Chef Dean
Amish Buttered Egg Noodles
The humblest side dish in the Pennsylvania Dutch tradition, where wide egg noodles and good butter need nothing more than salt and a warm bowl to become the thing everyone remembers from the church supper.
Culinary Explorer
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Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Created by
Silky Yukon Golds pressed through a ricer and enriched with warm cream and butter, yielding that impossible lightness your grandmother achieved but never explained. This is the side dish that makes Thanksgiving worth the effort.
Side Dishes
American
Thanksgiving
20 min
Active Time
25 min cook•45 min total
Yield8 servings
Mashed potatoes occupy sacred ground on the American table. They arrived with Irish immigrants, transformed through Southern kitchens, and became the one dish nobody argues about at Thanksgiving. Every family has their version. This one prioritizes texture above all else: clouds, not cement.
The secret lives in three decisions most cooks skip. First, the potato variety matters enormously. Yukon Golds contain less starch than russets but more than waxy reds, landing in that perfect middle ground where they break down smoothly without becoming gluey. Second, you must warm your dairy before it touches the potatoes. Cold cream shocks the starch and tightens the texture. Third, and this is where home cooks most often stumble, you need a ricer or food mill. No exceptions. Electric mixers and food processors rupture the starch cells and produce wallpaper paste.
I've served these potatoes to guests who swore they didn't like mashed potatoes. They changed their minds before the plate was empty. The technique requires attention but no particular skill. If you can boil water and push a ricer, you can produce results that rival any restaurant. Your Thanksgiving table deserves nothing less.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
Yukon Gold potatoes
Quantity
4 pounds
heavy cream
Quantity
1 cup
unsalted butter
Quantity
8 tablespoons (1 stick)
cut into pieces
whole milk
Quantity
1 cup
fine sea salt
Quantity
2 teaspoons, plus more to taste
white pepper
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
unsalted butter for serving
Quantity
2 tablespoons
fresh chives (optional)
Quantity
for garnish
snipped
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Yukon Gold potatoes | 4 pounds |
| heavy cream | 1 cup |
| unsalted buttercut into pieces | 8 tablespoons (1 stick) |
| whole milk | 1 cup |
| fine sea salt | 2 teaspoons, plus more to taste |
| white pepper | 1/2 teaspoon |
| unsalted butter for serving | 2 tablespoons |
| fresh chives (optional)snipped | for garnish |
Equipment Needed
- •Large pot (8-quart minimum)
- •Potato ricer or food mill
- •Small saucepan for warming dairy
- •Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
- •Colander
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the potatoes
Peel the potatoes and cut them into uniform 2-inch chunks. Size matters here. Uneven pieces cook unevenly, leaving you with some that disintegrate while others remain firm. Place the cut potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by two inches. Add one tablespoon of salt to the water.
Never start potatoes in boiling water. The exterior overcooks before the center turns tender, and you'll wonder why your mash tastes mealy. - 2
Simmer until tender
Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 18 to 22 minutes until a paring knife slides through the largest piece without resistance. The potato should nearly fall off the blade. This is the texture you want. Slightly undercooked potatoes produce a grainy mash that no amount of butter can rescue.
- 3
Warm the dairy
While the potatoes simmer, combine the heavy cream, milk, and butter in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low until the butter melts completely and the mixture steams gently. Do not boil. Keep warm until needed. This step transforms the final texture from heavy to ethereal.
Warm dairy incorporates seamlessly into hot potatoes. Cold dairy tightens the starch and requires more mixing, which develops gluten-like chewiness you definitely don't want. - 4
Drain thoroughly
Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them sit for a full two minutes, shaking occasionally. You want the steam to escape. Waterlogged potatoes dilute your careful ratio of dairy to starch. Return the empty pot to the still-warm burner (heat off) to dry completely.
- 5
Rice the potatoes
Working in batches, press the warm potatoes through a ricer or food mill directly into the warm pot. This motion should feel satisfying: resistant at first, then yielding as the potato passes through in pale ribbons. A food mill fitted with the fine disk produces the silkiest results. Do not let the potatoes cool before ricing, or they'll turn gummy.
If you lack a ricer, use a sturdy wire masher with persistence and accept a slightly more rustic texture. Under no circumstances reach for an electric mixer or food processor. - 6
Add warm dairy
Pour the warm cream mixture over the riced potatoes in three additions, folding gently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula after each pour. The potatoes should absorb the liquid willingly, becoming glossy and smooth. Add the salt and white pepper. Taste. Adjust. Potatoes demand more salt than most cooks expect.
- 7
Serve immediately or hold
Transfer to a warmed serving bowl, creating gentle peaks with the back of your spoon. Nestle the remaining butter into the center so it melts into a golden pool. Scatter chives if using. Serve within 15 minutes for the best texture, or hold covered in a 200°F oven for up to an hour with a splash of extra cream stirred through.
Chef Tips
- •Yukon Golds labeled 'butter potatoes' at farmers markets are identical. Don't be fooled into paying more. The yellow flesh comes from natural carotenoids, not added butter.
- •White pepper disappears into the potatoes without leaving black specks. If you only have black pepper, use it, but grind it fine. Appearance matters on the holiday table.
- •For company, make a double batch. Leftover mashed potatoes transform into potato cakes for breakfast, thickener for soup, or the topping for shepherd's pie. Nothing goes to waste.
- •A properly set Thanksgiving table includes a gravy boat within arm's reach of the mashed potatoes. These two belong together. Plan your placement accordingly.
Advance Preparation
- •Potatoes can be peeled and cut up to 4 hours ahead if submerged in cold water to prevent browning. Drain and pat dry before cooking.
- •For true make-ahead: Complete the recipe through step 6, transfer to a buttered baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring halfway through and adding a splash of warm cream to restore silkiness.
- •The fully finished potatoes hold well in a slow cooker set to warm for up to 3 hours. Stir occasionally and add cream as needed if they begin to stiffen.
- •Butter the serving bowl ahead and keep it warming in a 200°F oven. Cold ceramic steals heat from your potatoes the moment they arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 454g)
Calories
420 calories
Total Fat
26 g
Saturated Fat
16 g
Trans Fat
1 g
Unsaturated Fat
9 g
Cholesterol
106 mg
Sodium
575 mg
Total Carbohydrates
40 g
Dietary Fiber
4 g
Sugars
3 g
Protein
7 g
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