Now, let’s address the enemy of good mashed potatoes: the waxy potato. This includes red potatoes, new potatoes, and fingerlings. They have low starch and high moisture.
If you try to mash a waxy potato, you’re basically making mashed rubber bands. They stay firm, they hold their shape, and they turn into a gluey, gummy mess. Perfect for potato salad, terrible for mashing.
Some people argue that Yukon Golds are “all-purpose” – and they are pretty good. They have a buttery flavor and a medium starch content. You can make decent mash with them, but for peak fluffiness, stick with the starchy guys.
The Golden Rule: Russets Are King
Let’s be blunt: Russet potatoes are the king of mashed potatoes. They’re cheap, they’re everywhere, and they’re literally designed to be baked, fried, or mashed into submission.
One Russet has about the same amount of starch as a whole bag of excitement. They absorb butter like a sponge absorbs spilled soda – greedily and wonderfully. You can’t go wrong with them.
If you see a bag of “Idaho potatoes” at the store, that’s just a fancy name for a Russet grown in Idaho. They’re the same glorious potato with a slightly tan, dusty skin. Grab them.
Good Mashed Potatoes Recipes – Classic and Creative Ideas - MashCrave
