For years, food magazines have preached the many wonders of Yukon Gold potatoes. They told us Golds were the superior spud—the only potato worth mashing. They made us feel like a fool for even thinking about using another variety. But I’m older and wiser now, and I won’t be falling for the propaganda. I, Jesse Szewczyk, stand proudly before you to declare russet potatoes the superior mashing potato.
I know I’m not alone in this thinking. “Russet is the superior f*#%ing potato,” says my Test Kitchen station mate, Shilpa Uskokovic—an individual with exceptional taste and expertise. That’s why this year’s brand-new mashed potato recipe, my Garlic Mashed Potatoes, uses 100% good old-fashioned russets.
Why Russet Potatoes Make the Best Mashed Potatoes
While Yukon Golds make excellent boiled or roasted potatoes, where their creamy but firm interiors shine, they fall short when it comes to a mash. In fact, I would describe them as compact. That “buttery” quality so many people praise is exactly the flaw that prevents them from ever becoming light or cloudlike. And when you mash them, they can easily become gluey if overworked. Sure, the flavor is nice, but the texture? Tragic.
Unlike Yukons, russets mash into an ethereally light texture akin to the fluffiest cumulus cloud on a bright summer day. They have a high starch content but are relatively low in moisture. This ratio allows the potatoes to break down into lumpless, creamy submission with very little effort, and with a lower risk of overworking them into a tacky paste. And to cap everything off: Russet potatoes are cheaper than Yukon Golds. So not only will you be saving money, you’ll be serving a superior side dish. It’s a true win-win situation.
The Proof Is in the Mash
Have I convinced you yet? If not, go make my garlic mash. It relies on the strengths of russet potatoes to produce the best bowl of spuds I’ve ever served. During testing, I made the recipe with Yukon Golds for good measure, and I think you already know how that went. It was just fine. Tasty but heavy. It was a dish that would’ve weighed down all the other Thanksgiving sides on the table. But the version made with russet potatoes? As light as air, just begging to be dramatically swooshed and topped with melted butter. I think I converted the whole Test Kitchen team into russet potato truthers, and I have no plans to stop converting people.
A good garlic mashed potato recipe can upstage even the flashiest of mains. Adding just a few cloves of garlic turns what could be a simple side dish into something with undeniable charm.
