Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Steps

1. Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Starting in cold water helps them cook evenly.
2. Bring to a

   boil (how to boil)

   Boil Heat liquid until big bubbles rise and break all over the surface. 1. Use a pot big enough that the water fills it no more than three quarters.2. Cover it to boil faster, over high heat.3. Salt pasta or vegetable water once it boils.4. Add the food, stir, and bring it back to a boil before you start timing. Done when: A rolling boil keeps bubbling hard even when you stir. Safety: Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove, and drain pasta into a colander in the sink, pouring away from you. Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to boil water for pasta and vegetables: mistakes to avoid

   , then

   simmer (how to simmer)

   Simmer Cook liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles breaking the surface now and then. 1. Bring the liquid up over medium-high heat.2. As soon as bubbles rise steadily, turn the heat down.3. Adjust until only a few small bubbles break the surface every second or two.4. Stir now and then and check that it hasn't crept back to a boil. Done when: You see lazy, small bubbles, not a rolling boil. A "bare" simmer has just a bubble here and there. Safety: Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to simmer: mistakes to avoid

   until a knife slides into the biggest chunk with no resistance.
   ⏱ Simmer: 18 min
3. Meanwhile, warm the milk and butter together in a small saucepan or the microwave until the butter melts.
4. Drain the potatoes well, then return them to the hot, empty pot over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, to steam off extra water.
   ⏱ Dry potatoes: 2 min
5. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher until mostly smooth. Pour in the warm butter mixture a little at a time, mashing and stirring until creamy. Don't use a blender or food processor, which makes them gluey.
6. Season (how to season to taste)

   Season to taste Add salt (and pepper or acid) bit by bit, tasting as you go, until the food tastes fully of itself. 1. Season meat and vegetables before cooking, holding the salt high so it falls evenly.2. Taste the dish near the end with a clean spoon.3. If it tastes flat, add a pinch of salt, stir and taste again.4. If it tastes heavy or dull, a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar brightens it.5. Stop when another pinch wouldn't make it better. Done when: The flavors are clear and bright, not flat and not salty. Safety: Don't taste dishes that hold raw meat, poultry or eggs; season them by the recipe's amounts and adjust after cooking.How to season to taste: mistakes to avoid

   with salt and pepper, top with chives and serve.

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Tips

• Cold milk cools the potatoes and won't absorb as well. Always warm it first.
• Yukon Golds make creamy, buttery mash; russets make fluffier, lighter mash.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days.

Make ahead

Make up to 2 days ahead, cool and refrigerate. Reheat covered in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 30 to 40 minutes with a splash of milk, stirring once, or keep warm in a slow cooker on WARM for up to 2 hours.

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage. In season: potatoes (August to November).