Mashed potatoes are a crowd favorite at dinner parties or holiday meals. Here's a clever trick to keeping them warm before serving: throw them in a crock-pot or slow cooker.
Make a batch of mashed potatoes. Add butter, milk and seasonings according to your preferences.
Melt several tablespoons butter in a small bowl in the microwave. Brush melted butter on the inside of the crock-pot with a pastry brush to keep the potatoes from sticking to the inside of the pot.
Scoop the mashed potatoes into the crock-pot. Add several dollops of butter to the top of the potatoes to keep them moist.
Set the crock-pot to low. Fold a couple of paper towels in half and place them under the crock-pot lid to absorb any condensation.
Stir the potatoes occasionally. Add more milk or butter as needed to keep the mashed potatoes moist.
Tip
For best results, serve potatoes within two hours of putting them in the crock-pot.
Warning
Some crock-pots are hotter than others. Check the potatoes often to make sure they don't burn or dry out.
This method is not appropriate for mashed potatoes prepared with chicken broth.
References
- "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker"; Beth Hensperger; 2010
Writer Bio
Mindy Baca has been writing about education and public health since 2009, with work appearing on various websites. Baca's interests include maternal, infant and child health, health disparities and public-health ethics. She holds a Master of Science in public health from Walden University.