Fried Mashed Potato Balls (Loaded Mashed Potato Bites) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

FAQs

How to make potato balls deep fried? ›

Adding the butter first helps to coat the starch in the potato, resulting in a creamier potato. Once the butter is absorbed; add the rest of the dairy.

Plan on 1/3 to 1/2 pound potatoes per person for your feast.

Extra moisture in the potato means you'll need more flour and cornstarch. If not, the potato balls will break apart in the oil.

A properly made fry must hit the oil twice--once at a lower temperature, and then again at 350 degrees Fahrenheit--to get the perfect creamy interior and crunchy exterior. Before all that, though, the secret is to briefly poach them in boiling water (or "blanch" them) before they go into the hot oil.

They just taste rich (almost impossibly so). They do, however, feel creamy, because egg yolks are also emulsifiers (and are, in fact, the ingredient in mayo that makes it an emulsifier). The yolk emulsifies water and fat to create a cohesive, velvety bite, while providing a little fat and body of its own.

Adding egg yolks to a pot of mashed potatoes is an easy, dairy-free texture and taste upgrade that doesn't require any special techniques. The yolks harbor all the flavorful fats and emulsifying components and will thus effectively unify the fat and water in potatoes, translating to a smoother, uniformly creamy pot.

Garnish With Herbs

Speaking of delicious green things, both woody herbs like sage, rosemary, and thyme, and leafy herbs like dill can add freshness to this starchy side. A herb-based sauce like pesto swirled into mashed potatoes is another way to add vibrant flavor.

A word about butter: Don't melt butter before stirring it into the potatoes because the milk solids and fat will separate. You can add cold butter to your hot potatoes since the butter will melt as a whole and distribute the fat and milk solids evenly.

TIP: You need to take one more step with the butter and dairy before you add them to your steaming spuds. Nothing should go in cold. Indeed, butter will mix better if it's at room temperature, so leave it out to warm up while the potatoes tenderize in the water.

Is it better to add cold or hot milk to mashed potatoes? ›

For the very best result every time, always gently warm the butter and milk before adding to the potatoes, rather than adding cold dairy straight from the fridge. Here's why: Warm dairy is absorbed faster and more easily, with less stirring than its cold counterpart.

How many russet potatoes is 2 pounds? Between less than one and 25, depending on the size of each potato. I've been served a 2.5 lb baked Russet potato, and purchased bags of baby russets. Typical Burbank Russets weigh between 0.4 and 0.85 pounds.

The best potatoes for mashed potatoes are a starchy varieties like russet, Idaho or Yukon gold. Starchy potatoes are best for mashed potatoes because they have a fluffy, almost airy texture that breaks down easily.

A standard 5-pound bag of potatoes can contain anywhere from 10 to 15 medium-sized potatoes, while a smaller 2-pound bag might contain 5 to 7 potatoes. Some retailers may also sell potatoes in larger 10-pound or 20-pound bags.

The main reasons to cut the potatoes and pre-soak in water are: To allow the excess starches and sugars to be removed from the outer surface of the fry strips AND to keep the potatoes from browning prematurely from exposure to air. Covering in water helps the potato from turning a dark color.

This step is commonly missed in making homemade fries, but it might be one of the most important! Soaking your fries in cold water helps remove excess starch, which allows for crispy, golden fries! The cold water bath also helps the french fries retain their shape and contributes to a fluffy inside.

Place them in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Allow them to soak, 2 to 3 hours. (You can also stick them in the fridge and let them soak overnight.) When you're ready to make the fries, drain off the water and lay the potatoes on 2 baking sheets lined with paper towels.

Fresh potatoes are about 80% water. Dehydrated slices have the water taken out. If you fry without re-hydrating, the slices will be crispy and crunchy, but not good.