# Reheating Mashed Potatoes



## aej129 (Oct 30, 2014)

We've tried making smaller batches of our garlic mashed potatoes but we can't predict our crowd so sometimes we have leftovers. When we heat them, covered, the next day using a steam table they end up looking fine but smelling terrible so we have to throw them away. Is there a better way to reheat them? Is it a particular ingredient? What's the solution without making such a small amount that we run out? Thanks for your help!


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## alaminute (Aug 22, 2013)

Reheat them in a pan/ rondeau/ sauteuse with fresh cream. They should then be good to hold in your steam well.


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## alaminute (Aug 22, 2013)

You could also make a couple seperate small batches throughout the night, i.e. Run with just a 1/6-1/3 pan and if you see the restaurant filling up or getting down to half or less of your pan start new potatoes. You can even keep diced raw potatoes in water in a cambro in your walk-in so you have them ready to just throw in a pot. It's not like mash really takes that long. This being said I stand by what I said earlier about reheating as long as you're cooling it correctly the night before


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

1) Boil yer spuds. No Russets!!! Yukon gold or at the very least, reds.

2) Run them through a ricer

3) Cool down and keep on yer mise

4) per every 5-8 orders, heat up cream/milk/clarified butter dregs/spices in a _*non aluminum pot*_, add yer riced spuds, whisk to perfection over heat, serve.

Operative words are small batches made to order. riced cooked spuds will keep on your mise for at least a day.

Mashed spuds are downright sh*tty to hold in a steam table, and I've tried every trick know to mankind: double panned, double panned with wet rags between the pans, double panned with parchment paper lining the pans, etc. Nothing works, the spuds go brown and browner.

The only thing that works to 'hold" mashed spuds is a Cambro, a.ka. "the sweatbox". Basically a giant thermos that accepts full size hotel pans. I've held mashed spuds in there for close to 4 hrs with no damage. Mind you, this is for banquet/buffet catering, not ideal for a'la carte.

Hope this helps


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## archbow (Jul 15, 2013)

We always have a small amount of leftovers when we make our garlic whipped potatoes. I wrap them in plastic wrap and add the amount i'll need for the day in the steamwell and cool the rest. If I don't need the backups that night I'll reheat them in a pan with fresh cream on low until serving temp.

I've never ran into an issue with this honesty. The reheats come out tasting fine, and minimal discoloration. I've never pushed this for more than a day though.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Try to figure closer to what your daily consumption is.


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## recky (Oct 15, 2012)

I don't run into problems holding mashed potatoes in a steam table for a couple of hours. In a pinch I will also reheat them in a pot with a little added cream or milk. The reason why this works for me might be the potato variety I use. Being based in Germany, the variety name will not be of much use to you. They're very floury potatoes which I get directly from a farmer who also supplies small French Fries factories. We use them for fries, too.

I've noticed that after peeling, they take ages to go brown, even if not held in water.

Having said that, reheating is far from ideal. Even at the best of times, my mash takes on a somewhat muddy flavour, not very strong, but fresh is definitely better.

Cheers,

Recky


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

foodpump said:


> 1) Boil yer spuds. No Russets!!! Yukon gold or at the very least, reds.
> 
> 2) Run them through a ricer
> 
> ...


Yes, something like this. Even if you have to make a lot at once and chill, do not add your cream and butter until you're ready to serve.


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## chefbuba (Feb 17, 2010)

aej129 said:


> We've tried making smaller batches of our garlic mashed potatoes but we can't predict our crowd so sometimes we have leftovers. When we heat them, covered, the next day using a steam table they end up looking fine but smelling terrible so we have to throw them away. Is there a better way to reheat them? Is it a particular ingredient? What's the solution without making such a small amount that we run out? Thanks for your help!


The potatoes have spoiled. They were not brought up to temp fast enough. You can't use a steam table to reheat, it's to hold.

Read your states guidelines, this should have been in your food handlers permit test.


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

foodpump said:


> 1) Boil yer spuds. No Russets!!! Yukon gold or at the very least, reds.
> 
> 2) Run them through a ricer
> 
> ...


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## michaelga (Jan 30, 2012)

If you constantly have leftover mashed potatoes (all finished), cool them quickly don't hold.  

Keep em in the walk-in and reheat in a microwave to order. 

They won't be the worlds best but better than most, especially the brown rotten kind.

(it's actually something that the microwave is good for.... and reheating my darn coffee)


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## chefdre31 (Nov 2, 2014)

Ran into similar problem .. It's fine to hold them on a steam table but after awhile they turn brown so what we did was heat fresh cream & butter and throughout the shift we would incorporate the cream mixture into our mash


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