Everyone's favorite comfort food mashed potatoes are so much better when they're homemade. And if you rice the potatoes like professional chefs, you know that it results in the smoothest and creamiest mashed potatoes possible. If you don’t have a ricer however, you can still make the dreamiest mashed potatoes, just improvise with either a fine grater or food mill using these steps.
Fine Grater
After boiling and cooling the potatoes, peel the skins.
Place the grater in a bowl to catch the riced potato as you grate.
Hold each potato at one end and slide the other end down the length of the fine grater.
Once all of the potatoes have been grated, fluff them with a fork.
Food Mill
Peel boiled and cooled potatoes.
Insert the medium-sized disc into the mill or choose the medium-to-small-milled option to create riced potatoes.
Place the mill over a large bowl.
Cut the potatoes into quarters and insert one or two of the quarters (or more, depending on the size of your apparatus) into the bowl or shaft of the mill.
Exert a downward pressure as you turn the handle clockwise several times until the potatoes feed through the bottom.
Tip
Avoid the large-hole graters, as your potatoes will be more suitable for hash browns than the smooth texture you desire.
If you're using a food mill, turn the handle counter-clockwise to unlock the shaft or bowl and add more potatoes.
Warning
When grating potatoes, take extra care not to grate your fingers or hands.
References
Writer Bio
Kristie Brown is a publisher, writer and editor. She has contributed to magazines, textbooks and online publications. Brown holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Texas at Austin.