# Holding mashed potatoes for service



## marmalady

Okay, I admit it, I'm embarassed! For the party I'm doing on the 16th, they want mashed taters with horseradish/chives; I want to do as much preprep as possible, meaning I would like to make the potatoes in advance, and then reheat them on site. Tried it at home over the weekend, and they flopped! Made the mash, then piped them all pretty on a sheet pan, cooled in fridge. When I reheated them in the oven, I watched them turn into little puddles with squiggles! I've always made potatoes on site before, so they were served right when made, but there's just not enough time/help to do this. 

The only things I can figure are 1) too much cream/butter; 2) the cooked potatoes sat in the water a little too long, as I got a phone call and forgot about them - ? absorbed too much water?

Thanks in advance!


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## kuan

Maybe you should be thinking Duchesse Potatoes.

Kuan


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## jill reichow

I know this doesn't answer your question. But, when I make mashed 'tatoes in advance, I just put them in my biggest crockpot on low....and they keep just a good as fresh. Imagine it won't work for the quantity you need, but what about one of those big roasters?


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## suzanne

Jill has a good point: keep them hot, or at least warm. Wherever I've worked, the dinner mash was made about 3-4PM, put in a bain, and kept warm until service. Then they were scooped out as needed and reheated to serving temp. Cooling them makes them, well, yucky.

(It's not a problem of what's in them, really, but of how temperature changes play havoc with their composition.) Of course, you want to keep them out of the danger zone. But you knew that!


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## marmalady

Thanks, Suzanne - Do you think the crockpot would work? The party's only 6 people, so there's plenty room in it. Maybe if I lined the pot (ceramic) with foil to prevent crusting?


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## jill reichow

marmalady, I have kept potatoes in the crockpot for several hours without any crusting. I think that keeping the lid on until you are ready prevents the crusting. A quick stir and they are ready to put out however you need them.


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## marmalady

Thanks, all - I'm feeling much better about this - I'll just pipe 'em onto the plates from the crockpot.


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## pete

The other option would be to do a twiced baked potato. That way you have mashed potatoes and an edible container for serving them in.


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## campchef

Just an FYI, when I've held MPs for long periods, they tend to set up, especially when made with real butter and whole milk or buttermilk (the BEST way to do it). So I make them a bit on the thin side to compensate for the setting up process.


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## chefteldanielle

If the party is at 7 PM or so..
What I do is prepare the mashed potatoes and add extra cream and butter. Then I put it in my cambro..Covered with aluminum foil
By the time it's service time they are perfect.

Since mashed potatoes dry out slightly, you must add more cream while you have them sit in the cambro.

I usually leave my kitchen about 3 hours before the party starts.

I just made them this weekend for a party of six and they were perfect..
Danielle


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## marmalady

Chefdanielle - Cambro? Is that the big plastic containers? Do they stay warm - or how do you reheat?


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## chefteldanielle

The food stays either hot or cold.. If you want to keep the cambro cold you can put all your prepped items in pans and finish the dishes at the party..
Or you can take everything already prepared and hot all ready for service..
It keeps the dishes very hot for 6- 8 hours or so.
Mine was given to me by a retired caterer who thought I would really be able to use it.
And she was right..
I use it for everything.
I believe the company's website is Cambro.com.
I think for $600 you can pick up a double one.
They are very durable and easy to transport..
Great advertising for this company ha..
Good luck..
Danielle


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## marmalady

It's been brought to my attention from my original question that I may be running a home-based catering business - not!! 

The party I'm doing this weekend is a) for my hubbie's boss; 
b) who is also a personal friend; c) she's paying me for food costs and my time.

As most of you know, I will be starting my new job in two weeks (FINALLY!!!), as 'assistant manager/chef' (actually got my title pinned down from the bosses!) of a new restaurant. So, no time for catering!

Just wanted to clarify, home-catering is not my bag of tricks - left a job working for a home-caterer because I didn't feel comfortable with it, and would never jeopardize myself, my home or my clients with working out of my home.


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## gearoid

Don't be embarassed.

Reheating is not a very good idea, if you can, do them 20 minutes before serving and keep the mash warm ie in bain marie for example. This would work best perhaps also the type of Potato you used could be a problem. As for the ratio of your ingredients, try the following as a rule.

900g (2lb) Potatoes
300ml (2pints) of Cream
1-2 eggs or 1 whole egg and 1 yolk
25g-50g (1-2oz) butter
Salt and pepper

for the above just add 4 tablespoons of Horesradish.
Garnish with chives (do not put them in 20 min before they may go gary on you and spoil a very nice mash potato dish.

Happy cooking hope this helps 
Gearóid


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## marmalady

Solved the problem rather easily by just cooking the taters on site. Thanks, all, for the suggestions.


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## chefteldanielle

Congratulations..
I bet the party was marvelous..
Danielle


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## marmalady

Thanks, danielle - It was great - one of those times when everything just 'clicked'; only 'disaster' was when the smoke alarm went off as I was searing the tuna aps - I just went on my merry way, and all the guests and hostesses were busily fanning the alarms and looking for the breaker box!

How is your new business going? The FoodTV website has a discussion group re catering and personal cheffing, if you want to check that out; lots of interesting comments re the 'personal chef' organization.


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## chefteldanielle

Now that's what i call Entertainment..
My business is doing fine..
Iam looking for a new kitchen.. 
The one I have now is not working out...
But Iam getting many jobs..
Thanks for the info about the discussion group..
Danielle


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## culianryman

This info is a little late for you but maybe in the future.

Mashed Potatoes for 6 people should hold fine in a crock pot as long as it is on a setting that will keep your spuds around 140 degrees any hotter and any longer then a few hours you will find the starch begin to change and you will lose that nice color and texture.

I also recommend that you add your Chives and Horseradish just prior to serving, The chlorophyll in the chives will die fast and will not be as eye appealing as when they are add last, also the oils in the flavors of these 2 ingredients will lose their intensity. So I recommend that you re-season and add the chives and horseradish right before plating. Even use some of the chives as a garnish for your spuds.


"What No Spell Check" 

Chef Rick


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## shawtycat

Found this on the Cooks Illustrated Website:

*Is it possible to make mashed potatoes ahead of time and keep them warm while I prepare the rest of the meal? *

Everyone agrees that mashed potatoes taste best when they are hot, freshly mashed, and still in the pot. As they cool, and their starches harden, mashed potatoes sacrifice much of their creamy fluffiness, becoming, over the space of a couple of hours, positively leaden. Yet it's not always possible to make them at the last minute. Here's our method for keeping mashed potatoes hot until serving time:

Make the potatoes with 1/4 additional, half-and-half, or cream, depending on your preference then turn them into a glass serving bowl or whatever vessel can be fit snugly over a pot containing about 3 inches of barely simmering water. Cover them flush with a damp, lintfree kitchen towel, a layer of plastic wrap, and a pot lid or tight band of aluminum foil. The potatoes will hold beautifully for up to two hours.

It may be too late for you to use but I thought it would benefit a few others.

Jodi


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## chefboy2160

Out of all the ideas Ive seen here I like Petes twice baked method the best . Done properly these are bulletproof .


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## alexia

When I was a kid, my mother used to make the twice baked potatoes from time to time, not because of the timing convenience, but because we loved them. I still make them from time to time simply because they're so good. 

Which brings up another question. All the recipes & mavens insist that potatoes should be riced or milled (my mother used a masher), but I find it works fine to use my mixer with a paddle at a slow-medium speed if the potatoes are cooked thoroughly. What do chefs in restaurants do? I can't believe the mill or rice a gazillion lbs of potatoes!


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## chefboy2160

I use a mixer with a wire whip . Here is my twice baked favorite .
Wash and brush with butter Idaho baking potatoes , place on sheet pan and bake till just done . While still hot cut in 1/2 and scoop out into mixers bowl . Add the fowlowing to your taste ,
salt , white pepper , sour cream , cheddar cheese , finely diced green onions and half and half ( bacon is good but there are so many vegans now ) Mix but dont overmix! Pipe or spoon back into potato skins on sheet pans , brush with melted butter and sprinkle with paprika . Chill and reheat in a 350 oven till browned on top . Nothing but raves on this one . Doug


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## suzanne

Every restaurant I've worked at used an 8-quart food mill. And we'd mix in the other ingredients by hand. But those were all fine-dining, and none was really high volume. 

At the hors d'oeuvre factory, when we needed mash for a filling, we'd cook off 25 lbs of potatoes (or more) and dump them in the 80-Q mixer with the paddle-- no one could possibly have mashed and mixed in everything otherwise.


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## suzanne

That's what we did at Match, at Soma Park, etc. What used to get me hysterical, though, was that during service the potatoes would sometimes start to rise in the bain -- there was an air pocket from plopping them in -- and it would look like a souffle on the shelf over the burners.

The parchment layer stops the food from reacting chemically with the aluminum foil. If you notice pin-prick holes in the foil, it's because the acid in the food ate through the metal; this is even worse when the container is also metal (in that case, I think there's a tiny electrical current generated, but I could be wrong).


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## dandelion

I thought maximum time for holding is 2 hours not 3?


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## petemccracken

dandelion said:


> I thought maximum time for holding is 2 hours not 3?


Food Code, indefinitely if held above 135°F.

Food quality? Not very long /img/vbsmilies/smilies/crazy.gif


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## foodpump

For many fine dining places, we would boil the peeled spuds whole, then run them through  potato ricer.  This was dept on the m.e.p. and a'la minute  buttermilk /butter was heated, the riced pots put in, and whisked hot and fluffy..


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## uptownkevin

PeteMcCracken said:


> Food Code, indefinitely if held above 135°F.
> 
> Food quality? Not very long /img/vbsmilies/smilies/crazy.gif


Hold indefinitely? How about 9 years?

I just finished reading this thread and realized the question was asked back in2002


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## sarahg

Hi there,

I wonder if it would have been better to simply prepare the potatoes as ordinarily and refrigerate in a hotel pan until just before service.  At that time reheat them to the right temperature, then pipe and finish as you like.  You'll get a fresher, more finished and professional looking product that way.  I do think, however, that waxy potatoes, such as Yukon golds, are better for boiling because they have less moisture content than mealy potatoes, such as a russet.  But russets do fall apart when boiling and some feel they are a better choice for whipped or pureed potatoes.  But I think the problem is really with preparing them to finish in advance, refrigerating them and reheating them in the oven and then trying to serve a presentable and finished looking product...


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## caminparis

I wish I had found this site earlier and asked this question earlier!!  I was just in a situation where I needed mashed potatoes for 170 persons.  I work in a church kitchen where I have two "home" ovens with electric stove tops, but industrial size pots and pans. We opted to use canned/cooked potatoes (pomme de terre), where we drained, rinsed, and heated, then HAND mash (my volunteer refused to use the mixer, saying it would make them too runny and flat) with plenty of butter and cream and creme fraiche, salt and white pepper.  We put it in tin foil disposable roasting containers to serve.  My question, is for this many people and with the available oven space....we had 50K of turkey baking and could only use the stove top....what would be your way to get mashed to the masses, along with the rest of Thanksgiving dinner?


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## boar_d_laze

1. *Batches*. When you're doing large quantities in or on small equipment, you've got to think "batches."

2. *Shoot the volunteer* and get someone else. The last thing you want is a helper with opinions. Especially wrong ones.

3. *Boil the potatoes at the last possible minute in salted water*, turn off the flame when they are between almost and barely cooked, and hold them covered in hot water to let them drift into done. You've got about a half hour window of acceptability. If the spuds get a little mushy, so what? You're mashing them anyway.

4. *Bring a mixture of of milk and heavy cream nearly to the boil*. Season it lightly with salt and nutmeg. Cover and turn the heat down to a bare simmer.

5. *Drain the potatoes* into a dry pot, and cook them briefly on your hottest flame to get rid of excess water. Water is not your friend. Drying the potatoes will make them fluffy. A good thing.

6. *Place the warmed, dry potatoes in the stand mixer* in whatever amount your mixer can handle. Add your dairy mixture very hot to bring some heat to the potatoes. Then add cold butter because cold butter makes for better texture and tastes better. Adjust for salt.

BDL


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## culinary-kitten

This is what I used to do for mash potato on service.

You boil your potatoes then rapidly cool and mash them. Put them into containers and make sure it safe ice cold.

Then you reheat it when you want it with you butter, cream cheese etc. There is nothing wrong with this method all you have to do is ensure the potatoes are _*hot!*_ You do them 5 min service of the item.


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## williamalbrecht

Mashed potatoes can be done relatively effortlessly.. I've never really done them in advance, but the prep cooks at a restaurant I just recently left (terrible working conditions, no one really cares about food -- or knows what they're doing for that matter, and even worse management) would do them in large batches (usually eight four-inch hotel pans) at a time and store them over the next couple days. While I prefer doing my mashed just before service, they didn't hold too badly. I think the trick would be not to pipe them out until service.. leave them covered in a pan until then, and make sure you mix them well before piping too.


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## dimples3130

I would just make a recipe of "Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes".  They are supposed to hold for something like 2 weeks.  I like the flavor of them better than regular.  I can look for my recipe but it doesn't have milk in it....just cream cheese and sour cream.  Let me know if you are interested in the recipe.


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## chefbuba

Make ahead mashed potatoes??? Hold for two weeks??? Another housewife's recipe for disaster.


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## shroomgirl

+1 what Chef Bubba said....having mashed potatoes for 2 weeks is dangerous to state the least....don't do it!!!

CT members please remember this is a pro forum, if you are an at home cook you may read but not post here....there are numerous forums in the general section which have super info for you.

Thanks,

Shroom


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## shaneferguson

I just made Duchess Potatoes in Culinary School today. This is a great potato side to hold over for service. Just don't add to much butter. Err on the addition of more cream instead and when you bake the piped potatoes they will stay stiff. Here is a recipe:

www.chefdecuisine.com/vegetables/potato/DUCHESS_POTATOES.php


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## billymcbillerso

Don't line with foil...they'll get little black spots all over your 'taters.


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## cheffconnie

I've never had much luck reheating mashed potatoes in an oven, especially once piped.  If you want to do them in advance, have you thought about doing duchess style potatoes, which are basically mashed potatoes with egg yolks added. They hold together better and aquire a nice golden tone too.  It shouldn't be a problem adding the chives ad horseradish too.

Good Luck!


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## vealstew4u

you are absolutly correct  Cambro HotBoxes are a GODSEND 

Couldnt think of doing business without them..


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## debert

When catering or even serving a large crowd, choose side dishes that are easy to hold and reheat. The above twice bakes or other stuffed potatoes- like Jack Tar's- are perfect. They can be topped and rebaked at service time, and even hold pretty well on a steam table.  Scalloped potatoes may be reheated (retopped with buttered croutons and cheese), and if you're formally plating, browned, prettily piped Duchesse potatoes seated on thin melba rounds are easy to brown off and plate. Par-roasted rosemary baby reds are very nice, especially if edged attractively. They should be cut in some manner to make them roll less- otherwise servers can bobble them badly. Cutting 2 vee's into them, halving them, circle peeling into ovals, all work.

For dinner vegetables, stews of various sorts are the very easiest for group service, because they can be cooked ahead and remain moist, and can taste better after holding. Variations on Ratatouille are good, or stewed winter root vetables- parsnips, carrots, turnips, white beets with pearl onions work nicely. Unless you can stir fry on the spot, don't try standard summer medleys. Grean beans hold well par cooked, and can be topped or dressed with almonds or cranberries or walnuts, even mandarin slices and dark soy at service time.


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## chefedb

Hold for 2 weeks ? maybe in your house u eat them. 

_I make them and fill pastry bags and put in 2 inch pan in steamtable or under hot lights. I just make enough for service._


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