melted, reduce the heat to a simmer and allow the ingredient to steep for 20-30 minutes. (This is about transferring flavor, not cooking the dairy products. DO NOT cook the dairy products)
- Once cool enough to handle, slice your potatoes in half and use a spoon to remove everything but the peel to a large bowl. (Keep the skins to eat when no one is looking)
- Slowly add the liquid to the potatoes while using a hand masher or electric mixer. Let the potatoes absorb all the liquid before adding more, then repeat the process until you have reached your desired consistency of mashed potatoes.
- Mix in the garlic powder, some salt, some pepper, and anything else you'd like… like more butter. Garnish with chopped parsley leaves and serve warm.