Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Perfect Garlic Mashed Potatoes from Cook’s Country. Creamy and full of garlic flavor, they will become your new favorite mashed potatoes!

Mashed potatoes are my all-time favorite food. I would choose mashed potatoes over cake. I just love them so much. But it’s easy to get in a mashed potatoes rut, where you make the same kind over and over again. But I was intrigued by a recipe in The Complete Cook’s Country TV Show Cookbook : Every Recipe, Every Ingredient Testing, Every Equipment Rating from All 9 Seasons.

It prescribed a completely different way of making mashed potatoes, and I knew I had to try it! The result? Amazing, creamy mashed potatoes with wonderful garlic flavor. I’ve tried adding garlic and garlic powder to mashed potatoes before, but the flavor has never really shown through. Not so with these potatoes! Let me tell you how to make them.

First, you need four pounds of russet potatoes. I weighed mine, just to make sure. (I love my kitchen scale. There are tons on Amazon, and they are really inexpensive. You can try this one out for starters.)

Then you cut those babies up into 1/2-inch pieces and rinse them in a colander until the water runs clear. Leave them there for just a few minutes.

Now in a large pot on the stove, melt 4 Tbsp. butter over medium heat and add 12 garlic cloves (Yes! Twelve!) I just use the minced garlic I buy in a jar at Costco. I used about 2 Tbsp. of the minced garlic. To the butter and garlic you are going to add 1 tsp. of sugar. This will help reduce the “bite” of the garlic.

Cook until it is straw-colored and sticky, about 3 or 4 minutes. (If it gets really brown, then you’ve probably burned it and need to start over).

Now here’s where things get really different in this recipe. You are going to add water and half and half (or milk) directly to the garlic and butter, and then add the potatoes (and a little salt) to the whole mix. You will be boiling the potatoes with just the right amount of water and milk (or half and half). The liquid will be absorbed, along with all the wonderful flavor.

It may not look like the liquid covers the potatoes. That’s o.k. You are going to bring the whole thing to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover and simmer it. The potatoes will absorb the liquid and everything will work out great. I promise 🙂 Just cook for 25-30 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the potatoes are tender.

Now all that’s left to do is mash them and add a little more (or a lot more) butter and milk or half and half so that they reach the perfect level of creaminess.

Voila! You are done! I like to add some freshly ground black pepper to the top. I also think green onions sprinkled over the top would be delicious!

Give these potatoes a try! And grab your copy of The Complete Cook’s Country TV Show Cookbook : Every Recipe, Every Ingredient Testing, Every Equipment Rating from All 9 Seasons on Amazon today!

This recipe slightly adapted from the one in the book.

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Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Author: Melissa Howell

Ingredients

• 4 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 12 Tbsp. butter cut into pieces
• 12 garlic cloves minced (or about 2 Tbsp. minced)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half or milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp. salt
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place the potatoes in a colander and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear.
2. Melt 4 Tbsp. butter in a large pan on the stove over medium heat. Add the garlic and sugar. Stir often for about three or four minutes until the garlic turns sticky and straw-colored.
3. Add the potatoes, half-and-half or milk, water, and 1 tsp. salt. Stir.
4. Raise heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid.
5. Simmer for about 25-30 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is absorbed and potatoes are tender.
6. Remove from heat, add eight more tablespoons of butter, and mash until smooth. If more liquid is needed, add 1/4 cup milk or half-and half and fold in with a spatula.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For more great potato recipes, try Gourmet Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Rosemary Garlic Potatoes.

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