Why are my Mom's mashed potatoes always lumpy?!


Question: She's a great cook, and I love all her other meals. But her mashed potatoes always have little lumps in them, which is pretty gross. Am I being overly perfectionistic? Is it really too difficult to make SMOOTH mashed potatoes?


Answers: She's a great cook, and I love all her other meals. But her mashed potatoes always have little lumps in them, which is pretty gross. Am I being overly perfectionistic? Is it really too difficult to make SMOOTH mashed potatoes?

I don't like lumpy mashed potatoes either.

When I boil them I make sure when I stick a fork in them they are really soft. After putting in a little milk, butter, salt and pepper, I use an electrical beater. They turn out perfectly soft!

She doesn't beat (mash) them enough. She could resolve this by either using a mixer, or a ricer. I prefer the ricer. You put the potatoes through the rice, add some milk, butter, whatever else and gently stir it to mix. No lumps.


As far as telling her - I'm not sure that's a good idea. Instead - buy her a potato ricer or a food mill for Christmas. While I prefer a ricer, some people prefer a food mill. Both do a good job.

She probably puts a certain ingredient in it like most people do in family recipes.

suggest to your mom using a electric hand held mixer to mash the potato's. tell her it will save her wrists and in the end you get creamy mashed potato's

you make them next time and see if you could do a better job
or have her try using electric mixers instead of a hand masher
good luck ( I prefer my mashed potatoes lumpy!)

She needs to cook the potatoes longer and they'll turn out nice and smooth.

Either the potatoes aren't cooked all the way through, or she hasn't mashed them enough. Mine always come out smooth. I make sure the potatoes are done by testing the largest piece of potato. Then I use a mixer and put butter and milk in them. My mother always melts the butter in the milk first. This keeps the potatoes hot.

The lumps are just chunks of potato that didnt get mashed. That typically occurs when you use the hand held potato mashing utensils. Its not gross, it gives the potatoes a homemade rustic appeal. You wont get sick off of eating potato chunks, so you can relax. But, if you cant get past it, buy mom a potato ricer, it presses cooked potatoes much like a garlic press smashes garlic - through little tiny holes. This ensures that they get evenly mashed so there are no chunks.

BUy her instant

She didn't mash them enough, it's not gross, it's still a potato.

If that is the biggest complaint you have against your Mom,,you are living in high cotton....I suggest you learn how to make them and then you can't complain..

DO NOT TELL YOUR MAMA...she makes lumpy mashed potatoes......it will live with your foreverever....

She needs to run it through a food mill.

It's a preference thing. Many people prefer to have potatoes mashed with a hand masher and slightly course. You get more of the natural potato flavor and texture. Whipping them until perfectly smooth really changes the texture, flavor and mouth feel (not just smoother)

need more mashing





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