Ingredients
5 pounds Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, well-scrubbed
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter
2 cups half-and-half
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons salt, divided
Chives (optional)
Pepper (optional)
Additional pat of butter (optional)
Instructions
1. Boil the potatoes. Place your well-scrubbed potatoes in a large pot and add cold water to an inch above the potatoes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of salt. Cover and bring to a gentle boil. Test for doneness at 30 minutes. A sharp knife should easily go through the potato. Larger potatoes may take longer, up to 45 or 50 minutes total.
2. Heat the butter and half-and-half and add salt. Slowly heat the butter in one pan and the half-and half in another. I usually start this about 20 minutes after I start cooking the potatoes. Be sure to heat them over gentle heat so you don't have to worry about burning. I also add the 2 teaspoons of salt to the half-and-half so it dissolves and can be easily and evenly distributed.
3. Drain the potatoes. When the potatoes are done, drain them in a colander in your sink. At this point, turn off the heat on the butter and half-and-half.
4. Mash the potatoes. If using a potato masher or ricer, peel potatoes as instructed above. If using a food mill, don't peel the potatoes. In either case, the potatoes should be processed back into the pot they were boiled in. This will cut down on extra dishes and help the potatoes to stay warm as there is still some residual heat in the pot.
5. Add the dairy. Add the hot butter, gently stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula to incorporate. When all the butter is absorbed, add the hot half-and-half. It will seem soupy at first, but the potatoes will gradually absorb the liquid and turn into a creamy mixture.
5. Taste, garnish, and serve. Taste your potatoes and add up to another teaspoon of salt if needed. This is also a good time to add pepper if using. Spoon into your serving dish and top with optional garnishes such as a merry pat of butter or some chopped chives.
Additional Notes:
• You can make your potatoes in advance of serving. If it's just an hour or so, leave them in the pot you mashed them in and don't garnish yet. Place the pot on the back of the stove over gently simmering water to keep warm. If they've been refrigerated, the best way to reheat them is to place them in a low oven, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes. Reheated mashed potatoes are often drier and may need additional (warmed!) dairy to bring them back to their creaminess. This post from the Kitchn's archives has some great tips on reheating mashed potatoes.
• Some people get away with using a stand mixer or hand-held beaters. I personally find that this over-mixes them but if you're happy with the results, go right ahead. Just be very careful and don't let it rip or you will also end up with the unhappiness of gluey potatoes.
• Cream cheese, sour cream and yogurt are a popular additions to mashed potatoes. They all add a nice dairy tang and contribute to a creamy texture. Feel free to substitute some or all of the half-and-half with either of these ingredients if you like a little tanginess in your mashed potatoes.