The case of chunky mashed potaters

[warpus]

I read about onion gravy in some British recipes, but never really knew what it was. Assumed it was nothing special and never looked into it. I'd probably rather fry up onions and dump them into preexisting gravy rather than use that as a gravy base. That just sounds weird to me!

 

[Cutlass]

My father was always a very plain cook. He'd make the mashed, and he'd fry a piece of meat, and the grease from the fry-pan was the gravy. Got the job done.

 

[warpus]

My father was always a very plain cook. He'd make the mashed, and he'd fry a piece of meat, and the grease from the fry-pan was the gravy. Got the job done.

Would you call that gravy though? Cause my mom did that all the time too - but to me it was never gravy unless it was brownish in colour.

 

[Cutlass]

Would you call that gravy though? Cause my mom did that all the time too - but to me it was never gravy unless it was brownish in colour.

Actually, about the only thing needed to turn that into real gravy is to add some flour and possibly a bit of water and simmer it together for a short time. Add seasoning to taste.

 

[Tabster]

I'd probably rather fry up onions and dump them into preexisting gravy

Yes that's it, that's what I was suggesting. It was some one else who started talking about raw onions

 

[warpus]

Yes that's it, that's what I was suggesting. It was some one else who started talking about raw onions

Yeah, I actually did that with finely chopped up mushrooms when I made the gravy - fried them up and dumped them in the gravy for a bit of extra flavour. I love fried up onions and add them wherever I can, but was just too lazy to chop an onion up at the time.

My mom makes gravy by like.. baking fried up pieces of porkloin with some flour, fried up onions, mushrooms, and some other stuff. Sometimes she uses a slow cooker (crockpot) - I tried that once and the gravy wasn't gravy at all. It was a big fail.

I have a giant piece of porkloin in the freezer. One of these days I am going to thaw that thing, cut it up into pieces, hammer it into submission, bread, fry, make mashed potatoes (incorporating a lot of the ideas from this thread ), and of course gravy.

I don't really trust myself enough to make my own gravy.. like I said that one time was a big fail.. So far I find that the canned stuff is alright.. but the stuff that comes in pouches is way better. The stuff I tried was Knorr - a polish mushroom sauce or something. Very good.

Damn, I'm getting hungry. better leave this thread

 

[PiMan]

What do you mean by that?

I seem to suck at peeling with a knife - should I get one of em potato peelers?

Mashed potatoes is tastier if it includes the peels, but the peels don't mash very well and so will make it chunkier.

And how can you possibly survive without a vegetable peeler?

 

[classical_hero]

I have never had the peel on when I mash potatoes. It was always peeled in my family, so I just kept the tradition.

You will get lumpy mash if you do not have the potatoes fully cooked, since the will be soft once the are done, all the way through. Hence cutting them up or slicing them makes boiling the much faster and easier to cook.

 

[warpus]

Mashed potatoes is tastier if it includes the peels, but the peels don't mash very well and so will make it chunkier.

And how can you possibly survive without a vegetable peeler?

I don't really eat too many vegetables (yes, I'm trying to change that)

I'm not so sure I'd be into including the peels for mashed potatoes, but if I'm ever grilling a potato (rarely), baking, or making home fries, I'd include the skin.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

I always fry sausages for 10 mins then add onions (mushrooms too if I am being posh).

Then add some of the veg water to the frying pan after veggies cook then stir in gravy granules.

 

[Rub'Rum]

It has been mentionned but the step that seems to really help with the smoothiness of mashed potatoes is adding warm milk. Add a bit of warmed-up milk, mash mash mash, add a bit more warmed-up milk, mash mash mash. etc. Not too much or it'll get liquidy of course. Butter is also necessary, but the warm milk is where it's at, I find.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

Any answer that isn't exactly like mine should be ignored.

For god's sake, leave the skin on. It adds flavour, texture and probably the only nutrients a potato has. Make sure to boil them enough. It should be at least half an hour... when you stick the fork in them, the potato should basically fall apart from the stabbing.

Dump them in bowl and throw a bunch of butter in. Add green onion for flavour. Mash them around for a little while.

Put in a generous splash of milk. They should basically mash themselves after that. Literally, three more mashes after the milk and the whole thing is soft. If it is still chunky, you need more milk. The butter is more for flavour, the milk softens them up.

Obviously it is possible to have too much milk, so don't be stupid. Add small amounts in stages the first time you do it until you get the right consistency. And the milk doesn't have to be warm, as you aren't adding enough to cool the potatoes... ignore the Frenchie

 

[holy king]

why would you need a potato peeler if you cook them beforehand?

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

PRO-TIP

Add bacon blocks, cubicles or whatever they're called in English, which you've burned to a crisp, after you've mashed the potaters.

 

[PiMan]

Any answer that isn't exactly like mine should be ignored.

For god's sake, leave the skin on. It adds flavour, texture and probably the only nutrients a potato has. Make sure to boil them enough. It should be at least half an hour... when you stick the fork in them, the potato should basically fall apart from the stabbing.

Dump them in bowl and throw a bunch of butter in. Add green onion for flavour. Mash them around for a little while.

Put in a generous splash of milk. They should basically mash themselves after that. Literally, three more mashes after the milk and the whole thing is soft. If it is still chunky, you need more milk. The butter is more for flavour, the milk softens them up.

Obviously it is possible to have too much milk, so don't be stupid. Add small amounts in stages the first time you do it until you get the right consistency. And the milk doesn't have to be warm, as you aren't adding enough to cool the potatoes... ignore the Frenchie

Half an hour? You're nuts. It doesn't need more than 20 minutes if the water is boiling before you add the potatoes.

 

[Lillefix]

Half an hour? You're nuts. It doesn't need more than 20 minutes if the water is boiling before you add the potatoes.

That surely depends on the size. In any case, forking them is the best method of finding out if their really finished.

 

[PiMan]

Ah, I notice now that he neglected to instruct chopping before boiling.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

CFC-OT, where even the cooking of potatoes can be controversial