Red Bliss Mashed Potatoes With Gravy

Creamy and buttery mashed potatoes smothered in a rich flavorful country gravy with sour cream and garlic.

Mashed Potatoes are one of those recipes that I think everybody should be able to make before they leave home. It’s comfort food at its finest and can go with just about any protein as a side or with vegetables for vegetarians. My go to recipe has roasted garlic and sour cream with lots of butter. Do not skimp on the butter, that’s the flavor. Fat = Flavor !

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What ingredients do you need for red bliss mashed potatoes with gravy?

• Red Bliss or Yukon Gold Potatoes
• Milk
• Sour Cream
• Garlic
• Unsalted Butter
• Chicken Stock (or drippings from roasted turkey)
• Flour
• Sea Salt
• Black Pepper

The Recipe…

For the mashed potatoes, place potatoes and garlic in a small pot seasoned with kosher salt and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and let simmer until fork tender and fall apart. Strain and add milk, butter, and sour cream. Mash the potatoes until smooth and season with salt and pepper to taste.

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For the gravy, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour, whisk until combined. This is called a roux and it will thicken the sauce if done properly. Add all of the liquid at one time. The end result will be less lumpy. Whisk together until a roaring boil to activate the rou. Bring down to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and chopped thyme.

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Recipe Tips:

Tip #1

• You want to use red bliss or yukon gold potatoes because they are creamier and have less starch. If you use a starchy potato like Idaho, the potato will get gummy if you mash it too much. I’m sure we’ve all had potatoes that were gummy and it is NOT something you want people to remember about your potatoes. And you don’t have to peel them, which is an amazing plus. The peel on Yukon’s and red bliss are very thin and will really just disappear in the mix.

Tip #2

• IF you want to make this recipe gluten free, use cornstarch instead of flour and butter (Roux). MIx a tablespoon of cornstarch with ¼ cup of stock or water and stir into stock. Bring to a full boil to activate and then simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• I like to add half of the slurry firsts to see how thick it gets and then add the rest if needed. If you feel it is too thick just add a little more stock.
• When using cornstarch I recommend using a liquid that is in the recipe such as stock or wine instead of water because water dilutes flavor even if it is only a little bit.

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Make Ahead:

• If you decide to make them in advance, make sure to add more milk or a little stock when you reheat. This will stop them from getting dry due to evaporation.
• If using fresh dripping, make sure to deglaze your pan. Place the roasting pan on the stove top and pour in a little wine or your stock. Using a wooden spoon scrape the bottom to get all the FOND (all the little bits sticking to the pan) . These have all the flavor and are the FONDation of your sauce.
• If you are using stock, you can make the gravy the day before and heat the day of.

Storing tips:

• You can store the gravy in the refrigerator for 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months in an airtight container.