If steakhouses offered bottomless mashed potatoes there's a good chance they'd have to change their name to potato houses. There's just something about those velvety smooth, luxuriantly creamy, full-flavored mashed potatoes that have most homemade versions beat beyond comparison. As it turns out, there is a pretty simple reason why steakhouse mashed potatoes are so much better than other versions: They don't skimp on the salt or fat.
Whereas most home cooks will use a pinch of butter, a couple of shakes of salt, and a bit of milk, steakhouse chefs aren't afraid to go all out with the dairy. There's no room for 2% or even whole milk in their mashed potatoes -- the thinness of plain milk just isn't creamy enough to cut it. And creaminess is key! There's no going light on the seasoning either, not when it comes to whipping up mashed potatoes worthy of being served in a restaurant, at least.
The ingredient list for mosthomemade mashed potatoes pales in comparison to what's used in steakhouses. Instead of regular milk, pro chefs generally use a generous helping of buttermilk and plenty of half-and-half or (even better) heavy cream in their potatoes. If you think the bartenders up front are pouring heavy, they've got nothing on the cooks in the back who are in charge of the mashed potatoes.
Butter is used just as liberally. This is super important for achieving that buttery texture steakhouse potatoes are known for, as well as imparting just the right flavor. Cream cheese is another common ingredient and there's a good reason why. Not only does it add its own share of salt, but cream cheese has a rich, decadent flavor that melts down and blends perfectly with the pureed potatoes, adding to that smooth, fluffy consistency that everyone craves.
Going easy on the salt leads to bland mashed potatoes and that's something that would never fly in a steakhouse. Salt is an important part of drawing out the potato flavor, after all. Without it, they just won't taste like what you expect when you sit down to a steak dinner. Garlic is also commonly used for seasoning -- and the chefs don't go easy on it either.
Superb Mashed Potatoes Are Worth The Effort
There's a good reason why steakhouses take their mashed potatoes so seriously. The side dish has to be able to hold its own next to a perfectly aged and heavily seasoned cut of beef. Otherwise, it's just a boring waste of space that you could get anywhere. And when you're forking over good money for a multi-course meal, the steakhouse's sideshave to be just as good as the main dish (which is probably why a lot of steakhouses are stepping up their potato game -- and their side dishes in general). For instance, at St. Anselm, a steakhouse in Brooklyn, New York, the mashed potatoes are pan-fried in lard for extra richness and a contrast of fluffiness and crispness.
Naturally, this same idea can be just as true at home as it is in a restaurant. So why not turn your mashed potatoes up a few notches next time? Doing so will elevate your entire meal, and the improvement will be well worth the cost for extra butter and cream. Once you get the hang of it there'll be no going back to the same bland potatoes that never had enough salt or dairy anyway.
As it turns out, there is a pretty simple reason why steakhouse mashed potatoes are so much better than other versions: They don't skimp on the salt or fat. Whereas most home cooks will use a pinch of butter, a couple of shakes of salt, and a bit of milk, steakhouse chefs aren't afraid to go all out with the dairy.
It's no secret that butter makes almost everything better, and when it comes to potatoes, steakhouse chefs don't skimp. A huge amount of butter makes its way into steakhouse mashed potatoes, which gives them a luxurious, deep, full flavor.
Instead of boiling a few potatoes and mashing them plain, a lot of restaurant chefs like to apply a little more finesse. Garlic and herbs infused in butter and cream add a flavor boost without overpowering.
Pro Tips for Perfecting Restaurant-Style Mashed Potatoes
Potato Selection: Choose starchy potatoes like Russets or Yukon Golds for the creamiest texture. Boiling Technique: Cook potatoes in well-salted water until fork-tender but not waterlogged, which can lead to soggy mashed potatoes.
Restaurants prepare the potatoes ahead by boiling and mashing just the potato, then just before serving, it is mixed into boiling cream (or milk or even broth or a combination thereof) to reheat it and make it nice and creamy.
As professionals know, it's a sin to neglect the skin. That potato's exterior is more than just a casing for a plush interior, and it should be both crispy and flavorful. To achieve a killer potato skin, season the potato pre-bake with a generous layer of olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Blanching: The Reason Why French Fries Taste Better
Your potatoes need to take two separate dips in hot oil to reach restaurant quality. Oil-blanching is a two-part process that reduces the moisture and starch content in your fries, helping them crisp up.
Garlic – For savory depth of flavor. Unsalted butter – For richness and buttery flavor. Milk – It smooths the starchy potatoes into an incredibly creamy mash. Use whole milk for the creamiest results.
The best potatoes for mashed potatoes are a starchy varieties like russet, Idaho or Yukon gold. Starchy potatoes are best for mashed potatoes because they have a fluffy, almost airy texture that breaks down easily.
The secret weapon, a good potato ricer (affiliate). This pushes the potatoes into strings, which helps them soak up every bit of the cream and achieve maximum fluffliness.
Idahoan Classic Mashed Potatoes always means 100% REAL Idaho® Potatoes—with no artificial flavors or dyes, and gluten free. We perfectly blend them with real cream and butter for a delicious favorite. Find out for yourself why people call them “America's Favorite Mashed Potatoes.”
Sour cream adds a little bit of tangy flavor and a boost of richness to mashed potatoes. It's a fun change from the standard milk or cream and butter combo usually flavoring mashed taters. You can even try your hand at making homemade sour cream from heavy cream!
Once boiling, reduce heat, adjusting as needed to maintain a simmer. Cook potatoes until they offer no resistance when pierced: 10–12 minutes for baby potatoes, 15–20 minutes for small potatoes, or 30–40 minutes for large cubed potatoes. Drain potatoes in a colander and let cool 10 minutes.
Mealy potatoes have a thick skin and low moisture content. Mealy potatoes are drier and have a more concentrated potato flavor because of that. The drier russet potato bakes into a fluffy light texture compared to a waxy potato with its higher level of moisture which ends with dense result when baked.
English Jacket Potatoes Are the Best Baked Potatoes
The difference isn't just the name, however. The Brits take great care when it comes to their potatoes — and the results really are much crispier on the outside and fluffier on the inside than the typical American variety.
The soaking, Mr. Nasr said, is the secret to the crisp texture of the fries. It draws out the starch, making them more rigid and less likely to stick together. The cooks fry them twice, first blanching them until slightly limp in peanut oil heated to 325 degrees, and again in 375-degree oil to crisp and brown them.
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