For ComputerNerd, Thanksgiving would not be complete without mashed potatoes. Long ago, one of his uncles codified a rule with respect to mashed potatoes, and it goes as follows: if you think you have enough potatoes for mash… add five more and reevaluate. I’ve seen it in action. The rule works. Let’s face it though, a lot of people don’t make good mash. It’s either bland, mealy, or pasty. So I’m here to help to make sure your Thanksgiving mashed potatoes don’t fall on their face.

First you have to get the right potato. We are talking REAL potatoes, not dried flakes. If you have instant mashed potatoes in your cabinet do yourself a favor, go into your kitchen right now and THROW THEM AWAY. I’ll wait… OK, now that we are on the same page, let’s talk about the different types of potatoes. Your standard Idaho or Russet potato makes an OK mash. It’s a little mealy because of their high starch content. Also Russets take up a lot of water when they are boiled so they usually have less flavor than some other varieties. Reds can make a pretty good mash; they have less starch and more sugar. Reds also have a very tasty skin, so I always keep the skin on my reds when I mash. Try it, trust me they are awesome. Even the red, while delicious does not make the best mash. Hands down, the best mash comes from Yukon Gold potatoes. They have a high moisture content, low starch, a waxier texture, and more NATURAL flavor. Which let’s face it is more important because it means you have to add less to the potatoes to make them good. Yukon Golds are slightly intimidating because they can easily be turned to paste, but we here at ONK are here to make sure that does NOT happen (be sure to thank us later hehe).

What You’ll Need:

• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1/2 stick of butter in 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup milk
• salt
• pepper
• a potato masher
• large pot for boiling

When using Yukon Golds, wash and peel your potatoes. The skin while fine and nutritious really takes away from the dish. Cut off any brown or green spots. Cut the potatoes into 2 inch pieces. Cover in cool water in a large pan (about 1-2 inches over the potatoes). Season the water with salt. The water should be salty like the sea. Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat and boil until you can pierce pieces with a fork without much resistance, about 20 minutes.

Drain your potatoes and return them to your pan. Over LOW HEAT (really low just enough to keep your potatoes from cooling), add in butter and milk. Start mashing (if you don’t have a good masher you can find one here or here). Season with salt and pepper. Mash until just smooth. As you mash, make sure to get the butter and milk well mixed into the potatoes. Here’s the trick DO NOT over mash. It’s OK for there to be a few smaller pieces that are not completely mashed. It provides some texture and texture is good. Over mashing Yukon Golds will turn them to paste and paste is bad.

Two BIG Warnings:

1. NEVER whip your mashed potatoes. EVER. Especially not Yukon Golds. It turns them to paste.
2. Yukon Golds are one case where cheese does not make something better. Cheese also turns them into wallpaper paste.

If you want to make it a little fancier, substitute sour cream for the milk, add in some crispy crushed bacon and top with chives. Honestly though, plain mashed Yukon Golds well-executed will impress even the pickiest eaters and the snobbiest foodie.