Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Garlic Mashed Potatoes are one of my specialties – it’s an often requested side dish that I bring to family dinners.

Some people like mashed potatoes that have chunks of potato in them, or those made with the skins.When I want traditional garlic flavored mashed potatoes. I want mashed potatoes that are fluffy, creamy, buttery, garlicky, and well seasoned with salt. I want the type of mashed potatoes that can be eaten without gravy. The gravy is just a nice addition.

I’ve made as much as 20 pounds for a big Thanksgiving dinner. Let’s start with Five pounds, a good sized start for a family dinner. Adjust the recipe as your needs dictate.

5 Pounds of Russet or Idaho Potatoes - flaky baking style potato (not waxy potatoes like Red, or Yukon Gold etc.)

2-3 Tablespoons Salt

1 Cup Cream, or Milk, or Chicken Broth (your preference)

1 Stick Butter

Make the Garlic Paste First

As a rule of thumb start with one head of garlic per pound of potatoes, this will be more than necessary, but you’ll be adding it to taste so any overage can be used in another dish.

The garlic paste can be prepared ahead of time -mashed garlic can be kept in the refrigerator for more than a week.

Peel the garlic. For large amounts, I use a Garlic Peeler. There are several types out there, I use a silicone tube style Garlic Peeler. The clove goes in one side, pressure from your hand rolling it on the counter, cracks the dry skin and either removes it completely or makes it easy to remove. Get a system going, break the heads into cloves, put the cloves in one spot on the counter, the peeler in the middle and finished cloves on the other side. Tiny cloves aren’t worth keeping and peeling, toss them. Once the cloves are peeled, cut the little stem end off. These little particles can ruin the look of your mashed potatoes. Again get an assembly line going, one side of the cutting board have untrimmed cloves, and finished cloves placed on the other side.

Pre-Peeled garlic can be purchased – one head of garlic has an average of 15 good sized cloves – purchase accordingly.

Once the cloves have been peeled and trimmed. Roast them by placing them in a large frying pan that has a lid. Put enough vegetable oil the pan to lightly coat all the cloves. Stir or toss, to completely coat the cloves with oil. On a low heat, roast the garlic stirring or tossing regularly, until it becomes translucent. Raw garlic can be very strong, the longer the garlic is cooked the mellower and sweeter it becomes. Cooked down correctly, the garlic can become so mellow that it can be eaten straight. A bowl of mashed garlic is not out of the question. I’m assuming you wouldn’t be reading this recipe if you didn’t like the flavor of garlic. By roasting the garlic in the pan we’re trying to achieve a balance between the harsh raw and the mellow flavor that would be lost in the mashed potatoes. Once the cloves have become translucent, turn off the heat and mash the garlic with a fork or a flat hand operated potato masher. I’ve put the garlic in a blender or food processor but they mash it up so fine that the garlic flavor gets lost in the potatoes. Mashing the garlic by hand leaves some of the plant fibers intact, leaving small flavorful chunks of garlic in the potatoes and yields a much more flavorful result. 

Making the Potatoes

Peel the potatoes and remove any eyes. If the potatoes are large, cut them into evenly sized chunks. Similar sized chunks will ensure that they cook evenly. Making them smaller will allow them to cook quicker.

In a pot large enough to hold the potatoes and water, put in the potatoes, and cover them with cold water. Make sure there’s enough space between the water level and the top edge of the pot to allow for the water to boil. I like my water salted. I believe the flavor is far better when the potatoes absorb the salt as they are being cooked, than trying to add salt after they’re cooked. I sprinkle enough salt that would lightly and completely cover the bottom of the pot, approximately 2-3 tablespoons.

Bring the potatoes to a boil then turn the heat down to just enough to maintain a good boil. Boil the potatoes until fork tender – a fork should be able to sink ½ way into the potato with equal amount of effort (no hard center). Removing a larger chunk to a cutting board, cutting it in half and sampling the center is another way to check for doneness. When the potatoes are fully cooked, turn off the heat, and pour the potatoes into a colander in the sink to drain.

Put the butter and cream in the bottom of the pot you just used for cooking. Using a mixer to whip the potatoes, gradually put  the potatoes back in the pot adding more as the ones in the pot become whipped.. If a large batch of potatoes is being made, it can be helpful to work in batches, then mixing the batches together at the end. Be thorough with the whipping process – especially if you don’t like lumps. Uncooked potatoes and not spending enough time mixing are the two leading causes of lumpy mashed potatoes. Near the end of the whipping process, add the garlic paste, one heaping tablespoon at a time, integrating it thoroughly, stopping to taste test it every one or two tablespoons. When the flavor is to your liking, serve.

For Taste Sake

Avoid garlic that has sprouted - the sprouts can be bitter and will leave little green flecks in your otherwise white mashed potatoes.

If any of your cloves become scorched or overcooked in the roasting process - remove them - they'll be bitter.