These Salt and Vinegar Mashed Potatoes Are More Addicting Than Their Potato Chip Cousins!
If you are the one in charge of making the mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving this year--I’ve got a really great suggestion for you to make some that will really stand out in all the best ways this year. These mashed potatoes will have just a little bit of extra zip--a little something different that everyone will be talking about. This little something is achieved by adding a little salt and vinegar to the mashed potatoes. Think of how good and addicting salt and vinegar chips are! These just might be even more addicting.
Potato chips have come a long way since they started being sold commercially back in the early 20th century. They didn’t really start branching out and selling other flavors, such as barbeque and salt and vinegar, until the mid 1900s. They have really started getting wild with flavors in recent years with Lays hosting a contest called “Do Us a Flavor” where customers get to pitch their best ideas from flavors and the winner gets a $1 million grand prize! Some flavors resulting from the competition range are crazy flavors like cappuccino, New York reuben, and wasabi ginger. Despite all these wacky flavor combos, America still loves the original salted best, followed by barbecue, sour cream-and-onion, and salt-and-vinegar.
It makes sense why salt and vinegar is such a standout flavor. Samin Nosrat, an American chef and TV host, claims there are four components you need to ace any dish: salt, fat, acid, heat. By focusing on giving the mashed potatoes a good dose of salt (at three different stages) and adding that acid from the vinegar, these are sure to be a hit!
Bring on the salt! Instead of letting the salt be quite subtle, you are going to take it center stage and add it during three different stages of making these mashed potatoes:
Don’t forget the acid! One tiny splash of vinegar is what really transforms this mash. It is similar to squeezing a lemon over fried rice or a lime over a street taco. Some nice choices for vinegar are malt (this makes it taste very authentically English, like their famous tangy fish and chips), white, apple cider, or rice vinegar. Steer away from sherry or balsamic, which would be too distracting.
I hope you give these potatoes a try sometime soon. They would be wonderful for your Thanksgiving meal, but if you’re not up for experimenting on a new recipe this year, make sure you try them with a nice roast with carrots and onions soon.
What is your favorite way to make mashed potatoes? Please share in the comments below.
2 pounds russet or yukon gold potatoes, peeled
3 cups water
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) butter, melted
6 tablespoons whole milk, warmed
2 tablespoons malt vinegar, plus more to taste
flaky salt, to sprinkle on top
Directions:
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Potato chips have come a long way since they started being sold commercially back in the early 20th century. They didn’t really start branching out and selling other flavors, such as barbeque and salt and vinegar, until the mid 1900s. They have really started getting wild with flavors in recent years with Lays hosting a contest called “Do Us a Flavor” where customers get to pitch their best ideas from flavors and the winner gets a $1 million grand prize! Some flavors resulting from the competition range are crazy flavors like cappuccino, New York reuben, and wasabi ginger. Despite all these wacky flavor combos, America still loves the original salted best, followed by barbecue, sour cream-and-onion, and salt-and-vinegar.
It makes sense why salt and vinegar is such a standout flavor. Samin Nosrat, an American chef and TV host, claims there are four components you need to ace any dish: salt, fat, acid, heat. By focusing on giving the mashed potatoes a good dose of salt (at three different stages) and adding that acid from the vinegar, these are sure to be a hit!
Bring on the salt! Instead of letting the salt be quite subtle, you are going to take it center stage and add it during three different stages of making these mashed potatoes:
- Generously season the water in which you are boiling the potatoes. Just like pasta, this ensures the potatoes are salted throughout.
- Salt again while mashing. This is the time to taste and adjust, repeatedly, until you get it right.
- And lastly, you will sprinkle more salt (preferably flaky salt if you’ve got it) on top just before serving.
Don’t forget the acid! One tiny splash of vinegar is what really transforms this mash. It is similar to squeezing a lemon over fried rice or a lime over a street taco. Some nice choices for vinegar are malt (this makes it taste very authentically English, like their famous tangy fish and chips), white, apple cider, or rice vinegar. Steer away from sherry or balsamic, which would be too distracting.
I hope you give these potatoes a try sometime soon. They would be wonderful for your Thanksgiving meal, but if you’re not up for experimenting on a new recipe this year, make sure you try them with a nice roast with carrots and onions soon.
What is your favorite way to make mashed potatoes? Please share in the comments below.
Salt and Vinegar Mashed Potatoes
Serving size: 6
Calories per serving: 8
Ingredients:
Calories per serving: 8
2 pounds russet or yukon gold potatoes, peeled
3 cups water
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) butter, melted
6 tablespoons whole milk, warmed
2 tablespoons malt vinegar, plus more to taste
flaky salt, to sprinkle on top
Directions:
Chop each potato into sixths or eighths, trying to keep the pieces about equal in size. Add these to a pot, along with the water and 2 teaspoons of salt. Set on the stove over medium-high heat to come to a boil. Cook the potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes, until you can easily break apart a piece with a fork.
When the potatoes are cooked, drain them, then add them back to the hot pot on the stove, but with the heat off. Mash the potatoes with a masher (or, if you don’t have one, a big fork), until they are as broken down as possible. Add the melted butter and stir until smooth-ish. Add the milk and stir again.
Now add the vinegar and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir, then taste. More salt, vinegar or butter? More milk to thin out? Adjust accordingly.
Serve immediately with a pat of butter and flaky salt on top. You can also keep these warm on top of a double boiler, or reheat them (adding more milk as needed) just before serving.
When the potatoes are cooked, drain them, then add them back to the hot pot on the stove, but with the heat off. Mash the potatoes with a masher (or, if you don’t have one, a big fork), until they are as broken down as possible. Add the melted butter and stir until smooth-ish. Add the milk and stir again.
Now add the vinegar and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir, then taste. More salt, vinegar or butter? More milk to thin out? Adjust accordingly.
Serve immediately with a pat of butter and flaky salt on top. You can also keep these warm on top of a double boiler, or reheat them (adding more milk as needed) just before serving.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Sources:
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- www.commons.wikipedia.org
- www.pixabay.com
- www.food52.com
Mary Richardson
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2014
Email the author! mary@dvo.com
