How To Use A Potato Ricer

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Looking to make some restaurant-style creamy mashed potatoes at home?

You can absolutely do that without any problem by using a potato ricer or masher to get the perfect texture for your mashed potatoes. In this blog post we will guide you through the steps for using a potato ricer.

What is a Potato Ricer?

If you’ve used a garlic press before, then a potato ricer is no different. It is a kitchen tool that consists of a cup (also known as a hopper) for holding the boiled potatoes, and two long handles for you to press together to extrude the mashed potatoes through the holes at the bottom of the hopper. The older style potato ricers have single-sized holes at the bottom of the cup. This may not be very convenient since you are limited to using the perforation size that comes with the cup. The newer potato ricers, however, come with 3 interchangeable discs – with small, medium and large perforations. This gives you the flexibility to produce the texture of mashed potatoes according to your preference.

Whether you are looking for a masher for white or sweet potatoes, a potato ricer works well for all types. Aside from making mashed potatoes, a potato ricer can also be used for other types of foods, such as, mashed carrots, avocado, other vegetables and fruits for making baby food. It can also be used for making gnocchi and spaetzle.

Steps for Using a Potato Ricer

Here is a step-by-step guide for using a potato ricer to make smooth and creamy mashed potatoes.
  1. Prepare the potato ricer by choosing the disc according to your texture preference. Place the disc into the bottom of the hopper (cup) with the rounded side of the disc facing up (the sleeve on the disc helps to keep the disc in place).
  2. You can choose to either peel the potatoes or leave the skin on, as per your personal preference. One of the advantages of using a potato ricer is the convenience of not having to peel the potatoes.
  3. Boil the potatoes for 20-30 minutes until they are fork-tender (can be easily pierced with a fork).
  4. Drain the potatoes in a colander and cut them into quarter-sized pieces.
  5. Place the potato pieces into the ricer hopper and lower the plunger.
  6. Simply press the handles together to rice the potatoes into a bowl, refilling the hopper and repeating the process as needed.
  7. Once you have completed ricing all the potatoes through the ricer you can add in your seasonings or mixes, such as, butter, cream, milk, salt, pepper, etc. Gently mix them to blend them in.
  8. Your restaurant-style, home-made mashed potato is now ready to be served as is or it can be heated before it is served.

Cleaning tip: To ensure proper care for your potato ricer, remember to rinse it thoroughly with some warm water immediately after use, before putting it into the dishwasher or keeping it aside for handwashing later. Otherwise, the residue of the potatoes will harden and cling on to the masher, making it difficult for you to clean later.

If you want to check out a potato ricer, then please click here now.

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