I've thought way more about perfect mashed potatoes than what's considered probably normal. I've tested recipe after recipe, tweaking here and fine-tuning there, to create my ideal recipe for holiday mashed potatoes. And no matter what your perfect fluff taters look like, you'll get there faster if you start with Anthony Bourdain's mashed potato recipe.
His recipe is top-tier for three reasons: butter, Yukon gold potatoes, and butter. Bourdain's mashed potatoes have such exceptional creaminess and richness because there is far too much butter for the mash to get gummy. He used a 4-to-1 ratio, though some chefs, such as Chef John of Food Wishes fame, use 3-to-1 with no trouble.
And considering what Bourdain's least favorite meal was , he most likely wasn't worried about the butter content of his mashed potato recipe. However, the potato variety matters. Yukon golds are best for mashers because they have enough starch to stand up to boiling and mashing but not so much that the potatoes release tons of sticky starch molecules that can give that dreaded gluey texture.
And even if they do, the butter lubricates everything. All of that said, despite Bourdain's culinary bad-boy reputation, his overall method is unnecessarily fussy and hopelessly conventional. But it does have its merits, and if you're looking to achieve your ideal mashed potatoes, it's helpful to understand where you can break the rules.
Your take on Bourdain's potatoes Bourdain doesn't call for a pre-boiling soak b.
